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 1944
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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STAFFING.- This matter has, at times, proved difficult and much
help vias received from Civil Defence personnel - in total
amounting to some 1,469 hours work.
INFECTIOUS AND CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.- Comparatively limited,
outbreaks of Baoillary Dysentery (Sonne) occurred at wyatts Lane
and Higham Hill Day Nurseries. These are referred to in the
Fublic Health section of this report.
INFANT MORTALITY.
The death-rates of infants under one year of age per 1,000
live births when calculated on the totals given by the RegistrarGeneral
are therefore:-
Legitimate, 37; Illegitimate 33; Total 37.
The Infant Mortality Rate for other areas during 1944 was as follows: -
| England and Eales | 46 |
| 126 County Boroughs & Great Towns (including London | 52 |
| 148 Smaller Towns (25,000 to 50,000) | 44 |
| London | 61 |
NEO-NATAL MORTALITY.
The neo-natal mortality is the number of deaths of infants under
one month per 1,000 live births. During 1944, 40 infants died in
the first four weeks of life, yielding a rate of 20.8.
For the last ten years in England and Wales the neo-natal deaths
have been approximately one-half of the total deaths under one
year of age.
The following rates refer to Waltharastow: -
INFANT DEATHS, NEO-NATAL MORTALITY AND STILLBIRTHS.
| Year | Live Births | Birth Rate | No. | Stillbirths | Neo-Natal Deaths per | No. | Infant Deaths per 1,000 live births | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per 1,000 live births | Per 1,000 population | ||||||||
| No. | 1,000 live births | ||||||||
| 1944 | 1915 | 18.9 | 52 | 27.1 | 0.51 | 40 | 20.8 | 71 | 37 |
| 1943 | 1828 | 18.2 | 58 | 30.7 | 0.57 | 48 | 26.2 | 73 | 40 |
| 1942 | 1718 | 17.4 | 52 | 30.2 | 0.52 | 35 | 20.3 | 70 | 40 |
| 1941 | 1304 | 13.3 | 35 | 26.8 | 0.37 | 31 | 23.7 | 52 | 44 |
| 1940 | 1575 | 14.3 | 42 | 26.6 | 0.38 | 39 | 24.7 | 60 | 40 |
The neo-natal mortality for England and T7ales for the decennium
1921-30 Was 33.
The death-rate from Diarrhoea and Enteritis in children under
one year of age per 1,000 live births 1.04.
CARE OF ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN.
Your Council gave careful consideration to Ministry of Health
Oircular 2866 issued in October 1943 and your representatives
attended a conference of the separate Welfare Authorities in the
County which was held in December. The report of the
representatives was later considered by the Council and the Ministry
of Health was informed that in conjunction with the Walthamstow
Girls Aid Association the suggestions contained in para.5 of the
Ciroular were being carried out.
40.