London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Walthamstow 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
This page requires JavaScript
77
1. NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS.
One thousand six hundred and sixty-two births (61 of which
were excluded) were notified during the year under the Notification
of Births Acts, 1907 and 1915, as follows:—
Doctors, 931. Midwives, 683. Parents, etc.. 48.
Included in the above are 333 births which were notified as
having occurred outside the Borough.
In addition 59 stillbirths were notified, 6 of which did not
belong to the area. Forty were notified by Doctors, 18 by Midwives
and 1 by a parent. Of the total, 16 occurred outside the area.
The stillbirth rate per 1,000 population was lower than for
1930, viz., 0.43 against 0.54.
2. REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS.
The Registrar-General's returns show the following registrations during the calendar year:—
| (a) Live Births. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Males. | Females. | Total. | |
| Legitimate | 949 | 949 | 1,898 |
| Illegitimate | 17 | 32 | 49 |
| Total | 966 | 981 | 1,947 |
| Males. | Females. | Total. | |
| Legitimate | 37 | 22 | 59 |
| Illegitimate | — | — | — |
| Total | 37 | 22 | 59 |
Of 1,640 birth registrations received in the Department between
4th January, 1931, and 2nd January, 1932, a total of 267 were not
notified in this area, but some may possibly have been notified
elsewhere, especially in view of the fact that of the 1,640 registrations
95 referred to births which belonged to other areas. In addition it
will be seen that the Registrar-General's figure (1,947) is 307 more
than the local registrations. Presumably these were births registered
and possibly notified in other areas.
The early visiting of newly-born infants by the Health Visitors
is entirely dependent upon efficient notification.