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
Beckenham 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Beckenham]
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8
This gives a birth rate of 20.8 for the year, and comparing
this rate with that of former years, it is a fair average, and
is 0.6 above the rate for last vear.
The Birth rate for the last 3 years in the seven different Wards into which the District has been divided is given in the following Table:—
| Wards | 1906. | 1907. | 1908. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Births | Rate. | No of Births. | Rate. | No. of Births. | Rate. | |
| Copers Cope | 31 | 10.3 | 32 | 10.5 | 31 | 10.0 |
| Eden Park | 48 | 12.6 | 63 | 16.4 | 60 | 16.0 |
| Langley Park | 23 | 11.4 | 33 | 16.5 | 35 | 17.3 |
| Shortlands | 29 | 10.1 | 24 | 12.5 | 23 | 10.1 |
| Manor House | 220 | 26.1 | 218 | 24.6 | 222 | 24.3 |
| Kent House | 162 | 24.8 | 152 | 22.9 | 147 | 22.8 |
| Laurie Park | 157 | 23.6 | 142 | 20.2 | 170 | 25.2 |
| Totals | 670 | 20.8 | 664 | 20.2 | 688 | 20.8 |
The Notification of Births Act, 1907, an Act which was
optional for local Authorities, was adopted by the Council at
its Meeting held on the 6th January, 1908. Under this Act
all Births are required to be Notified to the Medical Officer
of Health within 36 hours of birth.
But although the Act makes it compulsory for the
Medical Practitioner in attendance to notify, it makes no
provision for payment of this service. This is not the only
instance where medical practitioners are compelled by Law
to render professional services to the public without payment.
From 1st April (the date upon which the Act first became
law in the District of Beckenham) to the end of the year, I
have received notice of 362 births, but during this time 517
births had been registered with the Registrar, thus leaving
155 births which had not been notified to me as required. The