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
Tottenham 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Tottenham]
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52
PERSONAL AND SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES
TOTTENHAM AND HORNSEY
(Joint Population 210 740)
CARE OF MOTHERS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
(Section 22)
Notification of Births
The following table shows the births notified during the year compared with previous years. The number notified last year was the highest since 1947 and the percentage of hospital confinements was 79 6%.
| 1962 | 1961 | 1960 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Births | (a) Domiciliary | 943 | 853 | 799 |
| (b) Hospital or Nursing Home | 3636 | 3219 | 3084 | |
| Still Births | (a) Domiciliary | 4 | 7 | 3 |
| (b) Hospital or Nursing Home | 67 | 52 | 55 | |
| 4650 | 4131 | 3941 | ||
Ante-natal Clinics
The routine care of expectant mothers has continued at all the centres showing a
a slight increase over last year's figures, The relatively larger number of mothers receiving
care in Hornsey compared with Tottenham reflects the fact that all patients
confined in the Alexandra Maternity Home attend local authority clinics for their ante
natal care.
Duringthe year an important report was made under the auspices of the Royal College
of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists by the National Birthday Trust following a nation wide
survey they made into Per: natal Mortality This survey was an investigation into all
births occurring in one week in 1960 throughout England, Wales and Scotland, and all
perinatal deaths occurring in three months. Detailed reports of all these births have
thrown light on the standard of obstetric care that was being provided at that time.
Argument is still going on about the interpretation of the findings but it is clear that
standards are still far from ideal and that some infant deaths could be prevented if a
little more skill and care were available. Mothers who come off worst are those who are
"unbooked", i.e. no one doctor is responsible for the care throughout the pregnancy.
This is not a local problem, it is a national one and the remedy will have to be
partly national as well. At local liaison committees representatives of the hospital
boards, general practitioners and this health department continue to try to ensure that
local facilities are used to the best advantage All 'the obstetric units that accept