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29
Of the 1,442 deaths recorded daring the year 258 were
of infants under one year of age.
During the past ten years the infantile death-rate has
fallen from 149 to 89 per 1,000 births registered.
In 1911 the infant death rate was 143.
It is very satisfactory to know that never before has the
infantile death rate been so low in Deptford, and it is to be
hoped that such a satisfactory state of things may continue to
exist with the aid of a merciful providence, and the help of
the parents.
It is correct to state that the lower rates of recent years
are to a considerable extent dependent upon meteorological
conditions.
The greater number of infant deaths is found to be in those
districts where the people are poor and ignorant and where the
three great factors in the production of infantile mortality, viz.,
improper feeding, uncleanliness and undue exposure prevail.
The alarming figures for previous years has brought home
to the Council the necessity for carrying out the long reiterated
advice of the Public Health Committee, urging the Council
to take steps to combat the sacrifice of infant life by means
of the personal ministrations of more Health Visitors, &c.
During the year the Council sanctioned the appointment of an
additional Health Visitor and Female Sanitary inspector. In
future years I feel certain that the Health Committee will look
back with pride and satisfaction on the fact that they have taken
an active part in the prevention of the painful sickness and
unnecessary deaths of those children whose parents were unable
through lack of knowledge to do the proper thing at the proper
time for them.
In a previous table will be seen the infantile mortality per
1,000 births for the past ten years.