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INFANT MORTALITY.
It has always been a source of pride to us that our infant
mortality rate is consistently year by year below the rate for
the country as a whole. It is of course much below the great
towns, among whom are to be found the areas which contribute
to raising the national rate, and it is in fact invariably below
the smaller towns, among whom are to be found the areas whose
rates are the most favourable and whose contribution is towards
a reduction of the national rate. To obtain the greatest possible
gratification out of these facts, we generally remind ourselves
and any others who may chance to read our annual report, that
a special significance is attached to the infant mortality rate.
That, in fact, a healthy environment for a baby indicates a high
standard of environmental hygiene of child care and of mothercraft.
Like the child and a favourite story, we never tire of
hearing this. We only hope our figures will never deny us the
opportunity.
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