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
Ilford 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Ilford]
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53
Illegitimate Births and Deaths.—59 of the live births registered
(28 males and 31 females) were illegitimate, that is 2 8% of the births
registered.
Three illegitimate children (two males and one female) died under one
year of age.
The following table shows the birth and death rates of legitimate and illegitimate infants for the past ten years:—
| Year | Legitimate Infants | Illegitimate Infants | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Births | Percentage of Registered Births | Deaths | Rate per 1,000 Legitimate Live Births | Live Births | Percentage of Registered Births | Deaths | Rate per 1,000 Illegitimate Live Births | |
| 1956 | 2,056 | 97.2 | 30 | 14.6 | 59 | 2.8 | 3 | 50.8 |
| 1955 | 2,015 | 97.4 | 40 | 19.6 | 55 | 2.6 | 2 | 36.4 |
| 1954 | 2,145 | 97.8 | 40 | 18.6 | 48 | 2.2 | 1 | 28.8 |
| 1953 | 2,164 | 97.0 | 43 | 19.9 | 67 | 3.0 | 2 | 29.9 |
| 1952 | 2,232 | 96.1 | 44 | 19.7 | 91 | 3.9 | — | — |
| 1951 | 2,306 | 97.1 | 49 | 21.2 | 70 | 2.9 | 1 | 14.3 |
| 1950 | 2,332 | 96.9 | 41 | 17.6 | 74 | 3.1 | 4 | 51.0 |
| 1949 | 2,567 | 97.6 | 51 | 19.9 | 63 | 2.4 | 2 | 31.7 |
| 1948 | 2,757 | 96.8 | 58 | 21.0 | 91 | 3.2 | 4 | 43.9 |
| 1947 | 3,258 | 96.7 | 78 | 23.9 | 110 | 3.3 | 4 | 36.4 |
The Chelmsford Diocesan Moral Welfare Association continued in
1956 to undertake the care of the unmarried mother and her child on
behalf of the County Council and there has been direct co-operation
through their Moral Welfare Worker for this district. In addition, all
cases are followed up by the Health Visitors.
Health Visitors and School Nurses.—The recruitment of health
visiting staff improved somewhat during the year but Clinic Nurses continued
to be employed to relieve the Health Visitors of certain duties.
The Essex County Council's Training Scheme for Health Visitors, in
conjunction with the S.E. Essex Technical College, has continued and
two trainees were allocated to Ilford for practical instruction during 1956.
Three trainees, on completing the course in 1956 and passing the examination
for the Health Visitors' Certificate of the Royal Institute of Public
Health, were appointed as Health Visitors and School Nurses here.
At the end of the year there were 17 full-time qualified Health Visitors
and School Nurses in addition to the Superintendent Health Visitor, and
5 Clinic Nurses.
The following is a summary of the home visits made by the Health
Visitors and Clinic Nurses during 1956 as far as Part III Services are
concerned :—
First visits to newly-born infants 2,141
Subsequent visits to children under 1 year of age 4,869
Subsequent visits to children over 1 year of age and under 5 12,743
Visits to expectant mothers 925
Home visits for other reasons 1,296
Total visits paid 21,974