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22
Death Rates of Infants and Young Children.
Although the death rate of children under 5 years of age and the Infantile Mortality
rate have been falling for a number of years, there appears to have been little or no decrease
in the heavy death rate which occurs during the first month of life.
The following table gives the total number of deaths in the Borough at all ages, the
number of deaths under 5 years of age, under 1 year of age, and under 1 month for each
year during the past 12 years. The table also gives the percentage of deaths under 5 years
of age to the total deaths at all ages, and the percentage of deaths under 1 month to the total
deaths under 1 year for each year during the same period:—
Total Deaths Percentage Avera8e Deaths Deaths Percentage
Year. deaths at under 5 of total Percentage un(Jer x nnder of death| Percentage
all ages. yearsofage. deaths. 6 years year of age. 1 month, under 1 year. 6 years
1921 2778 495 17 360 135 38
1922 3107 618 20 337 117 35
1923 2585 408 16 272 129 47 37
1924 2848 515 18 18 303 96 32
1925 2745 434 16 280 95 34
1926 2680 409 15 274 98 36
The average Birth rate for years 1921-1926 was 19*6.
1927 2621 300 11 205 85 41
1928 2618 423 16 261 82 31
1929 3126 397 13 12 262 95 36
1930 2478 291 12 194 75 39 36
1931 2601 255 10 200 71 36
1932 2515 271 11 186 64 34
The average Birth rate for years 1927-1932 was 15.4.
It will be noted that during the past 6 years (1927-32) the deaths of children under
5 years of age have averaged 12 per cent, of the total deaths, but during the previous 6 years
(1921-6) the average was 18 per cent., a difference of 6 per cent. During the same periods
the average birth rate has fallen from 19.6 during 1921-26 to 15.4 during the years 1927-32,
a difference of 4.2. The decrease in the mortality rate of children under 5 years of age has
therefore more than compensated for the fall in the birth rate. These figures are also of
interest in relation to the system of Block grants which now replace the percentage grants
previously made in connection with Maternity and Child Welfare work. One factor in the
formula on which the amount of grant is based is the number of children in the area under
5 years of age. Although the number of such children in St. Pancras is decreasing, it is
obvious from the above table that the decrease is due to a falling birth rate and not to any
increase in the rate of mortality of the children concerned.
The table also shows that during the past 6 years (1927-32) the average percentage of
deaths under the age of one month to the total deaths under 1 year of age was 36, and
during the previous period of 6 years (1921-26) the percentage was 37, or practically the same.
It would have been anticipated that the amount of Ante-Natal work which has been carried
out during recent years would have had a favourable effect on this heavy mortality during
the first month of life, and further inquiry into this point appears to be necessary.