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 1913
Annual report for 1913 of the Medical Officer of Health
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The following Table shows the action taken as the result of these visits to verminous homes:—
| HOMES. | |
|---|---|
| No action necessary, or rooms and bedding cleansed voluntarily by the parents | 114 |
| Disinfected by the Public Health Department | 19 |
| Rooms cleansed after service of notices on owners of the houses | 17 |
| Bedding destroyed and new bedding provided by the Council | 1 |
| Unable to obtain admission | 4 |
| Incorrect addresses | 5 |
| Little or no improvement effected | 4 |
| Prosecutions of parents by London County Council | 7 |
The Notification of Births Act, 1907.- The notification received during the year have been as follows:- Notification of Births, 1913.
| NUMBER. | |
|---|---|
| Living children | 1,010 |
| Still-born children | 33 |
| 1,043 | |
| Notified by Medical Practitioners | 350 |
| „ St. George's Hospital | 88 |
| ,, Midwives | 443 |
| „ Chelsea Workhouse | 67 |
| „ Parents | 85 |
| Dual Notifications | 10 |
| 1,043 | |
| Total number of births registered | 1,170 |
From the above Table it will appear that the notifications under the
1907 Act fell short of the registrations by the number of 127. In 1912
the discrepancy was 203, and in 1911 220.
In proportion to the number of births, there is in 1913 a considerable
increase in notifications by medical practitioners, a slighter increase in
notifications by midwives, and a considerable decrease in notification from
St. George's Hospital. The hospital decrease is probably due to the
maternity benefit now in operation under the National Health Insurance
Act, as the women are now able to make their own arrangements for
attendance at their confinements, and are less dependent upon the
assistance of the medical charities.
Visits of Instruction re Management of Infants.—During the year
1913, the homes of 178 recently-born infants were visited by the Lady
Sanitary Inspector. In 46 cases revisits were made, and there were 43
miscellaneous calls at houses in connection with this work. Owing to the
large amount of additional work now undertaken by the Public Health
Department in connection with tuberculosis cases, it was found desirable
in the course of the year to hand over the bulk of the work in connection
with "infant visiting" to the Chelsea Health Society. During the