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Outside the Borough 219 births were registered, 119 of males and 100 of
females, the parents being residents of Shoreditch. In the Shoreditch infirmary
143 births were registered, of which 73 were of males and 70 of females.
In eight of these (three of males and five of females) the parents did
not belong to Shoreditch. In the Holborn Union Workhouse there were 83
births, 40 of males and 43 of females. In 78 of these (38 male and 40 female)
the parents were not resident in the Borough. A birth also occurred in Ware
Street, the parents being non-residents.
Of the births in the Shoreditch Infirmary 50 (26 male and 24 female) were
given as illegitimate. In the Holborn Infirmary 46 were returned as such.
Elsewhere in the Borough 35 (16 of males and 19 of females) were so returned.
Information was supplied by the London County Council as to 671 births
belonging to Shoreditch which were attended by registered midwives during
the year. Of these 156 were in lying-in hospitals.
The birth-rate for the Borough was 32.4 per 1,000 inhabitants, as compared
with 32.2 for 1908, 32.4 for 1907, 33.6 for 1906, and 34.2 for 1905. The birthrates
for the eight wards of the Borough are contained in Table VII. (Appendix).
The births for the whole of England and Wales during 1909 were at the rate of
25.6; for 76 great towns the rate was 25.7 ; and for 143 smaller towns it was
24.8 per 1,000 inhabitants. The birth rate for the Metropolis was 24.2 per
1,000 inhabitants.
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS ACT, 1907.
Upon the recommendation of the Health Committee, the Borough Council
adopted the above Act on July 6th, which came into operation in the Borough
with the consent of the Local Government Board on August 23rd, and the necessary
steps were taken to bring its provisions to the attention of the medical practitioners
and midwives practising in Shoreditch and others concerned. The act makes it the
duty of the father of the child if he is actually residing in the house where
the birth takes place at the time of its occurrence and of any person in
attendance upon the mother at the time of, or within six hours after, the birth
to notify the birth in writing to the Medical Officer of Health. This notice has
to be given by posting a prepaid letter or post-card to the Medical Officer of
Health, giving the necessary information of the birth within 36 hours after
its occurrence or by delivering a written notice to the Medical Officer of Health.
Addressed and stamped post-cards for this purpose have to be supplied free
of charge by the sanitary authority.
The births notified during the period from August 23 until the end of the
year numbered 979. There were 1,204 births registered during the same
period.
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