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
Hampstead 1934
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead Borough]
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31
of marriage, which otherwise would have had the effect of increasing
the illegitimate rate at the expense of the legitimate rate.
One is loath to assume that there has been any decrease in
morality, which, in spite of the increase of contraceptive methods and
abortions, has the nett result of keeping the illegitimate rate stationary.
In any case I think this would only offer a partial and most unsatisfactory
explanation.
One can only be left to conclude that the increased stress and
strain of modern life, both in business and in pleasure, has resulted
in less fertility, which, coupled with the increased application of contraceptive
methods and abortion, has resulted in a general and continuous
decline of the legitimate Birth Rate.
Still Births.
During 1934, the nett number of registered still births for Hampstead
was 27.
In the following Table the still births for 1934 have been distributed according to sex, etc.:—
| STILL BIRTHS. | MALKS. | FEMALES. | TOTALS. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legitimate. | Illegitimate. | Total. | Legitimate. | Illegitimate. | Total. | Legitimate. | Illegitimate. | Total. | |
| Registered in the Borough | 13 | 2 | 15 | 20 | 7 | 27 | 33 | 9 | 42 |
| 4 | 1 | 5 | 5 | - | 5 | 9 | 1 | 10 | |
| 17 | 3 | 20 | 25 | 7 | 32 | 42 | 10 | 52 | |
| 9 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 20 | 5 | 25 | |
| Nett number belonging to Hampstead, 1934 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 5 | 27 |
| 2 | |||||||||
Infant Mortality.
During 1934, 50 infants under 1 year of age died, giving an
infantile death rate of 53 per 1,000 live births. This, unhappily, is a
great increase on the rate of 38 for the previous year.