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30
From the following table it will be observed that deaths occuring
at 65 years and upwards during the current year accounted for
61.6% of the total, a striking contrast with the figure of 22.8% for the
year 1901. The contrast is even more striking when deaths in the
age group 0—5 years are considered. In 1901 the figure was 37.4%
and the comparable figure for 1950 was 5.2%. Other age groups
under 65 years show similar tendencies since the beginning of the
century.
Age Group
1901
1911
1921
1931
1950
Under 1 year of age 362 306 175 97 40
Between 1 and 5 years 187 158 80 39 8
Between 5 and 15 years 64 67 58 22 5
Between 15 and 25 years 66 60 67 65 17
Between 25 and 65 years 454 474 466 382 285
65 years and over 335 356 387 529 571
Totals 1,468 1,421 1,243 1,134 926
MATERNAL MORTALITY
There were no deaths from Puerperal Sepsis or other Maternal
causes during the year compared with one from puerperal sepsis for
the previous year. In 1948 there were 2 maternal deaths and in
1947 there were 4. The corresponding figures for 1946, 1945, 1944,
1943 and 1942 were 2, 2, 1,0 and 1 respectively.
The decline in deaths from puerperal sepsis in recent years is
considered in some circles to be the result of the introduction of
sulphonomide therapy but as confidential reports are still made to
the Ministry of Health in order to ascertain whether any maternal
death was due to a ' primary avoidable factor ' it is probable that
the effect of these reports has had an equal bearing on the
decrease.
INFANTILE MORTALITY
The Infantile Mortality Rate, measured by the deaths of children
under 1 year of age to the number of live births registered,
was 26.7 per thousand live births as compared with 24 for the previous
year. For the County of London the Rate was 26.3 and for
England and Wales 29.8 per 1,000 related live births.