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
Hammersmith 1927
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hampstead, Metropolitan Borough of]
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91
Of this number, 52 were legitimate infants and 12 were illegitimate.
The Sub-Committee gave the following instructions:—
In 6 cases the certifying doctor be communicated with respecting
the cause of death.
In 1 case that inquiries be made at the Convalescent Home where
the child had been staying.
In 1 case that the mother be urged to attend the Borough
Council's Pre-Maternity Centre and that the Medical Officer
in charge be asked to have a Wassermann test made.
In 6 of the 64 deaths the family lived in a 1-roomed tenement, and
in 1 of these instances the infant died at home.
Still-Births.
The probable causes of 35 still-births which were investigated by
the Special Sub-Committee were obtained from the medical practioners
or midwives in attendance.
From the information thus obtained the still-births were attributed to the following causes:—
| Difficult labour | 3 |
| Prolonged labour | 1 |
| Breech presentation | I |
| Mal-presentation | 5 |
| Prematurity | 1 |
| Dead infant or macerated foetus | 11 |
| Prolapse of cord | 1 |
| Mother had a fall 36 hours before confinement | 1 |
| Premature detachment of placenta | 3 |
| Premature rupture of membranes | 1 |
| Albuminuria | 2 |
| Post-maturity | 1 |
| Hydrocephalic foetus | 2 |
| Induction of labour | 1 |
| Specific disease | 1 |
All the reports so submitted to me have been placed before the
Special Sub-Committee.
It will be seen that of these cases of still-birth, 10, as shown in the
first four items of the above list, were due to the difficulties of actual
labour itself, and were cases in which the services of the consulting
obstetricians might have been advantageously utilised.