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
City of Westminster 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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The Children's Act, 1908, extends the provisions of the Infant Life
Protection Act, 1897, to cases in which one infant is nursed out for
gain, and raises the age limit from 5 to 7 years.
Section 13 provides for the punishment of any person over 16 years
of age in the case of the death of an infant under 3 years of age through
suffocation (not due to the presence of any foreign body in the throat
or air passages) while the infant was in bed with such person and such
person was, at the time of going to bed, under the influence of drink.
Section 15 requires the provision of a fireguard in a room containing
an open fire grate, and renders the person in charge of young children
liable to a penalty, if any child is burned or scalded through the absence
of such provision.
A midwife practising in "Westminster was convicted of an infringement
of the Infant Life Protection Act. The attention of the County
Council is always drawn to cases in which it appears that the person or
place is unsuitable, or insufficient care is being taken.
Cause of death at all Ages.—These are set forth in Table IX, and
also their distribution in the various Wards of the City.
Influenza again caused an excess of deaths, but on this occasion was
not accompanied by an increase in the number of deaths from chest
diseases. Phthisis deaths show a decrease, but those from cancer an
increase over those recorded in 1907. Deaths were fewer from most of
the other causes.
Statistics of Dwellers in Block Dwellings.—These are set out in
Table XIII.
A comparison of the births and deaths in the Council's Buildings in Regency Street during the last four years is given below.
| Year. | Population. | Births. | Rate. | Deaths. | Rate. | Deaths of Infants under one per 1,000 births. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1905 | 1,138 | 57 | 50.0 | 23 | 20.2 | 140 |
| 1906 | 1,150 | 63 | 54.7 | 16 | 13.9 | 111 |
| 1007 | 1,163 | 60 | 51.6 | 18 | 15.5 | 116 |
| 1908 | 1,155 | 50 | 43.2 | 10 | 8.6 | 120 |
The birth-rate for St. John's Ward, in which the Buildings are
situated, is 28.7 for 1908. In the adjoining County Council Buildings
at Millbank the rate is 40.7. The death-rate compares favourably
with that (17.2) of the Ward. The rate in the Millbank Buildings
is 10 per 1,000.
Deaths in Common Lodging-houses.—90 deaths occurred in 1908
among inmates of the common lodging-houses and shelters in the City
(87 males and 3 females). 31 of the deaths were due to phthisis,