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
Sutton 1968
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Sutton]
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These tables emphasise the serious loss of infant lives associated with prematurity and during the first month of life. The size of the problem can most simply be shown as follows
| Total | Non Premature | Premature* | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 1968 | (1967) | 1969 | 1968 | (1967) | 1969 | 1968 | (1967) | |
| Live births | 2380 | 2404 | (2515) | 2284 | 2261 | (2380) | 96 | 143 | (135) |
| Deaths among live births in the first month of life | 26 | 27 | (29) | 10 | 8 | (10) | 16 | 19 | (19) |
| Still births | 13 | 28 | (26) | 5 | 12 | (14 | 8 | 16 | (12) |
* The Department of Health and Social Security's definition of a
premature birth is one when the infant at birth weights 5½ lb.
or less.
CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES
It is a responsibility of the Medical Officer of Health to submit a confidential report to the Registrar General on congenital abnormalities detected at or shortly after birth. The following table shows the total notified to the Registrar General:-
| 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total children born with abnormalities | 85 | 47 | 67 |
| Number of those who were stillborn | 1 | 9 | 2 |
| Number of those born alive who died within ten days | 7 | 2 | Nil |
| Number born with serious defects | 25 | 21 | 11 |
| Number which were of a comparatively minor nature | 60 | 26 | 56 |
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