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 1940
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for Chelsea, 1940
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TABLE No. 5.
Births in Hospitals and Nursing Homes.
| Chelsea Births in Hospitals and Nursing Homes Within the Borough. | Chelsea Births in Hospitals and Nursing Homes Outside the Borough. |
|---|---|
| St. Luke's Hospital | St. Mary Abbots 129 |
| St. Stephen's Hospital_ | St. Janes', Battersea 2 |
| Lambeth 2 | |
| Hammersmith 1 | |
| Chelsea Hospital for Women1 | |
| Royal Cancer Hospital l | Westminster 5 |
| Queen Charlotte's 3 | |
| Wilbraham 4 | City of London 2 |
| Royal Avenue 1 | Royal Free 1 |
| Miscellaneous 49 | |
| Miscellaneous 73 | |
| Total 7 | Total 267 |
From Table No. 4 it will be observed that the number of births of
Chelsea Infants in Hospitals and elsewhere outside Chelsea accounted
for 69 per cent, of the total births. In the preceding year the percentage
was 64.
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS.
Under the Act, all live and stillbirths occurring after the 28th
week of pregnancy must be reported within 36 hours to the Medical
Officer of Health of the district in which the birth takes place. This
information is extremely valuable, as it enables the Health Visitor to
exercise supervision of the mother and child shortly after confinement.
During the year 143 births, including stillbirths, were notified as
occurring in Chelsea. Of this number, in 22 instances the parents were
resident in other Boroughs, and information of such births was transmitted
to the Medical Officer of Health concerned. Information was received
of 197 births, including stillbirths, amongst Chelsea mothers in Lying-in
hospitals and elsewhere outside the Borough.
The total number of notified Chelsea births from all sources was 318.
The following table indicates the source of notification of the 143
births notified in the Borough :—
TABLE No. 6.
| Notification received from | Chelsea Residents. | Non-Residents. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Births. | Still Births. | Total. | Live Births. | Still Births. | Total. | |
| Medical Practitioners | 26 | - | 26 | 22 | — | 22 |
| Midwives | 93 | 2 | 95 | - | _ | - |
| Poor Law Institutions | - | - | - | _ | — | — |
| Parents | — | — | — | - | - | - |
| 119 | 2 | 121 | 22 | - | 22 | |