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
East Ham 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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COMPARATIVE INFANT MORTALITY RATE—YEAR 1928.
| Birth-rate per 1,000 total population. | Rate per 1,000 Births. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Diarrhoea and Enteritis (under 2 yrs.) | Total deaths under 1 year[3] | ||
| England and Wales | 16.7 | 7.0 | 65 |
| 107 County Boroughs and Great Towns (including London) | 16.9 | 9.6 | 70 |
| 156 Smaller Towns (1921 adjusted populations, 20,000—50,000) | 16.6 | 4.8 | 60 |
| London | 15.9 | 10.2 | 67 |
| EAST HAM | 15.3 | 5.4 | 49 |
The comparative infant mortality rate for the year 1928 shows
that East Ham continues to be greatly more healthy than England
as a whole, and more healthy than London. The total number
of deaths under one year per 1,000 registered births in England
and Wales was 65, in London the figure was 67, in East Ham only
49 infants under one year of age per 1,000 births died. The comparative
rate for Diarrhoea and Enteritis in young children is also
very favourable, being 5.4 per 1,000 births in East Ham, as compared
with 7.0 in England and Wales, and 10.2 in London.
Inspection of Midwives.
The Assistant Medical Officer of Maternity and Child Welfare
is also Inspector of Midwives under the Borough Council, and in
that capacity maintains a general supervision over the work of all
midwives practising in East Ham, under the requirements of the
Midwives Acts, 1902 and 1918, and the Midwives and Maternity
Homes Act, 1926.
Forty-one visits of inspection were made by the Inspecting
Medical Officer during the year. Six midwives were interviewed
by the Inspecting Medical Officer at White House Centre in connection
with particular cases. On the whole their work was found
to be satisfactory.
By the rules of the Central Midwives' Board, midwives must
send for medical aid in certain specifically named conditions.