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
Paddington 1896
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Borough of ]
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PUERPERAL FEVER. Based on Notifications of Puerperal Fever, and Births Registered during 1891.95.
| District. | Notifications per 1,000 births. | District | Notifications per 1,000 births. |
|---|---|---|---|
| LONDON | 2.17 | Whitechapel | 1.86 |
| Hampstead | 3.64 | Woolwich | 1.85 |
| Islington | 3.48 | St. Saviour, South Mark | 1.71 |
| Battersea | 3.25 | Holborn | 1.62 |
| Wandsworth | 3.12 | Marylebone | 1.59 |
| Lewisham | 3.02 | St. George in the East | l.55 |
| Fulliam | 2.86 | Shoreditch | 1.47 |
| Paddington | 2.85 | Newington | 1.47 |
| Greenwich | 2.77 | Poplar | 1.47 |
| St. James' | 2.71 | St. George, Hanover Square | 1.31 |
| Bethnal Green | 2.49 | City of London | 1.31 |
| St. Pancras | 2.48 | Mile End Old Town | 1.31 |
| Hammersmith | 2.46 | Rotherhithe | 1.31 |
| Lee and Plumstead | 2.41 | Clerkenwell | 1.30 |
| Stoke Newington and Haekndy | 2.29 | Bermondsey | 1.07 |
| Kensington | 2.26 | St. George, Southwark | 1.02 |
| Chelsea | 2.23 | St. Olave | 0.93 |
| Lime house | 2.14 | St. Giles | 0.89 |
| Camberwell | 2.09 | Strand | 0.67 |
| Westminster | 2.06 | St. Luke | 0.53 |
| Lambeth | 1.86 | St. Martin in the Fields | 0.00 |
| Total Notification | 1,449 | ||
| „ Deaths | 1,305 | ||
The variations in this Table are at present inexplicable.
From an examination of the incidence of mortality from this
disease in the country generally, it has been thought that
the employment of imperfectly trained midwives in lieu of
skilled medical attendants, was responsible for the greater
part of such mortality. This, however, could not be accepted
in explanation of the unsatisfactory position of Hampstead,
one of the healthiest and richest districts of London. It is true,
however, that in this Parish, the majority of cases of this
disease are not in the first instance under medical attendance.
It would be desirable to have the death.rates from puerperal
fever in each and all of the Parishes in the Metropolis, but
such information is not at present obtainable.