London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Holborn 1921

Report for the year 1921 of the Medical Officer of Health

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32
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
During the year 486 births were registered as occurring in the Borough.
From the notification of birth forms we are able to give the following information
as to by whom the mothers were attended at the confinement:—
Private doctors 137
Private Midwives 72
Outpatient Midwifery departments of General Hospitals:—
Externs and others 49
Midwives.—Charing Cross Hospital 48
University College Hospital 46
Middlesex Hospital 28
Training Institutions for Midwives:—
Myddelton Square 49
Notified by parents only 26
Not notified 31
The number of births transferred from outlying institutions was 181.
There are no maternity hospitals or lying-in institutions in the Borough.
An analysis has been made of the birth cards to ascertain where the mothers
living in crowded houses were confined. The information obtained is given
below:—
living In Confined at Home. In Hospital
No. Percentage No. Percentage
One roomed homes 39 67 19 33
Two „ „ 128 80 32 20
Three roomed ,, 62 71 15 19
These figures show that many of the women are confined under very uncomfortable
and unfavourable circumstances.

HOME VISITING.

The visits paid to the homes by the Health Visitors during the year were as follows:—

First VisitsRevisits.Total
Expectant Mothers4897145
Children under 1 year of age6508501,506
Children over 1 year of age3638641
Enquiries re stillbirths14
„ re ophthalmia neonatorum12
Other Visits110

In addition 569 visits were made by three student Health Visitors.