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The rate of infantile mortality has probably never been so low
before, as it was in Chelsea in 1905, the average of the 8 years, 1897—
1904, being 150 per 1,000 in Chelsea, and 153 per 1000 in London
generally. The Table also shows that whilst the reduction in 1905 in
London as a whole was 8 per cent, for deaths under one year, and 11
per cent, for deaths between 1 and 5 years; in Chelsea it was as much
as 20 per cent, and 42 per cent, respectively.
It is curious that this remarkable reduction in child mortality
coincides with the adoption of the system of supplying this office with
all records of births in the Borough, which commenced January 1st,
1905, so that the Lady Sanitary Inspector, Miss Richardson, is now
enabled to visit the homes of mothers of the working classes, and thus
give advice and distribute leaflets on infant rearing and management.
I understand that lady visitors in connection with St. George's Hospital
are also working amongst the poor in Chelsea, visiting the Hospital's
out-door maternity cases, and there are probably other district visitors
who pay attention to this subject. I have no doubt that the work
of these ladies has contributed to the excellent result that has been
attained in the reduction of child mortality in the Borough. How great
a proportion of the infantile mortality amongst the lower wage-earning
classes is preventible, is apparent on comparing the rates amongst the
occupants of industrial dwellings and of certain streets inhabited by the
poorer classes (see ante). That some knowledge of infant management
on hygienic principles will eventually be attained by working class
mothers cannot be doubted; and, when this knowledge is more universally
applied, it will no longer be the usual thing for one-fifth of the
children born of such parents to die in their first year.
From Table XV. (Local Government Board Tables) it will be seen
that out of the total of 184 deaths of infants under one year of age,
in Chelsea, in 1905, 70, or 38 per cent., occurred in the first four
weeks of life, and 43, or 23 per cent., in the first week of life. The
majority of these deaths in the first month of life appear to be due
to developmental defects and want of vitality on the part of the infant.
For instance, the deaths of 32 infants are ascribed to premature
birth, 6 to atrophy, debility, and marasmus (wasting), 5 to congenital
defects of important organs, 4 to inability to suckle, and 5 to
convulsions. Such causes of death point rather to weakness of stock,