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 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]
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Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia.
Nine cases of Puerperal Fever and 49 cases of Puerperal
Pyrexia were notified to the Medical Officer of Health; this
represents 1.5 per 1,000 notified births in regard to Puerperal
Fever, and 9.0 cases of Pyrexia per 1,000 births.
Arrangements are in force whereby the mother and baby can
be admitted immediately to hospital it such is considered necessary.
Three Consultant Obstetric Surgeons have been appointed
by the Council so that the patient may have the benefit of consultant
services in her own home.
Home nursing of puerperal cases is carried out by the nurses from the several District Nursing Associations in the Borough.
| Where Nursed | Result | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Ham Residents. | ||||
| Home | Hospital | |||
| Recovered | Died | |||
| Puerperal Fever | 0 | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| Puerperal Pyrexia | 19 | 30 | 29 | 4 |
Infantile Mortality.
The Infantile Mortality Rate for 1935 is 45.4 per 1,000 births,
being a decrease of 20.,1 per 1,000 compared with 1934.
This rate is the lowest on record in West Ham, and compares
very favourably with the rate of 62.0 per 1,000 for the 121 Great
Towns.
The total number of deaths under one year was 191 (100
males, 91 females), of which number ten deaths occurred in illegimate
infants.
| Congenital debility, prematurity, malformation, etc. | 99 |
| Pneumonia and Bronchitis | 41 |
| Diarrhoea, digestive disturbances | 22 |
| Synhilis | 2 |
| Malignant disease | 1 |
| Nephritis | 1 |
| Whooping Cough | 4 |
| Diphtheria | 2 |
| Influenza | 1 |
| Tuberculosis (non-pulmonary) | 1 |
| Violence | 2 |
| Other defined diseases | 15 |
| Total | 191 |