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
Chelsea 1907
Annual report for 1907 of the Medical Officer of Health
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36
As comparatively few employers used the specified form when
sending in their lists, a circular was sent out in July drawing attention
to the fact that special forms are provided by the Secretary of State for
these lists. Latterly many more employers have complied with the
regulations in this respect.
It is essential for statistical purposes that the specified form should
be used, since the Secretary of State now requires detailed information
as to whether the outworkers are employed as contractors or as workpeople.
In addition, employers on a large scale often give out work to
a considerable number of people in different trades, and returns must
now be made up by the Public Health Department to indicate these
sub-divisions.
It frequently happens, of course, that the same outworkers are
employed by different firms. As an instance of this, one outworker who
himself employs others, has this year been notified as working for
fourteen different firms, viz.:—three firms in Chelsea, three in Battersea,
four in Kensington, two in Wandsworth, one in Fulham, and one in
Westminster.
From other Boroughs 92 outworkers were notified as living in Chelsea, but working for outside firms.
| Jan. to June. | July to Dec. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Lists received | 40 | 32 | 72 |
| Total number of Out-workers | 320 | 360 | 680 |
| Number living in Chelsea | 68 | 67 | 135 |
| Number forwarded to other Boroughs | 230 | 288 | 518 |
| Received from other Boroughs | 31 | 61 | 92 |
(3) Infantile MotalitY Inquiry.
During 1907 the deaths of 168 children under two years of age
were investigated, as against 165 in 1906. This does not include those
upon whom inquests were held. In five cases death was stated to be
due to premature birth caused by shock or accidents to the mother. In
several instances the mothers stated that they had been going to work
shortly before the birth of the child. One mother was working at a
laundry, another at a dressmaking workshop—in each case until the day
before the birth of the baby. Another was employed as a scrubber at
one of the hospitals until a fortnight before her confinement. In 21
cases the mothers, subsequent to confinement, went to work, leaving
their babies at the creche or in charge of neighbours. In four instances
both parents were stated to be consumptive.
Of the total number of deaths investigated, in fourteen cases the
baby was reported as illegitimate, seven of these having been born outside
Chelsea. In eight cases the infants had been entirely put out to nurse.
This had also been done in two cases where the mother was registered
as a married woman. In the case of one child the birth was registered
four weeks after death had occurred.