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
Holborn 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Holborn Borough]
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103
Number of Births.
The number of births transferred to the Borough from outlying
institutions was 148
The number of births transferred from the Borough to other
districts was 12
The number of net births belonging to the Borough was 392
There are no maternity hospitals or public lying-in institutions in the Borough
but maternity cases are admitted to certain nursing homes in the area.
Births in Crowded Homes.
The following table is an indication of the home conditions of 326 mothers in relation to their confinement:—
| Living in:— | Confined at home. | Confined in hospital. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Percentage of Total Births. | No. | Percentage of Total Births | |
| One roomed homes | 47 | 38 | ||
| Two „ „ | 127 | 50 | ||
| Three „ „ | 27 | 11 | ||
| Four „ „ | 16 | 10 | ||
These figures show that many of the women arc confined under very uncomfortable
and unfavourable circumstances.
Home Visiting.
The visits paid to the homes by the Health Visitors during the year were as follows:—
| First Visits. | Revisits. | Total. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expectant Mothers | 158 | 276 | 434 |
| Children under 1 year of age | 362 | 631 | 993 |
| Children 1 to 2 years of age | 6 | 233 | 239 |
| Children over 2 years of age | 305 | 310 | |
| Enquiries re stillbirths | 4 | ||
| 7 | |||
| Other visits | 359 |
Four hundred and thirty-four visits related to infants who came under further
observation in their own homes or at Infant Welfare Centres; of this number 209
were recorded as attending a Centre, i.e., 48 per cent.
Thus nearly one-half of those visited attended an Infant Welfare Centre and
of these nearly 70 per cent. attended the Council's Centres.
Attendances at Infant Welfare Centres.
The Centres attended were the following:—
141 attended the Council's M. & C. W. Centre at 10, John Street.
24 ,, ,, ,, Short's Gardens.
2 attended the Centre at Onslow Street School, Saffron Hill.
8 ,, ,, Charing Cross Hospital.
7 „ ,, Myddelton Square.
8 ,, ,, Middlesex Hospital.
5 ,, „ University College Hospital.
9 ,, „ Royal Free Hospital.
5 ,, ,, other Centres.
209 attended an Infant Welfare Centre.
H 2