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20
Middlesex County Asylum on 13th August, reported to have died of epilepsy;
this is the first uncertified death in my ten years of office here.
Inquests were held on 69 residents, or 10 per cent. of the total deaths
amongst residents registered in the district. This percentage compares
favourably with nearly 13 per cent, of 1913.
For inquests on infants see next section.
The ages at and causes of deaths are set out in detail in Table III.
Zymotic Death-rate. This rate is a statement of the number of
deaths from the seven principal zymotic diseases per thousand of the population.
These diseases are small-pox, enteric fever, measles, scarlet fever, whooping
cough and diphtheria at all ages, also diarrhoea (and enteritis) in children under
two years of age. There were 97 deaths from these diseases (excluding refugees)
during the year, and the zymotic death-rate is therefore 1.39 as compared with
1.48 for the previous year. This figure is 0.09 less than last year. The zymotic
death-rate for 1915 in London was 1.44.
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The Infantile mortality is a special death-rate, referring to the first ageperiod
(o to 1 year), and is expressed as the number of deaths that takes place
amongst children under one year of age per thousand births registered.
The number of such deaths occurring amongst Edmonton children and
registered within (or without) the district was 186, and the births registered
within (or without) the district, born of Edmonton mothers, numbered 1666
(Belgians excluded); therefore the infantile death-rate, based on these figures,
is 111.64 per thousand births. The lowest record is 74.55 in 1910. 21 of the
186 infantile deaths were those of illegitimate infants—that is 11.3 per cent, of the
infantile deaths; five inquests were held, two on newly-born babies abandoned
in a ditch and front garden. Inquests were also held on 15 of the other infants,
making a total of 20. There were 8 infantile Belgian deaths, one of them
illegitimate.
The Infantile Mortality Rate for the year in England and Wales was no;
in London, 112; in the 96 great towns (which include Edmonton), 117; and in
the 148 smaller towns, 114 per thousand births registered.
Table IV shows that 29-57 Per cent, of the infantile deaths occurred within
the first month of life, and that i6'I3 per cent, were due to what are termed
"wasting diseases," viz.: premature birth, atrophy, debility, congenital defects,
and marasmus. Last year the figures were over 39 and 31 per cent., so that the
comparison is quite favourable.
I must also notice that the premature births were only 18, compared with
32, 26 and 30 for 1914-13-12.