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15
Illegitimate Births. The number of illegitimate births
registered was 66. There were 21 inward transfers and 18
outward transfers, making a nett figure of 69, equivalent to
27 per 1,000 births.
Natural Increase of Population. This term means the
excess of births over deaths. In 1924 it was 1,047, in 1925
it was 1,063, and in 1926 it was 1,013.
Notification of Births. During the year 2,442 live births
were notified. This is at the rate of 95 per cent. of the registered
births, and compares with 99 per cent. last year.
1,167 notifications were received from midwives, 154 from
doctors, 163 from parents, and 51 from other persons, 602
from the British Hospital for Mothers and Babies, 195 from
the Military Families Hospital, 43 from the Woolwich
Infirmary, and 10 from the Woolwich and Plumstead
Maternity Home. 57 births took place in midwives' homes.
In addition to these, 56 notifications were received from the
Medical Officer of Health of Lewisham, 32 from the Medical
Officer of Health of Greenwich, and 36 from other Medical
Officers of Health. 68 still births were notified. It is known
that 821 births took place in institutions, either within or
without the Borough, so that the percentage of institutional
midwifery for the Borough as a whole was 33.3 per cent., the
figures for the various districts being:—Woolwich, 35 per
cent.; West Plumstead, 36 per cent.; East Plumstead, 29
per cent., and Eltham, 33 per cent. The number of
maternity beds in the Borough is not yet equal to the
demand, and I have little doubt that the provision of further
beds would mean a further increase in the number of women
entering institutions for their confinements.
The following Table, No. 5, shows the number of
corrected births each year since 1922, the number of live and
still births notified, the percentage of notified births, and the
birth rates for the same period for Woolwich, London,
England, and Wales.