London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of Westminster 1915
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
This page requires JavaScript
4
in times of peace. In 1913, for each 1,000 girls born there were 1,006
boys, in 1914 there were 1,080 boys, and in 1915, 1,033 boys. The total
number of births were unfortunately fewer in 1915 than in preceding
years.
The death-rate of boys is much greater than that of girls, but with the greater proportion of boys born in the last two years the number of boys alive at the end of the first year was still in excess of the girls:—
| Number Born. | Number of Deaths under 1 year. | Number remaining at end of year. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys. | Girls. | Boys. | G iris. | Boys. | Girls. | |
| 111 | ||||||
The death-rates per 1,000 births were:—
| Boys. | Girls. | Boys. | Girls. | Boys. | Girls. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
There were 42 stillborn children, whose births are not subsequently
registered; 4 other stillbirths were known but not notified, making
46 in all.
Maternity and child welfare work has been carried out by the
Council's visitor in conjunction with the visitors of the Health Society.
The Ante-Natal Clinic for expectant mothers suggested in the Local
Government Board Memorandum has been carried out to a certain
extent by the hospitals in and around the city. Besides seeing at the
hospitals regularly (once a month at least) mothers who were to be
attended from the hospitals, the physicians at the hospitals have also
had referred to them a number of cases which appeared to require
medical supervision and treatment. The home visiting of 758 expectant
mothers has been carried on during the year. The names of 579 were
forwarded by the hospitals, the others were found by the visitors or the
women called at one or other of the offices for advice.
The mother-craft classes (needlework, cookery, health talks, &c.
were attended by 142 expectant mothers.
In-patient treatment for complicated cases was obtained at the
various hospitals.
Infants.—Of the 1,979 births, 1,821 first visits were paid, and in
addition 46 visits were paid where stillbirths occurred; 740 re-visits