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Table F. —Infantile Mortality.
London.
Year.
Bermondsey.
Rotherhithe.
St. Olave.
Whole Borough.
No. of
Deaths.
Rate per
1,000
Births.
Rate per
1,000
Births.
No. of
Deaths.
Rate per
1,000
Births.
No. of
Deaths.
Rate per
1,000
Births.
Rate per
1,000
Births.
No. of
Deaths.
No. of
Deaths.
170
215
176
42
132
754
169
19,412
497
148
1901
159
174
153
678
156
139
455
149
49
18,478
1902
176
657
156
130
428
153
179
160
50
16,978
1903
723
477
173
187
173
59
163
172
18,600
143
1904
146
170
164
145
45
631
147
16,324
129
1905
422
155
130
408
115
170
156
46
178
624
16,307
1906
116
335
125
144
130
22
96
501
125
14,114
1907
411
151
134
48
186
610
146
13,943
113
1908
147
141
396
144
143
134
137
573
12,582
108
1909
34
26
127
103
341
128
135
130
101
502
11,809
1910
Average for
years
1901 to 1910
42
625
417
149
146
167
149
149
15,855
126
1911
403
159
167
157
41
166
611
159
14,440
129
As there were 158 deaths from summer diarrhoea during 1911, against 63 in 1910, it is
scarcely necessary to enquire further into the causes of the increase of the death-rate among children
under one year old.
If the deaths due to this one cause could be reduced to a figure equal to that for 1910, we
would have a comparatively low infantile death-rate for Bermondsey to record ; but unfortunately
elements over which we have no control, in the shape of a hot, dry summer, frustrated our efforts to
keep down the death-rate due to this particular cause. The obvious connection between heat and
infantile mortality is difficult to explain, and has not hitherto been satisfactorily accounted for by
any one theory. At present the two main views are (1) that excessive heat causes death by direct
influence—the so-called "heat-stroke," and (2) that it is due to diarrhœal diseases caused by contamination
of the infant's food by fermentation, flies, &c., favoured by the heat. The former view
has most adherents on the Continent, the latter most in England. Possibly both are correct for the
particular country, since on the Continent they are more liable to extremes of heat and cold than in
England, and if, as I believe, both causes are operative, this will account for the higher infant
mortality on the Continent as a whole than in England, where the first factor is not so important.
The further one proceeds north from the equatorial zone the less the infantile mortality, and
this at present reaches its minimum in Sweden. In England, where intestinal troubles are paramount,
the most important contributory factor is want of breast feeding, others being insufficient
light and ventilation in and around the dwelling houses.
Table G.
Whooping
Cough.
Typhus
Fever.
Enteric
Fever.
Pyrexia.
(Origin
uncertain).
Diarrhœa.
All Causes.
Principal
Zymotic
Diseases.
Small-pox.
Measles.
Scarlet
Fever.
Diphtheria.
Year.
No.
Rate.
No.
No.
Rate.
No.
No.
Rate.
No.
Rate.
No.
Rate.
No.
Rate.
No.
Rate.
Rate.
No.
Rate.
Rate.
Rate.
No.
.27
.42
22
.16
-
-
133
1.0
2719
20.8
14
.10
76
45
.34
-
-
382
56
1901
2.92
.58
36
.24
18
.14
29
.09
-
88
.68
1902
2756
21.2
396
3.06
31
154
1.19
.22
64
.49
-
-
12
-
103
18.4
.19
18
4
-
.80
1903
1.96
-
50
.39
25
.14
41
.32
.03
11
.09
2382
251
-
-
1.05
.13
68
16
189
1.46
1904
2593
20.1
3.44
-
-
136
18
.14
17
.53
-
-
.13
-
-
444
38
-
.07
145
1.13
1905
18.6
287
2.23
1
.01
59
.45
17
.13
18
.14
.29
-
9
-
-
2399
.73
.23
34
.27
4
.03
188
1.46
1906
2529
19.7
400
3.12
-
-
94
30
50
.39
-
-
-
-
.28
-
7
55
.43
1907
18.3
223
1.74
-
-
51
.40
36
22
.17
52
.41
-
.05
-
2338
-
.81
26
18
-
12
-
113
.87
1908
18.8
300
2.31
-
105
.20
26
.20
.14
-
.09
-
2444
-
17
.13
12
.09
1
.00
-
86
.68
1909
2387
18.8
368
2.89
-
196
1.54
54
.42
2
.01
-
-
14
.11
18
-
-
4
.03
87
.68
1910
2229
17.6
310
143
1.12
.14
44
.34
-
-
2.44
-
-
10
.92
25
23
.18
.38
-
199
.00
Average
for years
1901 to
1910
.19
49
0
.08
-
5
.04
106
.83
2478
19.3
2.61
336
.12
.05
-
226
1.80
352
2.79
15
48
.38
6
-
1911
2320
18.4
-
51
.41
6
.05
-
-
-
-
1.18
2570
172
.04
612
-
5313
London
1911
.00
-
.03
-
15.8
9858
.57
.014
1038
144
67826
2.18
9