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
Barking 1931
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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The following table shows the infant mortality figure for Barking from 1891 to 1931:—
| Year. | Number of deaths under one year. | Infantile Mortality Rate per 1000 live births. | Year. | Number of deaths under one year. | Infantile Mortality Rate per 1000 live births. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
* Registrar-General's figures.
In comparing the figures from this table it should be remembered that many
people are agreed that it will be impossible to reduce the infant mortality rate to
less than 30 per 1,000 births, so that we should really use these figures comparatively
by taking away 30 from each one. The result in each case then more clearly indicates
the value of the work which has been done.
Thus in 1920 the infant mortality figure was 83, which, less 30, is 53, and in 1931
the figure was 64.4 which, less 30, is 34.4, which means to say that we have brought
down the possible reduction of infant mortality by 35 per cent.
It will be clearly understood that it is the final reduction of the last remaining
death it is possible to prevent which is going to be the most difficult.
Of the 61 deaths of infants under the age of one year, none was due to bronchopneumonia
following measles.