Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wimbledon]
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Milk insufficient or poor, 62, or 53 per cent.
Illness or poor health of mother, 21, or 18 per cent.
Mother working, 32, or 27.3 per cent.
Removal of baby to hospital, 2, or 12 per cent.
Fresh cow's milk was used in 64 per cent. of cases.
Condensed milk was used in 30 per cent. of cases.
Proprietary foods were used in 5'5 per cent. of cases.
There were several cases where dried milk or condensed
milk were used temporarily.
Boat bottles were found to be in use in 75 per cent. of
cases, the number of mothers who were eventually prevailed
upon to use boat bottles instead of tubes bringing the percentage
up to 80.
Insurance Benefit.—Of the 483 patients visited, 467, or
96.7 per cent., obtained insurance benefit; 30, or 6.2 per cent.,
obtained double benefit, viz., £3; 16, or 3.3 per cent., received
no benefit.
Of the 16 who received no benefit:—
7 were in business for themselves.
2 husbands abroad.
4 in arrears, run out of benefit.
1 husband dead.
2 illegitimate child. Mother no occupation.
There was 1 voluntary contributor.
Mothers' and Babies' Welcome.—Number of cases sent on
during the year, 193.
Number of cases referred back, 99, or 51.29 per cent.
Un-notified birth inquiries, 214.
Infant Deaths.—Thirty-seven infants under one year of
age died from the following causes:—
Prematurity. Inanition 9
Diarrhœa. Enteritis 9
Tubercular Enteritis 1
Dentition. Acute Vomiting. Diarrhœa 1
Bronchitis. Pneumonia 9
Acute Phthisis 1
Whooping Cough. Pneumonia 1
Meningitis. Pneumonia 1
Cerebral Meningitis 1
Cerebral Haemorrhage 1
Hydrocephalus 1
Found dead in bed 2
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