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3
BOROUGH OF RICHMOND.
Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1952.
PREFACE.
Staff.
Mr. G. C. Smith, Senior Additional Sanitary Inspector, obtained
a Senior position on the staff of Kingston Borough Council in August.
As deputy to the Chief Sanitary Inspector, Mr. Smith served this
Authority most efficiently for nearly three years. His resignation
was a loss to the Department but he deserved promotion.
It was not possible to fill the vacancy caused by this resignation
until January, 1953, so that there was a shortage of Inspecting Staff
for the last four months of the year. There were no other changes
in staff.
Population.
The Registrar General's estimate of the population was 42,130
which is an increase of nearly 200 on the Census population of 1951.
Births.
During the year 614 births were recorded—(311 males and 303
females). This figure may be compared with 648 in 1951 and-851
in 1947.
The number of illegitimate births was 28 including 3 infants found
dead in the Borough. This is the smallest number of such births
recorded since the war years and is, in fact, back to pre-war level.
The proportion of births taking place in hospitals or Nursing
homes has risen to 80%. Everything possible is done to endeavour
to persuade mothers to have their babies at home when conditions
are satisfactory, but in spite of this, the proportion seeking admission
to hospital rises slightly each year.
There were 29 premature births belonging to this district, 25 of
these survived for over 28 days. The three infants who failed to
survive were born and nursed in hospitals where they were receiving
every attention.
Health Visitors are notified early of premature births and all possible
assistance is given to the mothers. Each premature birth is investigated
with a view to ascertaining the cause and so preventing a similar
occurence in future.