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11
Of the Battersea births (live and still) which occurred within
the Borough in 1937, 795 were "domiciliary births."
The birth-rate shows a decline in four Wards of the Borough
and an increase in the five remaining Wards. The birth-rate in
Battersea was 0·5 per 1,000 lower than the average for the previous
decennium 1927-1936.
Illegitimate births numbered 86 or 4·01 per cent. of the live
births.
The number of births occurring in each quarter of the year is
shown in the table on page 13.
The live birth-rate for the County of London was 13·3 per 1,000
of the population, and for England and Wales the rate was 14·9.
Still-births.
The registration of still-births became compulsory under the
provisions of the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1926.
During 1937 there were 85 still-births registered in Battersea,
of which 48 were of Battersea parents. Fifteen still-births occurring
outside the Borough were registered as belonging to Battersea,
making 63 in all, representing a still-birth rate of 28·55 per 1,000
births (live and still) registered. Of the 63 still-births 3 (4·8 per
cent.) were registered as illegitimate.

Notification of Births.
During 1937 the number of notifications of live births received
belonging to the Borough was 2,094. The corrected number of
Battersea births registered during the year was 2,144. The proportion
of notified to registered births was, therefore, 97·7 per cent.
Notifications of 340 live births of Battersea children occurring
outside the Borough were received from the districts in which the
births occurred, these cases being included in the total of 2,094
above.
Fifty-seven still-births were notified under the provisions of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1936, during the year, including 13 cases
occurring outside the Borough, the number notified being 90·5 per
cent. of the total Battersea still-births registered.
The homes from which births are notified are visited and revisited
by the Council's official health visitors or the health visitors
of the voluntary organisations included in the Council's Maternity
and Child Welfare scheme.
A weekly return of all births notified is forwarded to the London
County Council, in accordance with the requirements of the Public
Health (London) Act, 1936.