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113
general increase in weight, and the cause of death in the 10 cases
which ended fatally.
First as to increase in weight. The importance of the weight
of an infant as a criterion of its health and progress is well known.
Indeed, the weight is often the only criterion as to whether the
infant is improving in health or not. At birth the average weight
is about 7 lbs. ; at three months it may be about 9 to 11 lbs. ; at
six months about 13 to 15 lbs. ; at nine months about 16 to 17 lbs.;
and at 12 months 19 to 20 lbs. Dufour's standard has been used
in the Finsbury Depot, as in French Depots. It is well known
that the standard rise in weight in the early months of life is
greater than subseauently, but roughly it may be said that
throughout the 12 months of infancy the average increase is one
pound a month (12 lbs. + 7 lbs. at birth = 19 lbs.). We have
taken that as a standard, with the following result
Out of 118 infant", 74 have attended more than one month
and of these 60 (or 81 per cent.) have gained more than halfa-pound
each per month and on an average 16½ ozs. per month ;
the remaining 14 (or 19 per cent.) have gained less than
half-a-pound per month.
Of the 14 infants who, though taking the milk for at least a
month, did not gain even average standard weight and therefore
did not prove satisfactory, three died, five were fed irregularly and
not in accordance with the instructions, and six were suffering from
disease during the period they were on the Depot.
Secondly as to the deaths. There were 10 cases of death out of the
118 infants (5 from epidemic diarrhoea). Three of these were
children brought to us in a dying condition, and at special and
urgent request were given a little of the milk for a few days
before the fatal issue. Ten cases of death yield an infant
death rate per 1,000 births of 84.7, but if these 3 exceptional
cases be excluded the death rate is 57 5 per 1,000 births.
° In 1904 the infant mortality rate for Finsbury was 168.5 and for
London 146.1. I do not suggest a comparison, as the Depot figures are
small.