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Of the 102 deaths of infants under one year of age, 6 were illegitimate.
It will be seen from the above Table that the deaths under one year of age
per 1,000 corrected births were only 100 per 1,000, which is again the lowest
recorded infantile mortality in the Borough, the preceding year being 101 per 1,000.
Of the 102 deaths of infants during the year the Lady Sanitary Inspector
was able to obtain further details respecting 94. In some cases, especially in the
cases of illegitimate births, the mothers could not be found owing to changes of
address, or incorrect addresses having been given.
Of the 94 deaths respecting which further details were obtained, 28,
principally cases of premature birth, died before taking food; only 37 were breast
fed, 4 were partly, and 25 artificially fed. In 9 of these the mothers worked in
factory or workshop, 6 were engaged in charing or other work outside the home,
10 were engaged in home work (tailoring), and 5 were in domestic service. There
were only 9 deaths of infants from diarrhceal diseases, 6 being artificially fed.
Of the 102 deaths 45 were from prenatal causes and 52 from postnatal causes,
the remaining 5 being unascertained or doubtful.
The principal causes of death of these 102 children under one year of age
are given in Table V. of the Appendix.
PREVENTION OF INFANTILE MORTALITY.
(1) Care and Feeding of Infants.
In previous Annual Reports I have given details respecting visits and
inquiries made by the Lady Sanitary Inspector, with a view to improving the
health of infants and diminishing the infantile mortality in the Borough. If
thought desirable, instructions are given respecting the care and feeding of the
child and a leaflet left. Notices are also served for any sanitary defects found.
During the year 743 first visits were made. In 59 cases the mothers could
not be traced, most of these being Workhouse cases. In the remaining 684 cases,
11 children did not live long enough to take any food, 63 were partly or entirely
artificially fed, and 610 were breast fed at the time of the first visit, about
a fortnight after birth. A large number of revisits were made, particularly in
the cases of children who were not breast fed, and especially those who were
feeding on modified milk.
(2) Notification of Births Act, 1907,
The total number of births notified in the Borough during the registration
year 1910, was as follows:—