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89
[1909
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The most gratifying feature of the returns during the years 1907 and 1908
was the marked reduction in the infantile mortality, a reduction which was also
happily a feature in those of 1909, although, unhappily, it is still much greater
than it should be, if only that care and attention were bestowed on infants,
before and after birth, that their future well-being demands.
During the year 841 deaths occurred among infants during their first
year of life, and these were equal to a mortality rate of 103 in each 1000
born. This proportion is exactly the same as that of 1908, but 14 in every 1000
less than the rate for 1907, which was again 8 in every 1000 births
less than the rate of 1906. Nevertheless, when the returns are scrutinized, it is
found that there was not cause for equal satisfaction in all the districts of the
Borough, for in at least two of them there was an increased death-rate when
the mortality is compared with that of the preceding year. These districts
were Tufnell, in which the proportion of deaths per 1000 births rose from
81 to 107, and South-East Islington, in which it rose from 99 to 117. There was
also a very slight increase in the mortality-rate in Upper Holloway, from 74
to 77. These increases notwithstanding, it is good to note that there is
a decreased mortality in all the sub-districts when comparison is made with
the averages of the seven preceding years.
The local infantile mortality rate compares satisfactorily with the rate for
the whole country, in which it was 109, with that of the 70 Great Towns, in
which it was 118, and with that of the 143 Smaller Towns, in which it was 111
per 1000 births. It was also less than the rate experienced in the County of
London, which was 107; while in all the largest towns except. Bristol, there was
a higher mortality. In Birmingham the rate was 1.34, in Liverpool 144, in
Manchester 134, in Leeds 122, and in Sheffield 118.
In the metropolitan boroughs which border on Islington, with the exception
of Stoke Newington and Hackney, in which the rates were respectively
82 and 98 per 1000 births, the mortality was above that of this Borough, namely,
140 in Shoreditch, 108 in Finsbury, and 109 in St. Pancras, while in the neighbouring
Borough of Hornsey it was as low as 61.
England and Wales 109 per 1,000 births
Rural Districts 98 „ „
76 Great Towns 118 ,, „
143 Smaller Towns 111 „ „