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
Leyton 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Leyton]
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| Transferred to Hospital | Died in First 24 hours | Died on 2nd to 7th day | Died on 8th to 28th day | Survived 28 days | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 lb. 4 oz. or less | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 lb. 5 oz.—4lb. 6 oz. | — | — | — | — | I- | 1 |
| 4 lb. 7 oz.—4 lb. 15 oz. | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 |
| 5 lb.—5 lb. 8 oz | - | - | - | - | 14 | 14 |
Puerperal Pyrexia.
Fifteen cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified during the year.
Maternity Mortality.
There were three maternal deaths of Leyton residents during the year.
All occurred in hospitals outside the area. Ages and cause of death are set
out below:—
1. 34 yrs.
Cause of death
(1a) Post-partum haemorrhage.
2. 31 yrs.
Cause of death
(1a) Acute suppurative pneumonitis following vomit soiling of
the bronchial tree during anaesthesia (nitrous oxide oxygen and
ether for induced labour) for foetal distress.
3. 23 yrs.
Cause of death.
(1a) Toxaemia and portal pyaemia following septic abortion.
In an area such as Leyton, with a low birth rate, yearly variations in the
Maternal Mortality rate can be quite considerable, and a truer picture is
obtained by taking the number of deaths over a period such as five years.
Since 1950 there have been two years with no maternal death, one year
with one death, and two years with three deaths—seven in 6,644 births,
giving a rate of 1.05 per thousand births. One death, listed as a maternal
death because the woman was six weeks pregnant, was not related to the
pregnancy at all.
All of these deaths occurred in hospital, and the patients had had every
available medical care.