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

Enfield 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Enfield]

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60
INFANT MORTALITY.
On pages 11 and 13 of this report, full details of deaths of
infants under the age of one year will be found, and a further reference
on the subject will be found under the heading " Zymotic Death
Rate " on page 37.
BIRTHS.
The actual number of births registered in the District was as
follows:—
Boys. Girls. Total.
526 544 1,070
including 27 illegitimate births, i.e., 2.52 per cent. of the total.
In addition, 4 male and 8 female stillbirths were registered.

Table: The corrected birth-rates for both sexes, live and still-births, which takes into consideration those born outside the District and those in the District not rightly recorded to the District, and also the corrected birth-rate for the last 5 years, are:—

The corrected birth-rates for both sexes, live and still-births, which takes into consideration those born outside the District and those in the District not rightly recorded to the District, and also the corrected birth-rate for the last 5 years, are:—

Year.Boys.Girls.Total.Birth-rate per 1,000 Population.Illegitimate Birth-rate per 1,000 Population.
19345715551,12615.08.44
19356286391,26716.46.51
19367096941,40317.12.50
19378097581,56717.97.50
19388928951,78719.43.64

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INFANTILE DEATHS.
Reference to Table 2 on page 11, shows that of the 88 deaths
of children who died under one year of age, 23 occurred during the
first week of life, 7 during the second week, 2 during the third week,
and 4 during the fourth week; i.e. 36 in the first four weeks of
life. During the year 1937 this figure was only 28.
In so far as it is possible, investigations are made to ascertain
the cause of a still birth or infantile death. Evidence of causation
in the case of still birth was surprisingly negative in those cases
investigated, for ante-natal treatment appears to have been obtained.
The homes were satisfactory and there was no evidence to show
that industrial employment was a causal factor, for in no case was
the mother employed except in household duties. In a large