[Report 1926] / Medical Officer of Health, Birmingham.

  • Birmingham (England). Council.
Date:
1926
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1926] / Medical Officer of Health, Birmingham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    28/146 (page 24)
    Primary Visits; — Impetigo Conjunctivitis Enlarged Glands Bronchitis, Colds, etc. Neglect, Insufficient Clothing, etc. Verminous Cases Visits to Schools Visits to obtain addresses Visits to Officials, Doctors, etc. Visits to aged persons or on their behalf Visits for special enquiries Country Holiday Inspections Health Talks Other Visits ... ... Total Primary Visits Rb-Vi.SITS Totai. Effective Visits ... Useless Visits (Out, Removed, etc.) ... Grand Total 1924. 1925. 1926. 641 606 6;« 62 43 38 654 1,064 * 1,092 2,660 3,357 2,996 85 75 77 98 70 64 285 258 227 407 690 807 540 345 254 145 130 201 842 734 996 46 18 4 9 6 4 636 .518 381 29,085 41,604 37,572 24,028 18,965 20,359 53,113 60,569 57,931 4,449 5,564 4,978 57,562 66,133 62,909 SCAHIICS. The incidence of scabies is very small now compared with tliat, during and soon after, the War; but there was a slight increase this year, 87 cases being reported and visited, as against 72 last year. 32 tickets for free medicinal baths at the Skin Hospital, were given to certain Scabies patients, in need of them. Pneumonia. 'I'lie notifications of Pneumonia were I'atlier more numerous, the Doctors having notified approximately 2,437 cases (as compared with 2,185 in 1925); and the Health Visitors paid 2,683 primary visits, and 3,797 re-visits to these, and to additional cases of Pneumonia, reported by the District Nursing Societies, etc. Every one realises what an imix)rt.ant adjunct good nursing is, in the treatment of Pneumonia, and the Disti'ict Nurses are genei'ally welcomed by both Doctor and patient. It is, however, regrettable, when the case is not notified, until after death, and a Nifrse has not been called in. The Birmingham District Nursing Societies Again did most useful work in nursing 938 cases of Pneumonia, severe Measles and Wliooping Cough, in accordance with an agreement made with the Public Health Department. Births. ll’ith the increase in the numlier of Maternity and Infant Welfare Centres, there are propor- tionately somewliat fewer Infants for the general Health Visitors to visit; but these remaining ones are generally living in the most out-lying parts of the districts, and consequently much time and walking is involved. This year they paid 1,697 primary visits, and 7,899 re-visits to Infants (including 41 visits, and 13 re-visits, in connection with still-births). Infectious Diseases. In counecton with Measles, German Measles, Whooping Cough, Chicken Pox and Mumps, 22,903 primary visits, and 3,714 re-visits were paid, in order to fill in the necessary forms for the schools, for the exclusion of the patient, and certain of the contacts. Though the Health Visitors do not investigate actual cases of Diphtheria, Scarlet Eever, Enteric Fever, etc., yet when there is an outbreak of any of these diseases, they are asked to make sjiecial note of any suspects, and also sometimes to keep in touch with tire contacts. Visits in connection with these last-mentioned illnesses are included either in the 381 “ Other visits ” (and 278 re-visits), or else in ; — Special Enouiries. The 996 “Special Enquiries ” visits, besides embracing the above, ahso include some investigations re Cancer, Rheumatism of children. Jaundice, and also occasional visits to cases of Infantile Paralysis, and Sleepy Sickness. A full enquiry was made in connection with the Cancer campaign, as to the subsequent history of patients operated on in the various Birmingham hospitals for Cancer of the Breast, Colotomy, etc. The Aged. Each year, with unvarying regularity, one needs to mention the ever-recurring problem of the lonely, poor aged men and women. So much do the Health Visitors appreciate the difficulties of dealing with these, that when the Royal Sanitarj’ Institute held their Congress in Birmingham in 1921, a paper was compiled by them entitled.