London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Chelsea 1912
Annual report for 1912 of the Medical Officer of Health
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10
The very favourable conditions prevailing in the Borough Council's
Dwellings and in the other Industrial Dwellings in the Borough, as compared
with the tenement houses of the poorer streets, are well displayed
by the above table. The infantile mortality rate was very low in the
seven poor streets, having regard to the usually prevailing rate in this
particular area. Of 129 infants born, only 13 died within a year of birth.
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The following Table shows the chief causes of mortality of infants
under one year of age in Chelsea, the figures being based upon the eight
years 1905-1912.
Table X.—Proportion of Total Mortality of Infants under one year contributed by Various Diseases (average of 1905-12).
| Per cent. | Per cent. | |
|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria | 1 | |
| Measles | 3 | |
| Whooping Cough | 5 | 9 |
| 20 | 20 | |
| Premature Birth | 16 | |
| Congenital Defects | 6 | |
| Injury at Birth | 2 | |
| Debility and Wasting | 9 | |
| — | 33 | |
| Tubercle | 2 | |
| Syphilis | 3 | |
| Meningitis (not Tubercular) | 2 | |
| Convulsions | 4 | |
| Bronchitis and Pneumonia | 20 | |
| Overlaying | 2 | |
| Other Causes | 5 | |
| 38 | ||
| 100 | ||
From the above Table it will be seen that on an average Premature
Birth and Congenital Defects account for 22 per cent. of the total mortality
of infants under one year of age; Diarrhoœl Diseases account for 20 per
cent.; Bronchitis and Pneumonia for 20 per cent., and Debility and
Wasting for 9 per cent.
Table XI. shows the average mortality rates per 1,000 births for each
of the four classes of disease, set out in Table X., for each of the fouryearly
periods from 1901 to 1912.