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
Hampstead 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead Borough]
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53
Beauchamp Lodge.
The Council has an arrangement with Beauchamp Lodge Emergency
Home for Children, 2, Warwick Crescent, Paddington, for the
boarding-out of children under five years of age whose mothers have
been admitted into hospitals for their confinements. During 1932 no
child from Hampstead families was admitted under this arrangement.
Notification of Births Act, 1907.
All births, whether of live or still born children, are required to
be notified to the Medical Officer of Health within 36 hours.
The following statement shows the source of information, etc., of the births occurring in Hampstead and notified during the year:—
| Notified within 36 hours. | Notified after 36 hours. | Total Notified. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Births. | Still Births. | Live Births. | Still Births. | Live Births. | Still Births. | |
| Notified by midwives | 660 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 667 | 10 |
| „ parents | 31 | 1 | 18 | — | 49 | 1 |
| „ doctors | 437 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 440 | 17 |
| „ nurses and others | 318 | 11 | 7 | — | 325 | 11 |
| 1446 | 36 | 35 | 3 | 1481 | 39 | |
The total number of Hampstead live births registered during 1932 was 981, and they took place as follows:—
| Queen Mary's Maternity Home | 57 or 6 per cent. |
| Nursing Homes | 143 „ 15 „ |
| Hospitals | 378 „ 38 „ |
| Usual place of residence | 376 „ 38 „ |
| Other addresses | 27 „ 3 „ |
59 per cent, of the net live births took place in Homes and
Hospitals.
Information has been recorded, wherever possible, of the housing
conditions of families in which a birth occurred at home. The following
table shows an analysis of 266 instances where these births were
visited, and where the information was obtainable:—