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
Deptford 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Deptford, Metropolitan Borough of]
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15
Illegitimacy.
The number of illegitimate births was equivalent to 3-0 per cent, of the total births. These were allocated to the several wards as follows:
| Deptford Park | 4 | Hatcham | 3 |
| Evelyn | 3 | Pepys | 2 |
| St. Paul's | 7 | St. Catherine's | 4 |
| Vale | 5 | St. Peter's | 5 |
| Clifton | 6 | St. John's | 9 |
| Canterbury | 5 | Town Hall | 3 |
The figures relative to illegitimacy for previous years areas follows:
| Av. for 10 yrs. 1915-1924. | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of illegitimate births | 77 | 61 | 54 | 52 | 69 | 56 |
| Percentage of total births | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.0 |
Notification of Birth.
Registration of birth is compulsory within six weeks of birth, but,
being frequently delayed until towards the expiry of that period, it
would follow that, were this the only source of information of the birth
the Council had, their Health Visitors would be unable to supervise
the health of these children at a period when the rate of infantile
mortality is the highest. Hence this has been obviated by the
Notification of Births Act, 1907, which provides for the notification
to the local Medical Officer of Health of all births and all still-births
occurring after the 28th week of gestation.
Interchange of notifications in respect of children of Deptford
mothers born outside the Borough, and of mothers from other boroughs
confined in Deptford, is provided for.
During 1929, the number of births to Deptford mothers (after allowing
for inward and outward transfers) was registered as 1,860, and the
number of notifications received was 1,495.