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
Hampstead 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead, Metropolitan Borough of]
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These figures are noteworthy, showing as they do a most remarkable increase in the number of illegitimate births within the last two years. For purposes of comparison, I append a table of the illegitimate births occurring in the Borough for the past twelve years, by which it will be
| Year. | Number of illegitimate births. | Illegitimate birth rate per 1000 births registered. |
|---|---|---|
| 1902 | 39 | 25.7 |
| 1903 | 42 | 28.9 |
| 1904 | 42 | 29.1 |
| 1905 | 35 | 24.6 |
| 1906 | 34 | 24.0 |
| 1907 | 4.3 | 32.0 |
| 1908 | 29 | 21.0 |
| 1909 | 43 | 33.0 |
| 1910 | 36 | 28.0 |
| 1911 | 37 | 29.0 |
| 1912 | 76 | 59.3 |
The reason for this increase in not clear, but it is probably due to
more than one cause. In 1012, for the first time, the Registrar-General
informed us how many of the births, occurring outside the Borough,
and allocated to Hampstead were illegitimate. These births took place
chiefly in lying-in institutions, and in respect of these, the presence
of a very large number of domestic servants in Hampstead must be
borne in mind.
I am also of opinion that the National Insurance Act has indirectly
added the knowledge of not a few cases to our illegitimate birth list.
These are cases that, previous to the National Insurance Act, there was
no inducement to reveal; but many, probably all, these mothers are
insured people, and as such are entitled to a doctor and 30/- maternity
benefit upon confinement. Where, formerly, illegitimate births were
not registered at all, or, if they were, were registered as legitimate, the}'
now are revealed first by notification, and secondly by the mother for
the sake of the maternity benefit.
DEATHS.
The total deaths occurring in Hampstead during the year amounted
to 1,273. Of these, however, no less than 474 were of persons not
belonging to the Borough, while 152 residents of Hampstead died ill
outlying districts.