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41
[1909
These figures show that the Infantile Mortality in this Borough, if not
so good as in some places, was yet below that of the majority of the great towns
which contain a larger population than Islington, and was also below at least three
of the Boroughs which surround it. Islington, however, has its own dark spots.
These are Tufnell, Lower Holloway, Barnsbury, and South-East Islington, where
the infant mortality rates were respectively 107, 101, 111 and 117. Although
it must be stated that these rates were below the average of the past seven
years, they cannot be said to be good. In Table XXV. just given, it will be
seen that during the seven years prior to 1909, the infant mortality in lufnell
sub-district was 119 per 1,000 births; in Tollington 127; in Lower Holloway
149 ; in Barnsbury 132, and in South-East Islington 121.
In these days such rates, however satisfactory they may have been ten
years ago, are not to be lightly looked over, for they indicate a considerable
wastage of infant life, which we know now might be greatly reduced, and
which we in Islington have as yet done hardly anything to prevent.
In Table XXVI, which has been prepared to show the mortality from the
several causes, it will be noted that the deaths from premature birth and
congenital defects were equal last year to a rate of 21 per 1000 of the births;
that bronchitis and pneumonia are accountable for 18 per 1000; atrophy and
marasmus for nearly 15 per 1000, and diarrhoeal diseases for nearly 11 per
1000, and this, too, in an exceptionally favourable year for these diseases.