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
Poplar 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
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129
The Council have given serious consideration to the question of
maternal mortality, and for some years past arrangements have been
made with a Consulting Obstetrician to visit cases of Puerperal Fever
and Puerperal Pyrexia in consultation with general practitioners (see
page 89).
The arrangements made with two Consulting Obstetricians for their
services to be available at the request of a general practitioner attending
any midwifery case which presented special difficulty or abnormality at
or after the confinement, were continued for 12 months from 1st April,
1937-
(During 1937, Consulting Obstetricians were called in to four cases.)
Infantile Mortality.
The infantile mortality rate was 61.
| Number of Foster Mothers under supervision at 31st December, 1937 | 16 |
| Number of Foster Children under supervision at 31st December, 1937 | 16 |
| Number of new Foster Mothers registered during 1937 | 6 |
| Number of children legally adopted during 1937 | — |
| Number of children who attained the age of 9 years during 1937 | 1 |
| Under Supervision during some part of 1937:— | |
| Foster Mothers | 20 |
| Foster Children | 20 |
| Number of visits:— | |
| Chief Health Visitor, or Deputy | 207 |
| Male Inspectors | 15 |
The Foster Mothers and homes are all satisfactory and although in
some cases the payments are in arrears, this has made no difference to the
way in which the children have been cared for.
The health of the children was good. Those under 5 years of age
attend the Infant Welfare Consultations.