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
London County Council 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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36
new maternity block at Paddington Hospital, which contains 59 beds and was opened
in October, was the only large addition during the year. It enabled a small ward
to be set aside for cases of latent (or other non.infectious) syphilis for whom suitable
accommodation had hitherto been difficult to find. Severe over.pressure on
maternity beds continues to be felt in South London.
Maternal
deaths
It was hardly to be expected that the very low death rate of 1937 would be
maintained, and the total rate for all deaths due to or associated with pregnancy
or confinement after the 28th week rose from 2.49 per 1,000 in 1937 to 2.83. However,
the rate in the most important group (those who died from truly obstetrical
causes after ante.natal care in the Council's clinics) fell from 1.00 in 1937 to .87
in 1938. The rise was confined to the emergency cases, and patients suffering
from coincident diseases. The sulphanilamide preparations have probably played
an important part in the continued fall in deaths from sepsis. The death.rate from
abortion continues to fluctuate in an inexplicable fashion.
Table 46
| Classification | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Rate per 1,000 | No. | Rate per 1,000 | No. | Rate per 1,000 | No. | Rate per 1,000 | No. | Rate per 1,000 | |
| A. Deaths of women confined in general hospitals and institutions after the 28th week | 66 | 5.1 | 64 | 4.18 | 63 | 3.51 | 49 | 2.49 | 59 | 2.83 |
| (a) Death due to pregnancy or confinement | 471 | 3.6 | 42 | 2.74 | 45 | 2.51 | 31 | 1.58 | 35 | 1.67 |
| (1) Ante.natal care in L.C.C. clinic | 24 | 2.1 | 21 | 1.53 | 25 | 1.53 | 18 | 1.00 | 17 | 0.87 |
| (2) Ante.natal care, other sources or nil | 23 | 14.1 | 21 | 13.13 | 20 | 12.24 | 13 | 7.71 | 18 | 12.56 |
| (6) Death associated with pregnancy or confinement | 19 | 1.5 | 22 | 1.44 | 18 | 1.00 | 18 | 0.92 | 24 | 1.14 |
| (1) Ante.natal care in L.C.C. clinic | 7 | 0.6 | 14 | 1.02 | 7 | 0.43 | 12 | 0.66 | 14 | 0.72 |
| (2) Ante.natal care, other sources or nil | 12 | 7.4 | 8 | 5.00 | 11 | 6.73 | 6 | 3.56 | 10 | 6.98 |
| B. Confined before admission (after 28th week) | 17 | - | 12 | - | 5 | - | 12 | - | 8 | - |
| C. Abortions and moles (cases treated in hospital) 3,417 (1934), 3,607 (1935), 3,713 (1936), 3,870 (1937), 4,316 (1938) | 50 | - | 50 | - | 19 | - | 25 | - | 38 | - |
| D. Ectopicgestation(casestreated) 109 (1934), 136 (1935), 122 (1936), 120 (1937), 144 (1938) | 9 | - | 4 | - | 5 | - | 5 | - | 5 | - |
* Includes 1 death from nephritis at 24th week.
Dental service
The scheme commenced in 1937 for the appointment of dental surgeons for
whole.time duty at St. Alfege's and St. Stephen's Hospitals has been continued
with success and it has been decided to put it on a permanent basis at these hospitals,
and to extend it experimentally to Hammersmith and Paddington Hospitals,
beginning in 1939.
In the remaining hospitals minor increases in the number of sessions have been
made, and particular attention has been given to the extension as far as possible of
treatment for ante.natal patients and to the conservation of teeth.
Arrangements have now been made for all dental treatment for public assistance
cases in London to be undertaken by the hospital dental service. This has resulted
in an increase in the amount of dental work carried out at the hospitals and all
dentures are now manufactured in the Council's Central Dental Laboratory which
was opened in April, 1938. Excellent accommodation and modern equipment has
been provided at the laboratory and a high standard of work and economy in
production has been achieved. The laboratory now undertakes the whole of the dental
work for the Council's establishments, including general, special, and mental hospitals.