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
Heston and Isleworth 1953
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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Prevention of accidents is the responsibility of every individual citizen. Care and attention in the home,
in the factory and on the roads by everyone is necessary if the tragic results of accidents are to be reduced.
Another feature of the above table is the large number of deaths due to accidental causes among
persons aged 65 years and over. Falls in their homes, in institutions and in the road, are all too frequent,
and all who have the care of old people should see that staircases are well lighted and fitted with handrails,
that stair and other carpets are firmly fixed, and that floors are not too highly polished.
Infant Mortality.—During 1953 there were 23 deaths of children under the age of 1 year. This
represents an infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births of 18.1. as compared with 26.8 for England and Wales.
The causes of infant deaths are shown in Table III.
In the following table, the change in the local infant mortality rate over 5 year periods from 1898 is shown:—
| No. of live births | No. of deaths under 1 year | Infant Mortality Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1898-1902 | 4,369 | 698 | 160 |
| 1903-1907 | 5,264 | 665 | 126 |
| 1908-1912 | 5,383 | 590 | 110 |
| 1913-1917 | 4,661 | 461 | 99 |
| 1918-1922 | 4,326 | 327 | 76 |
| 1923-1927 | 4,333 | 271 | 63 |
| 1928-1932 | 6,055 | 318 | 53 |
| 1933-1937 | 7,121 | 313 | 44 |
| 1938-1942 | 6,912 | 393 | 57 |
| 1943-1947 | 8,210 | 345 | 42 |
| 1948-1952 | 6,680 | 146 | 22 |
| 1953 | 1,268 | 23 | 18 |
It will be seen that the fall in the infant mortality rate has generally been steady and continuous. The following table shows the age distribution of infant deaths during the last five years:—
| Under 1 week | 1-4 weeks | 1-3 months | 3-12 months | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| 1950 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| 1951 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 1952 | 16 | 2 | 5 | — |
| 1953 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Total | 71 | 13 | 17 | 22 |
| % of Total | 57.7 | 10.6 | 13.8 | 17.9 |
Thus nearly 60 per cent. of these deaths occurred before the babies were one week old. The majority
of these deaths were due to prematurity, conditions associated with prematurity and congenital defects.
The search for the causes of prematurity and the best methods of treatment continues, and therein lies
the main hope of further appreciable reduction in the infant mortality rate.
Maternal Mortality.—The number of deaths due to causes associated with pregnancy and childbirth
was one. This gives a maternal mortality rate per 1,000 total (live and still) births of 0.8, as
compared with 0.8 for England and Wales. Maternal deaths are usually divided into those due to septic
infection and those due to diseases and other conditions associated with pregnancy and labour, and the
local trend of deaths from these two causes is shown below
Maternal deaths per 1,000 total (live and still) births.
| Sepsis | Other Causes | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930-34 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 4.4 |
| 1935-39 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 3.1 |
| 1940-44 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 1.9 |
| 1945-49 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.4 |
| 1950 | — | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| 1951 | - | - | - |
| 1952 | - | - | - |
| 1953 | - | 0.8 | 0.8 |
Here, as throughout the country, advances in the prevention and treatment of septic infections
be measured by the considerable reduction in deaths from septic abortion, puerperal fever, etc.
Fluctuations in the number of maternal deaths due to causes other than sepsis, serve to remind us of
the need for improving ante-natal and obstetric care.
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