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
Stepney 1920
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Stepney]
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Excepting where obviously unnecessary, all births are visited on the tenth
day or as soon after as possible, and the mother is advised to attend a Welfare
Centre.
Birth cards are sent to the various Centres for the necessary records to be kept
of the infants attending the Centres.
If mothers fail to attend the Centre, the birth cards are returned and the
visiting is resumed by the Municipal Health Visitor.
Monthly, weekly, or even daily visits are paid where urgently necessary.
At three of the Voluntary Centres as well as in the five Municipal Centres
our Health Visitors are responsible for weighing the infants.
840 attendances were made at the various Centres by the Municipal Health
Visitors during the year.
Return of births notified under the Notification of Births Act during the year 1920:—
| Births notified by medical practitioners | 1,630 |
| Births notified by midwives | 3,750 |
| Births notified by miscellaneous Institutions | 635 |
| Births notified by parents | 51 |
| Births occurred in the London Hospital | 210 |
| Births occurred in the East End Mothers' Home (396, Commercial Road) | 598 |
| Total | 6,874 |
In addition, 182 still-births were notified.
473 births were not notified during the year.