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
Greenwich 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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affecting the pregnancy, delivery, puerperium and family history.
Fortunately the majority were found to be free from difficulties
and were removed from the "At Risk" Register between the ages
of one year and 18 months.
The following figures give the number of children on the "At Risk" Register since 1965 with the comparable number of live births in each year:—
| No. on Register | No. of Live Births | |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 933 | 3,722 |
| 1966 | 1,486 | 3,715 |
| 1967 | 1,869 | 3,600 |
| 1968 | 2,280 | 3,404 |
| 1969 | 2,271 | 3,263 |
| 1970 | 2,273 | 3,169 |
| 1971 | 2,242 | 3,095 |
During 1971 there were 25 infants on the "At Risk" register
who were observed because they were at risk of becoming
"battered babies".
Battered Babies
A disturbing feature of the present register is the necessity to
include 25 infants who may suffer from the "battered baby"
syndrome.
It has now been realised that some infants who appear in hospital
casualty departments suffering from fractures, bruises and
abrasions reputed to be caused by inexplicable "falls" have, in
fact, been assaulted by their parents.
These parents are often very young, immature and mentally
disturbed, unable to budget adequately or provide themselves with
proper housing in which to rear a family. If evidence of illtreatment
is sufficiently strong and it is thought that the child's
life is in danger, legal proceedings are undertaken in order that
the child may be taken into care. The child may be removed from
its parents or may remain at home while the family is supervised
and guided by frequent visits from a Child Care Officer and
Health Visitor.
During 1970 a Circular on this subject of "battered babies" was
received from the Department of Health and Social Services
advising local authorities to review their machinery for detecting
and observing these vulnerable children. A more concentrated
and detailed examination of children is the probable explanation
for the increase of 9 in the total of 25 detected during 1971.
In order to encourage and streamline co-operation between all