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
Brentford and Chiswick 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Brentford and Chiswick]
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The number of premature infants born in 1964 was 67 (69 in 1963) including
7 premature stillbirths Of the 60 premature infants born alive, 3 were born
at home all were surviving at the end of one month,, 57 were born in hospital,
of whom 4 8 survived to the end of one month
The percentage of premature infant births to total births (live and still)
was 6 4 compared with 6,5 in 1963
The following figures show the percentages of premature infants to total births (live and still) since 1954
| 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | 6.9 | 6.4 | 8.4 | 7.3 | 6.6 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 6.1 | 6.5 | 6.4 |
| Causes of infant deaths are shown in Table II on page 78 | ||||||||||
The number of stillbirths was not so great in 1964, i.e. 12 (11 legitimate, 1 illegitimate) as against 14 (10 legitimate, 4 illegitimate). Causes of death were as follows:-
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Prematurity | - | 1 |
| Placental degeneration | 2 | 1 |
| Prolapsed cord | 1 | - |
| Macerated foetus | 1 | - |
| Separated placenta | 1 | - |
| Maternal toxaemia | - | 2 |
| Unknown cause | 1 | 2 |
MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY
Deaths from Puerperal Causes
Puerperal Sepsis Nil
Other Causes Nil
During the year 38 cases of puerperal pyrexia were notified as compared
with 58 in 1963 All these cases occurred after hospital confinement, ana fi of
these were residents of the Borough Of causes listed on the notification forms,
fourteen were classed as genital infection, one due to common cold, one to mumps
one to breast abscess one to perineal abscess,, one to chest infection and one
followed Caesarean section No causes were listed in the remaining cases
The definition of puerperal pyrexia for notification purposes is any
febrile condition occurring in a woman in whom a temperature of 100 4 degrees
Fahrenheit (38 degrees Centigrade) or more has occurred within fourteen days
after child-birth or miscarriage'' .
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