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
Acton 1904
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Acton]
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23
Infantile Mortality.
There were 207 deaths registered of Infants under
one year of age, as against 1,450 births; the proportion
which the deaths under one year of age bear to 1,000
births is, therefore, 1427, as against 106.4 in the
preceding year.
The following table compares the death-rate of children under one year per 1,000 registered births, and the birth-rate for the preceding: 10 years:—
| Year. | Birth-rate per 1,000 | Deaths of Children under one year per 1,000 Registered Births. |
|---|---|---|
| 1894 | 30.2 | l60.6 |
| 1895 | 31.6 | 168.1 |
| 1896 | 30.3 | 168.9 |
| 1897 | 30.7 | 198.3 |
| 1898 | 30.5 | 181.9 |
| 1899 | 31.7 | 187.2 |
| 1900 | 28.1 | 168.5 |
| 1901 | 32.0 | 170.1 |
| 1902 | 27.8 | 149.8 |
| 1903 | 28.6 | 105.4 |
| 1904 | 27.69 | 142.7 |
Our Infant Mortality shows a decided tendency to
fall. The year 1903 must always be looked upon as
quite exceptional, as owing to the heavy rainfall we had
very little diarrhœa.
It was the zymotic diarrhœa that swelled the deathrate,
but other causes of our Infant Mortality were—
Premature Birth.—Twenty deaths of Infants
were registered as due to premature birth. This is due
to the fact that the mothers remain standing at the
washtub for hours together.
Overlying was responsible for seven deaths, in
every case due to ignorance and neglect; and it should