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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Table: 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:—

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:—

No. of persons in family.No. of families occupying the following number of rooms.
1 room.2 rooms.3 rooms.4 rooms.5 rooms.6 rooms.7 rooms.8 rooms.9 rooms.
11--------
21142313—----
33312794----
432022102----
5—8102-----
612841--1-
7-2211----
8—12------
9----1----
Totals19106102299--1-

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The newly-born baby has not been included in the above.
Of these 266 births:—
7.0 per cent, occurred in 1-roomed tenements.
39.8 „ „ 2 „
38.3 „ „ 3 „
The table shows the limited housing conditions in some of the
tenements where babies are born at home. It demonstrates that of
266 babies, 19 were born in one-roomed tenements and 106 in tworoomed
tenements. In each of 3 one-roomed tenements where 4 persons
were already living a baby was born, and in 1 one-roomed tenement
6 persons were already living. With regard to two-roomed
homes, in 8 instances 5 persons were already inhabiting the rooms
prior to the birth of the baby; in 2 cases the baby's advent raised the
number of occupants to 7, in 2 cases to 8, and in 1 instance to 9. In
2 three-roomed tenements there were 7 persons occupying the rooms
before the birth and in 2 cases there were 8.
Still Births.
Under the Births and Deaths Registration Act of 1926, the registration
of still-births became compulsory as from 1st July, 1927.
During 1932 the number of Hampstead still-births registered was
26, of these 18 were registered upon a doctor's certificate, 7 upon a