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
Kensington and Chelsea 1972
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington & Chelsea Borough]
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16
Asthma 4
Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate 4
Downs Syndrome (Mongolism) 4
Sickle Cell Anaemia and Thalassaemia 4
Blind or Partially Sighted 3
Cerebral Palsy 3
Cystic Fibrosis 3
Hemiplegia 3
Others including Hernias, Renal and Bowel Defects 3
Deafness or Defective Hearing 2
Hypothyroidism 2
Speech Defects 2
Adreno-Genital Syndrome 1
Coeliac Disease 1
Grecian Nose Dwarfism 1
Infantile Autism 1
Leukaemia 1
Phenylketonuria 1
Pierre Rabin Syndrome 1
Notification of Congenital Malformations
All congenital malformations noted at birth in both live and stillborn children are
notified to the Medical Officer of Health for onward transmission to the Office of
Population Censuses and Surveys.
The numbers of children so notified over the past five years are as follows:
| 1972 | 1971 | 1970 | 1969 | 1968 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total notified live and still births (1) | 2220 | 2509 | 2547 | 2686 | 2928 | 12890 |
| Children with congenital defects (2) | 36 | 49 | 48 | 59 | 41 | 233 |
| Stillbirths with congenital defects included in (1) and (2) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 15 |
| Children with more than one defect | 5 | 4 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 42 |
| Total number of malformations reported | 41 | 54 | 63 | 70 | 49 | 277 |
| Children with defects per 1000 live and stillbirths | 16.2 | 19.5 | 18.8 | 22.0 | 14.0 | 18.0 |
ADOPTION AND BOARDING-OUT OF CHILDREN
Adoption
Persons proposing to adopt children are required to submit medical certificates as to
their health before a child is placed with them. These certificates are verified by the
Council's medical officers before consent is given.
Similarly, the medical records of the children to be adopted are scrutinised and the
Director of Social Services advised on the child's suitability for adoption.
Should the reports reveal any medical defects, inheritable disease or handicap in the
child, further enquiries are made and the prospective parents are interviewed by their own
general medical practitioner and informed of any possible adverse prognosis.
Boarding-Out
The medical examination is given in accordance with the Boarding-Out of Children
Regulations, 1955, and includes the Wasserman and/or Kahn tests except where the child is
over school leaving age or is boarded-out in an emergency or in accordance with Part III of
the Regulations. Again, the results of these medical examinations are scrutinised in my
department and the Director of Social Services informed as to their suitability.