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 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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52
The following table shows the number of confinements in the hospitals
mentioned:—
Table LI.—Confinements in Hospitals.
| Charing Cross Hospital: 373, of which 50 were Westminster cases. |
| St. George's Hospital: 299, of which 53 were Westminster cases. |
| Westminster Hospital: 259, of which 109 were Westminster cases. |
| Sheffield St. Hospital: 170, of which 23 were Westminster cases. |
| St. Stephen's Hospital: 114 (Westminster cases only). |
Convalescent Treatment.—The Council has during the year contributed
towards the cost of the convalescent treatment of 36 Westminster patients
at convalescent homes, and 21 necessitous mothers, suffering from poor
health following confinement, have been sent to various convalescent
homes with their babies at the cost of the Council, to recuperate for
appropriate periods. The total cost of this service to the Council was
£107 14s. 5d.
Maternal Mortality.—The number of maternal deaths in Westminster
during the year ended December, 1938, was 7, which gives a maternal
mortality rate of 6.5 per thousand (live and still) births, as compared
with the rate for the whole country of 3.08 per thousand (live and still)
births.
Notes on Cases of Maternal Mortality in 1938.
1. M.D. (married). Died of peritonitis following abortion. No
evidence of effort to secure ante-natal attention.
2. G.K. (married). Died of septicaemia following septic abortion.
Pregnancy was concealed and there was no evidence of effort to secure
ante-natal attention.
3. E.O.R. (married). Died of shock due to injection of fluid into
the uterus. No evidence of effort to secure ante-natal attention.
4. V.G.W. (single). Died of narcotic poisoning following an abortion.
No evidence of effort to secure ante-natal attention.
5. M.G.W. (single). Died of septicæmia following a miscarriage
which was produced by injection of corrosive fluid into the uterus.
6. A.E. (single). Died of pulmonary embolism following labour at the
38th week. The foetus was macerated and foul smelling. Post partum