London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Willesden 1952
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Willesden]
This page requires JavaScript
5
Sixty.two deaths occurred in 1952, three.quarters (46) in the first four weeks of life (neo.natal
period), most of them due to prematurity.
Causes of Infant Deaths in Willesden (based on Registrar General's figures)
| 1936-1939 | 1940-1945 | 1946-1951 | 1952 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | ||||||||||
| Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Deaths | Rate | Neonatal | 1-12 mths. | Total | Rate | |
| Respiratory | 106 | 914 | 140 | 9.59 | 82 | 4.37 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 3.45 |
| Diarrhoea and enteritis | 131 | 11.29 | 108 | 7.40 | 39 | 2.38 | 1 | — | 1 | 0.39 |
| Other infections | 34 | 2.93 | 40 | 2.73 | 18 | 0.96 | — | 4 | 4 | 1.53 |
| Congenital malformations | 83 | 716 | 89 | 6.10 | 83 | 4.42 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 4 21 |
| Premature births | 170 | 14.66 | 179 | 12.25 | 130 | 6.93 | 26 | — | 26 | 9.96 |
| Injury at birth | 21 | 1.81 | 33 | 2.26 | 47 | 2.55 | 8 | — | 8 | 3.06 |
| Other causes | 134 | 11.10 | 149 | 9.40 | 104 | 5.59 | — | 3 | 3 | 1.15 |
| All causes | 679 | 56.24 | 738 | 46.54 | 503 | 26.80 | 46 | 16 | 62 | 23.75 |
It is pleasing to note that gastro.enteritis was the cause of only one infant death during the year.
Nine deaths were due to respiratory infection and 4 to other infections.
| Neo-natal | 1-12 months | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Respiratory : | |||
| Ac. bronchitis and broncho.pneumonia | — | 2 | 2 |
| Broncho.pneumonia | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Broncho.pneumonia and whooping cough | — | 1 | 1 |
| Empyema | 1 | — | 1 |
| Other Infections : | |||
| Gastritis and broncho.pneumonia | — | 1 | 1 |
| Chicken pox and whooping cough and pneumonia | — | 1 | 1 |
| Meningococcal meningitis | — | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 4 | 9 | 13 |
Better nutrition and infant care have undoubtedly played an important part in the reduction of
infant mortality. Now that there are fewer deaths of infants aged 1—12 months, more attention will have
to be paid to the prevention of illness in this group.
Further research is required particularly into the cause of congenital malformations, which produced 7 deaths in the neo.natal period and 4 in the group aged 1—12 months.
| Congenital malformations | Neo.natal | 1.12 months | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Congenital heart | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Tracheo.oesophageal fistula | 2 | — | 2 |
| Spina bifida | 3 | — | 3 |
| Obstructive jaundice | — | 1 | 1 |
| Atresia of rectum | 1 | — | 1 |
| Congenital bronchiectasis | — | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 7 | 4 | 11 |
There were 3 deaths under 'other causes', all in the age group 1—12 months : 1 was due to cellulitis
and abscess formation, and 2 to asphyxia; in one the child's face was buried in a pillow, and in the other
death was caused by inhalation of vomit.
There are a greater number of deaths in first.born infants, and the rate is higher.
| Position of Child in family | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Unknown | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deaths | 24 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 62 |
An examination of the 24 deaths of first.born infants reveals that apart from birth injuries the
causes are similar to those in families with more children.