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 1969
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth, Metropolitan Borough]
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60
The total number of premature infants born was lower than
that for last year. Of the total live and still births in Wandsworth,
455 children were born prematurely, 37 of which were stillborn,
and 30 premature babies died within one month of birth.
The table below gives details of premature births in Wandsworth.
| Live births | Died under 1 month | Stillbirths | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 lb. 3 oz. or less | 14 | 14 | 6 |
| Over 2 lb. 3 oz. up to and including 3 lb. 4 oz. | 28 | 7 | 11 |
| Over 3 lb. 4 oz. up to and including 4 lb. 6 oz. | 58 | 4 | 11 |
| Over 4 lb. 6 oz. up to and including 4 lb. 15 oz | 92 | 1 | 5 |
| Over 4 lb. 15 oz. up to and including 5 lb. 8 oz. | 226 | 4 | 4 |
| 418 | 30 | 37 |
Handicap and Observation Register
A register of handicapped children and children at risk of
developing a handicap has been kept in the Health Department
for a number of years and has continued to prove its worth in
the follow-up of handicapped children. It has helped in the early
diagnosis of defects of structure, growth and development and in
the detection of disease, enabling suitable treatment to be instituted
as early as possible. The aim is to secure the fullest possible rehabilitation
for every child with a disability and to gain the full
acceptance of such persons into the community within the most
suitable social and working environment.
About 8% of all new-born babies are placed on the register
soon after discharge from hospital. This includes babies born
with malformations, abnormalities, a family history of illness,
neonatal disease or a history with a possible relevance to future
handicap.
All children on the register are examined regularly for defects
and developmental screening tests are carried out periodically.
The completeness of the register depends on the collaborated efforts
of clinic doctors, health visitors, hospital consultants and family
doctors. In addition to children placed on the register at birth,
children who acquire a handicap later on or whose handicap is