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Births.— The total number of births registered in the
Borough was 5,052. The corrected number of births arrived
at by adding 690 births which occurred outside the Borough
of persons belonging to the Borough, and deducting 85 births
which occurred in the Borough of persons not belonging to the
Borough, amounted to 5,657 — 2,775 females and 2,882 males.
The birth rate for 1923 was 20.7 births per thousand
population. The following table gives the births and birth
rates since 1919:—
Year.
Population.
Births.
Birth Rates.
1919
285,220
5,183
18.2
1920
284,712
7,505
26.0
1921
269,600
6,301
23.3
1922
270,300
5,802
21.4
1923
272,300
5,657
20.7
The effect of the declining birth rate, which is viewed
with great concern in some quarters, is counterbalanced by
the preservation of infant life. In these days of unemployment
and overcrowding a decrease in the birth rate could be
viewed with equanimity if it were spread equally throughout
the Borough. There is reason to believe that this is not the
case, as the fall is most marked in the most virile part of
the population.
Illegitimate Births. —The number of Camberwell births
reported as illegitimate was 135, equal to a rate of 23.8 per
1,000 registered births.
Notification of Births Act.— During the year 5,054 births
were notified as follows:—
Notified by Midwives 2,829
Notified by Medical Practitioners 1,330
Notified by Parents 895
Still-Births.— Of the 5,054 births notified, 144 are
returned as born dead. There is no doubt that a large
number of still-births could be prevented, if only pregnant
women would realise the value of ante-natal supervision, in
order that any complications in the management of the labour
might be foreseen, and the risks avoided or minimised.
Effective supervision of pregnant women, especially
primagravidæ, has resulted in the saving of many mothers
and children from the danger of obstructed labour, and other
risks occurring during the actual birth.
The difficulty is to educate the public as to the
advantages of ante-natal care. This education can only be
given with profit to women who place themselves under
professional care from the early days of pregnancy, and who