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57
TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE MATERNITY
AND CHILD WELFARE COMMITTEE
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The work of your Maternity and Child Welfare Services
during 1947 is reported in the following pages—and for the last
complete year under your direct control.
It is good to be able to report that the year has been very
noteworthy, i.e., new low records of 29 in infant mortality, of 21.6
in the stillbirth rate and of 13.1 in the death rate of the newly born.
These new low records were scored in a year with a very high
number of births—2,781 were notified as compared with 2,564 in
1946. Of these 2,781 births, 2,670 took place in the Borough—
also a new record.
The high birth rates of previous years were reflected in the
welfare attendances of nearly 73,000 at all welfare centres, including
"Brookscroft."
These achievements reflect the highest credit on all concerned
in Maternity and Child Welfare work in your Borough—the staff
at Thorpe Coombe Maternity Hospital, the District Midwifery
Sisters and the staff at all Welfare Centres, both Municipal and
voluntary.
The table of comparative statistics on page 61 shows the
very favourable rates in Walthamstow.
I would once more wish to record your help and consideration.
I am,
Your obedient Servant,
A. T. W. POWELL,
Medical Officer of Health.
STAFF
Resignations
Friel, Mrs. E. C Health Visitor 28.6.47
Mitchell, Miss I. V. Health Visitor 31.4.47
Ramsay, Miss M. C Health Visitor/School Nurse 31.1.47
Appointments
Cunnington, Miss E. L Health Visitor/School Nurse 6.1.47
duRaridt, Miss E Health Visitor/School Nurse 1.5.47
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS
2,781 births (92 of which belonged to other areas) were
notified during the year under the Public Health Act, 1936.
Notifications were received as follows:—Doctors and Parents,
272; Midwives, 2,509.
Included in the above are 292 births which were notified as
having occurred outside the Borough.
Also included are 49 stillbirths, 48 of which were notified by
Midwives. Of the total, two occurred outside the area.