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
Croydon 1948
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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Attendance at Confinement.— Forty-four of the still births
investigated occurred in the Mayday Hospital; 8 in St. Mary's
Hospital; 3 were attended in their own homes by a private
medical practitioner either alone or in conjunction with a midwife;
8 were attended by a midwife alone; 6 occurred in private
nursing homes.
Forceps were reported to have been utilised in 10 of the cases.
In 49 cases the baby was born at full term; in 14 during the
8th month of gestation; in 6 during the 7th month. The baby
was apparentlv a normal child in 58 cases, abnormal in 11.
The still birth was the first pregnancv in 33 instances; the
2nd in 16; the 3rd in 8; the 4th in 5; the 5th in 2; the 6th in 3;
and the 7th in 2.
Previous still birth had occurred in one case.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Thirteen cases were notified during 1948.
The following table gives the notifications in Croydon during the past ten years: —
| 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No of Cases | 15 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 13 |
| Rate per 1,000 Births | 4.5 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 5.5 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 2.8 |
Results of Treatment.
| Notified. | Cases treated. | Vision Unimpaired. | Vision Impaired | Died. | Removed | Remaining under Treatment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At home. | In hospital | ||||||
| 13 | 8 | 5 | 12 | — | — | 1 | — |
Infant Mortality.
The Infantile Mortality rate was 27 per 1,000 live births
registered and is the lowest vet recorded.
58