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
Barking 1924
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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56
Although it may be said that the old type of uncertified
handy women has probably now officially disappeared from the
neighbourhood, it must be admitted that unqualified women to
some extent still minister to the needs of the puerperal period,
a circumstance which falls considerably short of the ideal of
district midwifery.
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS ACT, 1907 to 1915.
The above Acts form the basis of all maternity and child
welfare efforts carried out, and require that all live births and
still-births of seven months and over be notified to the Medical
Officer of Health within 3G hours, being thus an additional requirement
to the Registration Act, 1836, by which all live births
must be registered within six weeks.
Of the total births registered within the district during 1924, all except 32, or 3.7 per cent., of the total were notified, particulars of from whom notifications were received being supplied by the following table:—
| By whom notified. | Live Births. | Still Births |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Practitioners | 203 | 4 |
| Certified Midwives | 596 | 9 |
| Parents and Others | 30 | - |
The actual number of births within the district during the
year was 861, the net total of 816 being reached by adjustment
of inward and outward transfers, etc.
Of the total births occurring during the year, 596, or 69.2
per cent., were attended by midwives, the remainder being
attended by medical practitioners.
The average per centage of still-births was 1.5, while 20, or
2.3 per cent., of children were illegitimate.
As usually happens the male sex in point of number preponderated
over the female, the actual number of all births registered
being 426 male and 420 female, or 50.3 per cent. male
and 49.6 per cent. female.