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The above Table shows the infantile mortality rates and the birth-rates
in the five wards of the Borough. The births occurring in the Chelsea
Workhouse and in other maternity institutions have been distributed
amongst the various wards.
From Table XVII. (Local Government Board, Table IV.) it will be
seen that out of a total of 85 deaths of infants under one year of age in
1912, 32 or 37.6 per cent. occurred in the first four weeks of life, as
compared with 27.3 per cent. in 1911, and 38.3 per cent. in 1910.
Eighteen deaths occurred in the first week of life equal to 21.2 per cent.
of the total, the corresponding figure for 1911 being 14.4 per cent., and
for 1910 24.1 per cent. The majority of these deaths in the first month
of life are due to premature birth, congenital defects, and injury at birth.
For deaths under one month the rate of mortality in 1912 was 26
per 1,000 births, as against 31 in 1911, the average rate for the 7 years
1905-11 being 39.
Between the ages of 1 month and 12 months, 53 deaths, or 62.4 per
cent. of the total, were registered in 1912, as compared with 72.7 per cent.
in 1911, only 7 of these deaths being due to diarrhoea, as compared with
41 in 1911.
The principal causes of death amongst infants under one year in 1912
were:—Pneumonia, 16; premature birth, 13; bronchitis, 8; diarrhœa, 8;
whooping cough, 5; atelectasis, 5; congenital malformations, 5; and
wasting, 5.
Illegitimate Births.—The following Table shows, for each of the
years 1905—1912, the number of illegitimate births belonging to the
Borough, the number known to be alive at the end of each year, the
number known to be dead, and the number unaccounted for.