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 1923
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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Illegitimate—
| Males | 42·14 + 56 = 84 | ||
| Females | 42·22 + 66 = 86 | ||
| Total | 84 · 36 + 122 = 170 | ||
There is a reduction of 170 in the net number of legitimate births
compared with the year 1922, and of 22 in the illegitimate births. The
decrease affects each of the districts into which the city is divided for
maternity and child welfare work. To the above figures there should
be added 6 foundlings, 3 males and 3 females, whose births were not
registered.
The notifications received numbered 1,045, of these 659 were received
from midwives.
The number of still·births notified was 29, but information was received of 4 other still·births and miscarriages.
| Number Born. | Number of Deaths under 1 year. | Number remaining at end of year. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boys. | Girls. | Boys. | Girls. | Boys. | Gills. | |
| Ill | ||||||
For each 1,000 girls born, there were in—
1913
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
1,006 boys.
1,080 boys.
1,033 boys.
965 boys.
914 boys.
1,177 boys.
1919
1920
1921
1922
1923
965 boys.
972 boys.
1,067 boys.
987 boys.
1,082 boys.
Statistics relating to the country as a whole show that since 1876 a
close relationship exists between the cost of living (wholesale prices) and
the proportion of male over female births. During the years 1916 to
1919 prices rose steeply; so also, and in proportion, did the preponderance
of male births. In Westminster, however, except in 1918 the
proportion of male births was less in this period.