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36
Premature Birth was responsible for the death of 60 infants.
This number remains nearly stationary from year to year in
Finsbury. Most of the deaths occurred in the very poorest districts.
A quarter of the whole number were in the households of
labourers and carmen. Most of the parents were in poor circumstances.
Four of the children were illegitimate. Six of the deaths
were those of twins. The common causes of premature birth,
except where drugs have been taken for the purpose, are accidcnts,
excessive strain, syphilis, indulgence in alcohol, working
in lead, and deformities of the hips and adjacent bones.
Many of these causes are preventible and remediable, and it is
hoped that when their pernicious effects on pregnancy are more
generally recognised,- the number of deaths due to their action
may be reduced.
Marasmus and Inanition.—There were 50 deaths of infants
due to this cause. These are the children who waste, sometimes
even despite every attention. Sixteen died in the first month of
life, 20 during the next two months—so that 72 per cent, died in
the first three months of existence. Some of these deaths are
probably due to congenital weakness or defect, others possibly to
faults in feeding—a few to syphilis in one or both parents.
They are only in part preventible.
Tuberculosis.—There were 12 deaths due to the presence of
Tubercle—five to consumption of the lungs with a general and
widespread invasion of the body by the disease, whereas the other
7 were cases of tuberculous meningitis.
Convulsions caused 3 deaths. Convulsions are not a disease,
they constitute a symptom and are equivalent in the infant life
of what passes as "shivering fit" or a "chill" in the adult.
They may occur at the onset of any infectious disease, for
example, measles, during the progress of any disturbance of the
stomach or bowels, at the onset of pneumonia, or may be associated
with teething or pickets; but are not usually due to these
last two conditions acting alone.