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
Bromley 1923
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Bromley]
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10
Infant Deaths.
The infant deaths of 1923 numbered 35, and the death
rate per thousand infants born was 60.
This figure is more favourable than is that of the previous
year, and ranks as one of the lowest in the past 30
years.
I give the figures for the last 10 years for purpose of comparison
| 1923 | 60 |
| 1922 | 74 |
| 1921 | 60 |
| 1920 | 66 |
| 1919 | 71 |
| 1918 | 86 |
| 1917 | 79 |
| 1916 | 84 |
| I9I5 | 51 |
| 1914 | 616l |
It will be observed in study of these figures how very
considerable aire the fluctuations of infanit mortality.
These fluctuations are in the main dependent upon two
factors, the incidence of pre-natal conditions as a cause of
death and the incidence of respiratory morbidity.
In former years diarrhoea was very much in evidence
as a cause of death. Of recent years, no doubt in response
to improved mothercraft as a result of the welfare movement,
the diarrhoea factor has been inoperative, even in a
season phenomenally favourable ito its development, as was
the summer of 1921.