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
Wandsworth 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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130 Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
In the Table given in the circular letter of the 10th May,
there are some particulars which it is almost impossible to obtain,
and which, with the staff at my disposal, could not under any
circumstances be obtained.
Some valuable information has, however, been procured, and this is set out in the following- Table which shows to what extent the mothers visited by the Inspectors, after a birth had occurred, during- the year were industrially employed or otherwise.
| 1.—Women employed industrially— | Deaths under one year. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Legitimate. | Illegitimate. | ||
| 52 | 5 | .... | |
| Other factory hands | 10 | .... | .... |
| Dressmakers | 3 | .... | .... |
| 3 | .... | .... | |
| 68 | 5 | .... | |
| 2.—Women not employed industrially— Charwomen | 37 | 5 | .... |
| Hawkers | 11 | 2 | .... |
| Domestic servants | 19 | .... | 4 |
| Shop assistants | 8 | .... | .... |
| Barmaid | 1 | .... | .... |
| School teacher | 1 | .... | .... |
| Telegraphist | 1 | .... | .... |
| No occupation | 1457 | 32 | 1 |
| 1535 | 39 | 5 | |
The infants visited by the Inspectors were children of the
poor and working class, the inquiry being confined to districts
containing women mainly of one social class.
It will be seen, however, that in this Borough, so far as the
enquiries were made, there were very few women employed industrially,
only 68 out of a total of 1,603 coming under this category.
78 mothers, although not employed industrially, were engaged in
some occupation, as charwomen, hawkers, or domestic servants,
while 1,457 had no occupation.
Among the 68 employed industrially there were five infantile
deaths, while among the 78 employed as charwomen, etc., there