London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Battersea 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough.
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36
Number of maternal deaths 1*
Number of cases in which temperature rose above
100.4° F. for 24 hours with rise of pulse rate 31
Number of cases notified as Ophthalmia Neonatorum
with result of treatment 1
(Cured. No permanent damage to eyes.)
Number of cases with discharge from eyes however
slight 10
Number of infants not entirely breast fed 6
Number of cases notified as puerperal sepsis Nil
Number of cases notified as puerperal pyrexia
(13 recovered, 2 died in Hospital from sepsis) 15*
Number of foetal deaths (22 still-born, 17 within
10 days of birth) and their causes 39
Still birth—Died within JO days—
| Face presentation | 2 | Congenital heart disease | 6 |
| Breech presentation | 2 | Premature | 6 |
| Prolonged 2nd stage | 2 | Asphyxia pallida | 3 |
| Macerated—albuminuria in mother | 7 | Cerebral haemorrhage and heart failure | 1 |
| Hydrocephalus | 2 | Anencephalus: cardiac failure | 1 |
| Prematurity | 3 | ||
| Anencephalus | 2 | ||
| Prolapse of cord | 2 | ||
| 22 | 17 | ||
| The Consultant Obstetrician was called in in 20 cases of grave emergency, particulars of which are set out below:— | |||
| Forceps delivery | 2 | Malpresentations | 2 |
| Ante-partum haemorrhage | 1 | Puerperal pyrexia | 7 |
| Caesarean section | 4 | Puerperal mania | 1 |
| Extensive tear of walls | 1 | Post-partum haemorrhage | 2 |
I am indebted to the courtesy of the Borough Treasurer for
the following statement of the cost of the Home during the financial
year ended 31st March, 1930:—
Maternity Hospital, 1929-1930.
Total beds (excluding isolation beds), 30; total cases, 566.
number of weeks spent in Institution by such patients, 1,132.
* Vide page 29.