[Report 1962] / Medical Officer of Health, Dudley County Borough.
- Dudley (England). County Borough Council.
- Date:
- 1962
Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Credit: [Report 1962] / Medical Officer of Health, Dudley County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.
26/114 page 24
![Section 25—Home Nursing The work of the district nurses showed a slight increase over the previous year and is summarised helow: Visits Medical Cases .... .. .... .... .... .... 18,983 Surgical Cases Tuberculous Cases Maternal Complications Others 16,821 More than 85% of all the visits paid were to persons over 65 years of age. Very little demand was made for the nursing of children and only four were attended during the year. All of these sutfered from congenital abnormalities. Many of tlie elderly patients were doubly incontinent. This in- continence is not only unpleasant for the district nurses but it places a severe strain on the family, and after long period of unselfish home nursing by the relatives a number of old people had to be admitted to hospital. Although ‘incontinent pads” were supplied to help with the problem of soiled linen this did not ])rove to be completely satis- factory and it is hoped that soon it will be possible to provide a laundry servi(*e. During the year it was {possible, in co-operation with the Old Peoples’ Welfare Association and the St. John Ambulance Associa- tion, to introduce a bath attendant service in the Netherton area. The volunteers carried out weekly batlis for old people who, although neJ ill, found that they were no longer able to bath themselves. This service was a great help to the patients and the nurses, and it is hoped at a later date to extend this service to other parts of the County Borough. This service like the midwifery service has become more efficient bv reason of its greater mobilitv. More of the staff now have cars and an increased car allowance agreed to by the Council has helped in this direction. In addition to the two nurses who attended the local training course at Walsall one nurse attended a residential course at Manchester. Section 26—Vaccination and Immunisation Smallpox vaccination received an unexpected boost when a case of smallpox occurred in a neighbouring authority area. The sub- secpient f)ress publicity and the occurrence of other cases in various j)arts of the country resulted in an urgent public demand for vac- cination. Although mass vac'cination was not thought to be either nc'cessary or desirable many adults sought vaccination by their own doctors for themselves and their children. Special vaccination ses- sions were held at the Central Clinic to deal with Health Department staff and other people, including contacts, who were likely to be ex- posed to special risk. Fivery opportunity was taken during this period to increase the proportion of infants vaccinated.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29171271_0028.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
