Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
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Both parents were living together in 48 cases and the mother was able to stay at home to look after
the child. Where both parents were living together, 4 mothers had husbands living, 1 father had wife living,
6 were awaiting a divorce, 2 have married since birth of infant, and no information was available for 35.
Nineteen infants were in the care of a relative and 13 in a day nursery, the 32 mothers going out to
work. In general the infants were fairly well cared for, but 9 were admitted to a residential nursery, 5 were
adopted and 1 was in the care of a foster mother; 9 died and 1 infant was stillborn.
The following are examples of unsatisfactory homes
The family with two other legitimate children, whose father is in prison, live in a poor and overcrowded
home. The baby was adopted later.
Parents living together with another illegitimate child in a poor home of only one furnished room.
This family frequently changes its address.
There are 5 other illegitimate children in the family living in a very poor home. The family is under
constant supervision by both the health visitor and the N.S.P.C.C.
The mother, a deserted wife, is living with the father of the child, and two other legitimate children
in a very poor basement home. The father is out of work. The baby developed whooping cough and died.
The mother, a deserted wife, has two other legitimate children, and is not living with the father
of the child. She left the illegitimate baby in a cinema. The baby is now in a residential nursery.
An unknown male child died when 7 days old in the Children's Home, Barretts Green Road.
Problem families, such as those described above, present the most difficulties.
Although the illegitimate infant death rate was much higher than last year, the actual number concerned (9) was small. The social class of the family where known was V. Most of the deaths could probably have been prevented; 4 were due to prematurity, 1 injury at birth, and the other in the age group 1—12 months died from broncho-pneumonia as a complication of whooping cough.
Cause of Death (Registrar General's classification in brackets) | Age at Death | Weight at Birth | Where Born | Age of Mother | No. in Family | Social Class |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Asphyxia, sleeping in pram. Accidental death (Other causes) | 5 mths. | 41bs. 13^oz. | Central Middlesex Hospital | 21 years | 1st | V |
Atelectasis and cerebral haemorrhage. (Injury at birth) | 2 hours | Not known | St. Joseph's Home, 34, West Gardens, High gate | Not known | Not known | Not known |
(Prematurity) 26 weeks | 1 day | lib. 6oz. | Central Middlesex Hospital | 27 years | 1st | V |
(Prematurity) 33 weeks | 6 days | 41 bs. 6oz. | Kingsbury Hospital | 23 years | 2nd | V |
(Prematurity) 28 weeks | 6 hours | lib. lOoz. | Central Middlesex Hospital | 30 years | 1st | V |
Broncho-pneumonia and whooping cough (Respiratory) | 3 mths. | 41b. 2oz. | Home | 23 years | 3rd | V |
(Prematurity) 28 weeks | 28 hours | 21b. 3oz. | Central Middlesex Hospital | Not known | Not known | V |
Congenital heart (Congenital malformation) | 6 mths. | 51bs. | Central Middlesex Hospital | 24 years | 1st | V |
Broncho-pneumonia (Respiratory) | 3 weeks | Not known | Hospital | Not known | Not known | Not known |
Clearly, better ante-natal care might have prevented the deaths from prematurity, and better infant
care could have saved the life of the baby who died from whooping cough.