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
Battersea 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Battersea Borough]
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11
Of the Battersea births (live and still) which occurred within
the Borough, 680 were "domiciliary births."
The birth-rate shows a decline in three Wards of the Borough
and an increase in the six remaining Wards. The birth-rate in
Battersea was 0.3 per 1,000 lower than the average for the previous
decennium 1928-1937.
Illegitimate births numbered 88 or 4.16 per cent. of the live
births.
The number of births occurring in each quarter of the year is
shown in the table on page 13.
The live birth-rate for the County of London was 13.4 per 1,000
of the population, and for England and Wales the rate was 15.1.
Still-births.
The registration of still-births is made compulsory by the
Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1926.
During 1938 there were 69 still-births registered in Battersea,
of which 38 were of Battersea parents. Eighteen still-births
occurring outside the Borough were registered as belonging to
Battersea, making 56 in all, representing a still-birth rate of 25.81
per 1,000 births (live and still) registered. Of the 56 still-births 2
(3.6 per cent.) were registered as illegitimate.
The number of Battersea still-births registered, and the stillbirth rates, from 1928 to 1938, were as under:—
| No. | Rate. | No. | Rate. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | 90 | 31.8 | 1935 | 69 | 31.8 |
| 1929 | 71 | 26.4 | 1936 | 60 | 27.4 |
| 1930 | 103 | 37.4 | 1937 | 63 | 28.5 |
| 1931 | 66 | 26.0 | |||
| 1932 | 72 | 30.1 | |||
| 1933 | 65 | 27.9 | |||
| 1934 | 65 | 29.3 | 1938 | 56 | 25.8 |
Notification of Births.
During 1938 the number of notifications of live births received
belonging to the Borough was 2,100. The corrected number of
Battersea births registered during the year was 2,114. The proportion
of notified to registered births was, therefore, 99.3 per cent.
Notifications of 456 live births of Battersea children occurring
outside the Borough were received from the districts in which the
births occurred, these cases being included in the total of 2,100
above.
Fifty-two still-births were notified under the provisions of the
Public Health (London) Act, 1936, during the year, including 14 cases
occurring outside the Borough, the number notified being 92.9 per
cent. of the total Battersea still-births registered.
The homes from which births are notified are visited and revisited
by the Council's official health visitors or the health visitor
of the voluntary organisation included in the Council's Maternity
and Child Welfare scheme.
A weekly return of all births notified is forwarded to the London
County Council, in accordance with statutory requirements.