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
Hampstead 1910
Report for the year 1910 of the Medical Officer of Health
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The following are the infantile mortality rates for each of the Wards:-
| WARD. | Deaths of Infantsunder 1 year per 1000 births. |
|---|---|
| No. 1 (Town) | 75.4 |
| No. 2 (Belsize) | 43.5 |
| No. 3 (Adelaide) | 20.8 |
| No. 4 (Central) | 76.2 |
| No. 5 (West End) | 78.7 |
| No. 6 (Kilburn) | 63.3 |
| No. 7 (Priory) | 43.5 |
The infantile mortality rate in 1910 was the lowest ever recorded
in Hampstead, the lowest figure in any previous year being 69, which
was recorded in 1907 and in 1908. This satisfactory result must be
attributed in a considerable measure to the preventive work that has
been carried on during recent years, for though the summer of 1910
was cold and wot, and therefore favourable to a low mortality, it was
not more so than previous summers were. The figure now reached is
very low when compared with previous years, but it is still too high,
and with a continuance of our ameliorative work we may hope to
bring about a considerable further reduction. The deaths from the
diarrhceal diseases, which frequently form a large proportion of the
whole were only 10 in number, the chief cause of death being premature
birth, a cause which is not easy to bring within the scope of preventive
effort.
The following table, which is issued bv the Registrar-General,
shows the infantile mortality in each of the Metropolitan Boroughs and
in the County of London. It will be noted that Hampstead occupies a
very favourable position when compared with other districts or with the
whole of London:—