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 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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1911. The percentage of cases, both mild and purulent (notifiable) in
relation to births from the year 1928 is as follows:—
Table LVIII.—Ophthalmia Neonatorum and Inflammation of the Eyes.
| Cases. | Rate per 100 births for both classes of cases. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1928 | 7 | 1.2 |
| 1929 | 11 | 1.9 |
| 1930 | 16 | 2.2 |
| 1931 | 20 | 1.6 |
| 1932 | 27 | 2.3 |
| 1933 | 12 | 1.1 |
| 1934 | 11 | 0.94 |
| 1935 | 8 | 0.76 |
| 1936 | 16 | 1.5 |
| 1937 | 15 | 1.4 |
The incidence of venereal disease among the population is an unknown
quantity, but may rightly be gauged by attendances at V.D. Clinics
(vide London County Council reports) and by the death returns of the
registrars. The following table of death rates of infants per 1,000 births
certified as due to syphilis shows an aspect of the incidence of this
hereditary infection. One infant died from syphilis in 1937.
Table LIX.—Deaths from Syphilis.
| 1916-20 | 4.95 | 1931 | 1.6 |
| 1921-25 | 1.7 | 1932 | 1.7 |
| 1926 | 0.62 | 1933 | 3.6 |
| 1927 | 2.8 | 1934 | 1.71 |
| 1928 | 0.72 | 1935 | — |
| 1929 | 0.73 | 1936 | — |
| 1930 | 2.1 | 1937 | 0.9 |