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
St Pancras 1933
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, Metropolitan Borough]
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23
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 on 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 period 1921-1932.
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:—
| Year. | Total deaths at all ages. | Deaths under 5 years of age. | Percentage of total deaths. | Average Percentage for the 6 years. | Deaths under 1 year of age. | Deaths under 1 month. | Percentage of deaths under 1 year. | Average Percentage for 6 years. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 2778 | 495 | 17 | 18 | 360 | 135 | 38 | 37 |
| 1922 | 3107 | 618 | 20 | 337 | 117 | 35 | ||
| 1923 | 2585 | 408 | 16 | 272 | 129 | 47 | ||
| 1924 | 2848 | 515 | 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 | 12 | 205 | 85 | 41 | 36 |
| 1928 | 2618 | 423 | 16 | 261 | 82 | 31 | ||
| 1929 | 3126 | 397 | 13 | 262 | 95 | 36 | ||
| 1930 | 2478 | 291 | 12 | 194 | 75 | 39 | ||
| 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 6 years, 1927-32, the deaths of children under
5 years of age 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 fell 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
therefore more than compensated 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 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.