London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bethnal Green 1910
Report on the sanitary condition and vital statistics during the year 1910 together with the report of the Chief Sanitary Inspector
This page requires JavaScript
24
The deaths in this fatal first week form 16.8 per
cent, of the total infantile mortality. Inclusive of these,
29 per cent, died in the first month, 12 per cent, in the
second, and 8 per cent, in the third.
In the table below the principal causes of infantile
deaths are tabulated, so as to shew the mortality
attributable to each, as compared with the total number
of births:—
SPECIAL CAUSES OF INFANTILE DEATHS.
| Total. | Rate per thousand births | |
|---|---|---|
| Premature birth and congenital defects | 126 | 29.9 |
| Respiratory diseases | 102 | 24.2 |
| Diarrhœal diseases | 66 | 15.7 |
| Wasting diseases | 59 | 14.0 |
| Convulsive diseases | 40 | 9.5 |
| Common infectious diseases | 37 | 8.8 |
| Suffocation | 26 | 6.2 |
| Tubercular diseases | 19 | 4.5 |
THE CAUSATION OF
EXCESSIVE INFANTILE MORTALITY
The minds of many of our most thoughtful Councillors
have been much exercised upon the infantile
death rate for Bethnal Green. The fact that this
death rate is exceeded in some neighbouring Boroughs
is no excuse for inactivity on our part, and it was
universally felt that an effort should be made to reduce
this heavy death-toll. Many meetings and conferences
have been held, with a view to devise some plan of
action, but I regret to say that nothing practical has at
present been accomplished*.