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
West Ham 1928
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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Two midwives practising together, connected with an institution, had one case of pemphigus, three cases of watery blisters, and one case of puerperal pyrexia within a period of three weeks. In this case it may be assumed that infection took place directly from case to case, in spite of apparently complete disinfection after each case of the respective midwife.
| Doctor or Midwife | No. of Cases | Recovery | Death | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pemphigus | Watery | Pemphigus | Watery | Pemphigus | Watery | |
| Blisters | Blisters | Blisters | ||||
| Dr. A | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Dr. B | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Mid. A* | 3 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 2 | — |
| Mid. B* | 2 | 6 | 2 | 6 | — | — |
| Mid. C | — | 3 | — | 3 | — | — |
| Mid. D | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — |
| Mid. E* | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | — | — |
| Mid. F | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Mid. G | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — |
| Total 9 | 27 | 6 | 27 | 3 | — | |
* Refers to a number of midwives practising under the supervision
of institutions in the Borough.
STILLBIRTHS.
Total number of Stillbirths 189
Total number of Births 5913
Percentage of Stillbirths 3.19%
In 1927 percentage of Stillbirths 3.6%
Investigations were made in 169 of these cases.
Age of Mother.
Less than 20 years 3
20—25 years 34
25—30 „ 29
30—35 ,, 25
35—40 ,, 37
40 onwards 22
Unobtainable 19
Total 169
Duration of Pregnancy (in lunar months).
6—8 months 28
8—9 months 26
Full-term 104
Unobtainable 11
Total 169
126