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
Croydon 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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157
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.
Nineteen cases were notified during 1930; in 1929 there were
notified 5 cases; in 1928, 7 cases; and in 1927, 18 cases. The
fluctuations in the number of notifications since 1926, the date of
the passing of the Ophthalmia Neonatorum regulations, is remarkable.
Under these regulations notification by midwives ceased.
Prior to 1926 the number of notifications remained fairly uniform,
and it would appear as if only the most severe cases are now
brought to the attention of the Authority. In 1930 the number
notified showed a noticeable increase, due not so much to actual
increase in the number of cases, as to a more complete notification
of cases of inflammation of the eves in newly-born babies.
The following table gives the notifications in Croydon during the past ten years.
| 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of cases | 26 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 19 |
| Rate per 1000 births | 7.1 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 6.1 | 6.5 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 5.4 |
| Cases treated. | Vision Unimpaired. | Vision Impaired. | Died. | Removed. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notified. | At home. | In hospital. | ||||
| 19 | 8 | 11 | 17 | 1 | ... | 1 |
Infant Mortality.
The Infantile Mortality rate was 48 per 1,000 births. This is
14 per 1,000 births less than in 1929, and is the lowest figure yet
reached. Taking into consideration all the circumstances, the rate
can be considered very satisfactory.
For the past 5 years the numbers of infant deaths have
been:—1926, 211; 1927, 178; 1928, 178; 1929 , 221; 1930, 171;
102 deaths of infants occurred in institutions, including Registered
Nursing Homes.