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
Kingston upon Thames 1939
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kingston-upon-Thames]
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14.
3. (i) Midwifery and Maternity Services.
(a) MIDWIFERY SERVICE.
The Midwifery Service is under the administrative
control and supervision of the County Medical Officer of
Health and can be divided into two main sections:-
Domiciliary Midwifery Service.
Institutional Midwifery Service.
At the end of 1943 there were three midwives in the
Borough who undertake confinements at home. Complete
arrangements for medical assistance and, if necessary,
admission to the Kingston County Hospital, are made by the
Surrey County Council.
Institutional treatment is mainly at the Kingston
County Hospital, but, if necessary, cases are transferred to
one of the other County Hospitals.
In March, 1942, a small private maternity home was
opened in Kingston and a number of confinements of Borough
cases have occurred there.
The following are the details of the notifications of births (Kingston residents only) to the Medical Officer of Health by (a) Midwives: (b) General Practitioners and the Superintendent of Kingston County Hospital:
| Births notified | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. notified by Midwives | 174 | 159 | 115 | 147 | 158 |
| No. notified by General Practitioners and Medical Superintendent, Kingston County Hospital | 379 | 364 | 419 | 424 | 506 |
| Total | 553 | 523 | 534 | 571 | 664 |
The following table supplied by the Registrar
General and amended by transfers in and out, divides the
total registered births into (a) Live: and (b) still births: