London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Greenwich 1967
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
92
Emergency Obstetric Units
These units, manned by hospital staff, are based at the British
Hospital for Mothers and Babies, St. Alfege's, Lewisham and Dartford
Hospitals. They were called upon 20 times during 1967 to aid
medical practitioners or midwives who were in need of additional
assistance at domiciliary confinements.
Premature Baby Units
Premature babies who require special nursing are transferred to
units at the British Hospital for Mothers and Babies or to the
Lewisham Hospital. When hospital nursing is found to be necessary
for premature babies born in the district and if transport under
normal conditions in an ambulance is considered to be undesirable,
then a doctor and nurse may be sent from hospital with a mobile
incubator to transfer the child.
During the current year it was necessary to transfer five babies
to the care of these units. Nineteen other babies bom prematurely
in the district were able to be nursed at home.
Domiciliary Births—Prematurity and Mortality by Birth Weight
| Weight | Number | Proportion per 100 live premature Infants | Deaths in 24 hours | Survivors at 28 days | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | per 100 live premature infants | Number | Per 100 live premature infants | |||
| 2lb 3oz or less | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3lb 4oz or less | 1 | 5.3 | — | — | I | 5.3 |
| 3lb 5oz to 41b 6oz | 4 | 21.1 | — | — | 3 | 15.8 |
| 4lb 7oz to 41b 15oz | _ | _ | — | _ | — | _ |
| 5lb to 5 lb 8oz | 14 | 73.6 | — | — | 14 | 73.6 |
| All cases | 19 | 100 | 18 | 94.7 | ||
Maternity Outfits
In all cases of confinements, other than in hospital, maternity
outfits are made available and during the current year some 658
packs were distributed.
Conditions for which Midwives summoned Medical Aid during 1967 (Figures for 1966 in brackets)
| During pregnancy— | During labour | ||
| Toxaemia | 10(16) | Premature labour | 9(9) |
| Severe Anaemia | 1(10) | Delayed 1st stage | 4(0) |
| Postmaturity (over 10 days) | 4 (3) | Breech presentation | 8(0) |
| Ante-partum haemorrhage | 7(0) | ||
| Fall downstairs | 1 (0) | Delayed 2nd stage | 4(9) |
| Ante-partum haemorrhage | 1 (17) | Retained placenta | 6(9) |
| Post-partum haemorrhage | 4(3) | ||
| Ruptured perineum | 45 (58) | ||