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
Walthamstow 1932
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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93
1. NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS.
One thousand six hundred and fifty births (55 of which took
place outside the area) were notified during the year under the
Notification of Births Acts, 1907 and 1915, as follows:—
Doctors, 1,005. Midwives, 633. Parents, etc., 12.
Included in the above are 463 births which were notified as
having occurred outside the Borough.
Also included are 73 stillbirths, 1 of which did not belong to
the area. Forty-five were notified by Doctors and 28 by Midwives.
Of the total, 36 occurred outside the area.
The stillbirth rate per 1,000 population was higher than for
1931, viz., 0.60 against 0.43.
The Registrar-General's returns show the following registrations during the calendar year:—
| Males. | Females. | Totals. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legitimate | 889 | 859 | 1,748 |
| Illegitimate | 20 | 21 | 41 |
| Total | 909 | 880 | 1,789 |
| (b) Stillbirths. | |||
| Legitimate | Males. 37 | Females. 41 | Totals. 78 |
| Illegitimate | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Total | 39 | 43 | 82 |
Of 1,406 birth registrations received in the Department between
2nd January 1932, and 31st December, 1932, a total of 253 were
not notified in this area, but some may possibly have been notified
elsewhere, especially in view of the fact that of the 1,406 registrations
91 referred to births which belonged to other areas. In
addition it will be seen that the Registrar-General's figure (1,789)
is 383 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.