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
Erith 1943
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Erith]
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Infantile Mortality.
A.4.
35 infants died before reaching one year of age, giving an
infantile mortality rate of 42.57. The conparable figure for the
whole country is 49.
Analysis of the causes of death of this age group reveals the following figures
| Deaths from | No. |
|---|---|
| Prematurity and Debility | 17 |
| Bronchitis | 1 |
| Broncho Pneumonia | 5 |
| T.B. meningitis | 1 |
| Gastro Enteritis | 3 |
| Other Causes | |
| 35 |
I have included a table showing the infantile Mortality at 5 year intervals for the past 30 years and for 1943.
| Year | Srith | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 70.91 | 130 |
| 1915 | 7 3.17 | 91 |
| 1920 | 61.5 | 83 |
| 1925 | 56.48 | 75 |
| 1930 | 61.05 | 66 |
| 1935 | 40.0 | 59 |
| 1940 | 37.17 | 55 |
| 1943 | 42.57 | 49 |
Section B. . Maternity and Child. Welfare Services.
B. 1. It is pleasing to record that during 1943 four additional
child weekly clinic sessions wore inaugurated in the borough's
child welfare scheme. All districts of the.town participated
two of the sessions being adaed to the Bedonwell Clinic, the first
in January and the second in May, one session to the Picardy clinic
in February, and one session to the H???inault clinic in May. The
attendances at these new clinics have been most encouraing,
demonstrating that when these services are available the public
are not slow under certain conditions in taking advantage of such
facilities,
Following the receipt of circul. r 2713 from the Minister of
Health and in conjunction with the drive to immunise against
diphtheria as many children under 5 years of age as possible, an
additional health visitor was appointed in February of this year.
Another health visitor is to be appointed when available to implement
the instructions!in the Ministry's circular No. 2831 with regard
to the cleanliness of children under five years of age. These
two health visitors will also act as school nurses, infant life
protection visitors, will visit when necessary the Council's four
/day