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
Shoreditch 1937
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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The obstetric history of the patients is shown in the following table:—
Table No. 100
| No. of pregnancies | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of patients | 26 | 57 | 40 | 39 | 20 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 248 |
| No. of children alive | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Total. |
| No. of patients | 25 | 63 | 43 | 51 | 21 | 16 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | 248 |
The average number of pregnancies per patient for the 248 new patients was 3.2
and the average number of children alive per patient in respect of the 248 patients was
2-8. These averages are definitely lower than the corresponding figures for the
patients who attended the medical clinic.
Duration of married state.—The following table shows the length of time which
had elapsed since marriage in respect of 234 of the patients in which the details are
available. Patients who were married during 1937 were counted as having been
married one year, those married in 1936 two years, and so on:—
Table No. 101
| Period since marriage (years) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10+ | Total. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of patients | 24 | 12 | 20 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 86 | 234 |
This table brings out the rather important fact—which was also elicited previously—that
there was apparently no relationship between attendance at the clinic
and the duration of the married state. Opponents of birth control clinics often state
that there will be a preponderance of young married women at such clinics, but the
figures above—although they refer to both gynaecological and birth regulation cases—
indicate broadly that such a supposition is incorrect.
Gyncecological work.—Of the 248 new patients who attended the clinic, 184 were
gynaecological cases. The conditions found and treated, when treatment was
necessary, may be shown broadly as follows:—Cervical erosions, 3; menorrhagia, 27;
leucorrhcea, 27; pregnancy, 32; fibroid, 2; uterine displacements, 30; sterility, 8;
post-natal debility, 24; other conditions, 31.
Birth regulation work.—During the year 43 women had advice regarding birth
regulation, and in these instances the necessary appliances were provided.
Of the 248 women, two were referred to St. Leonard's Hospital, 1 to Moorfields
Eye Hospital, 2 to Mildmay Mission Hospital, and 3 to other hospitals for examination
or for admission.