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deaths from tuberculosis in cases which had not been notified during life.
More new cases were seen at the Tuberculosis Dispensary.
Maternity and Child Welfare.
Special note is made of a new service which the City Council has provided
in connection with maternity services, namely, expert assistance
to medical practitioners and likewise to practising midwives in difficult
confinements. The Minister of Health issued a circular in the autumn
exhorting local authorities to take further measures towards reduction
of maternal mortality, but the City Council had anticipated his intention
by improving its maternity services, and was in a position to report to
the Minister on these lines in December. Extracts from the Committee's
report are given in the maternity and child welfare section. Discussion
on the question of maternal mortality has emphasised the importance
of attendance of expectant mothers at ante-natal clinics. The number of
expectant mothers in relation to the total births in the City who attended
the ante-natal clinics has increased. The exact percentage of expectant
mothers attending those clinics in the City is 76.6. As the benefits of
ante-natal attendance are more and more realised, it is hoped that even
this high percentage will further increase.
There were four maternal deaths as compared with five last year.
This gives a maternal mortality rate of 3.3 as compared with 4.4 for England
and Wales. This is an improvement on last year. It is noteworthy that
these four women lost their fives in first confinements. In Westminster,
with its remarkably low birth rate (and restricted families), there is
obviously a high proportion of first births among the total births. First
births are generally accepted as being attended with greater difficulties
than subsequent births. Somewhat full comment is made on the danger
of accepting maternal mortality figures in dealing with small populations
and low birth rates.
There was a noticeable reduction in ophthalmia neonatorum and
also in infant deaths from venereal disease generally.
Plans of Sanitary Work in New and Old Buildings.
The number of plans submitted, namely 935, is the highest yet
recorded and again implies continued activity in the building trade.
In 1924 only 602 plans were submitted.
Atmospheric Pollution.
Charts indicating the estimation of sulphur gas in the atmosphere
throughout the year, and also the suspended impurities in the air, are
shown on page 84. During the holiday month of August there is