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 1960
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]
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| Year | London | England and Wales | Year | London | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 34.6 | 38.2 | 1956 | 33.3 | 36.7 |
| 1952 | 32.6 | 37.5 | 1957 | 34.2 | 36.3 |
| 1953 | 34.7 | 36.9 | 1958 | 34.3 | 35.1 |
| 1954 | 32.8 | 381 | 1959 | 32.7 | 34.2 |
| 1955 | 34.8 | 37.4 | 1960 | 31.2 | 32.9 |
The causes of death in the first seven days of life are shown in table (xi) on page 16.
It will again be apparent from the preceding section that premature babies provided the
major share. The cause of stillbirth, the other component of perinatal mortality, was not
known until certification was introduced on 1 October, 1960 under the Population
(Statistics) Bill, 1960. The following table gives the causes for the last quarter of 1960,
but they should be read with the cautionary note of the General Register Office* that only
63 per cent, of the certificates were signed by medical practitioners.
Table (xiv)—
| Code No. | Cause | Male | Female | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Per cent. | Number | Per cent. | ||
| Y.30 | Chronic disease in mother | 7 | 5.2 | 1.8 | |
| Y.32 | Diseases and conditions of pregnancy and | ||||
| childbirth: | |||||
| (2) Haemorrhage | 11 | 8.2 | 5 | 4.6 | |
| (3 and 4) Toxaemia | 24 | 17.7 | 12 | 11.0 | |
| (5) Infection | — | — | 1 | 0.9 | |
| Y.34 | Difficulties in labour.. | 7 | 5.2 | 3 | 2.8 |
| Y.35 | Other causes in mother | — | — | 2 | 1.8 |
| Y.36 | Placental and cord conditions | 27 | 200 | 22 | 20.2 |
| Y.37 | Birth injury | 6 | 4.4 | 1 | 0.9 |
| Y.38 | Congenital malformation of foetus | 11 | 8.2 | 27 | 24.8 |
| Y.39 | Diseases of foetus (1.4) | 8 | 5.9 | 13 | 11.9 |
| Y.39(5) | Other ill.defined causes | 15 | 111 | 10 | 9.2 |
| Y.39(6) | Cause unspecified | 19 | 141 | 11 | 10.1 |
| Total | 135 | 100.0 | 109 | 100.0 | |
† International classification of causes of stillbirth.
A special enquiry, under Ministry auspices, into perinatal mortality was made in
1958.59, and the National Birthday Trust Fund also made a similar enquiry in March,
1958. The preliminary results of the latter are that intrauterine asphyxia, congenital malformation,
intracranial birth trauma, resorption atelectasis, blood group incompatibility
and pneumonia were the principal causes and that it was in the field of intrapartum
asphyxia and birth trauma that improved obstetric care could most quickly yield better
figures for foetal salvage.
* The Lancet, 1961, (/), 455.
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