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
St Pancras 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, London, Borough of]
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28
POOR LAW MATERNITY CASES.
The number of indoor maternity cases in the Workhouse for the past three
years ending Lady-day, was:—
1905-1906—169; 1906-1907—148; 1907-1908-129.
The number of outdoor maternity cases during the three years ending Lady Day, was:—
| 1905-6. | 1906-7. | 1907-8. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attended by Midwives | 23 | 25 | 19 |
| Attended by District Medical Officers:— | |||
| Ordinary Cases | 7 | 16 | 8 |
| Difficult Cases | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 33 | 42 | 35 |
The Report of the Medical Officer of the Workhouse as to the character of
the indoor maternity cases is as follows:— "Most are single women who are
admitted as destitute and pregnant Concerning the married women, so far as I
know all are genuinely destitute. A few are sent in requiring special treatment
in the way of instrumental delivery, etc. Of the 442 cases, there were about
110 only legitimate as far as I can trace; particulars are given in all but about
a dozen cases. This proportion would thus be 1 legitimate to 3 illegitimate
births."
HOME OFFICE INQUIRY.
The Home Office Inquiry, initiated in December, 1907, into the occupation
and habits of mothers and the effect upon their offspring, has been confined to
Somers Town, and as much of the rest of the East Division of St. Pancras as
can be included, as the Inquiry must include all the births in a definite area
taking place during the year 1908, and must extend until the end of 1909,
when the last infant will have reached the end of its first year of life. The
information should prove very valuable.
REPORT OF THE WOMAN INSPECTOR.
To the Medical Officer of Health.
Sir,
The work done during the year 1908, in connection with the lessening of
Infant Mortality, has been carried on, on the same general principles as that
of previous years, though differing somewhat in details.
The various measures employed with the idea of inducing and prolonging
natural feeding, have been the same as before, namely the distribution of
advice cards, personal visits to mothers, and the referring of mothers and
infants to doctors, hospitals, and dispensaries, where illness was suspected;
otherwise to the School for Mothers, for the baby to be regularly weighed and
supervised, and for the mother to receive advice, and where necessary extra
nourishment (see Annual Report of the St. Pancras School for Mothers).