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6
Deaths.
During the year there were 1,442 deaths, against 1728 for
the previous year. This is a very satisfactory state of things
and reduces the death rate from 15.8 per 1,000 in the previous
year to 13.2 per 1.000 for 1912, thus placing Deptford for the
first time well among the light spots of greater London instead
of it being classed with those Boroughs which go to make up
darkest London.
Infantile Mortality.
It will always be a source of satisfaction to this department
that we have been able to reduce the infantile mortality from
143, which was the figure for 1911, to 89 per 1,000 for the
present year. Never before has the infantile mortality been
below 100, and the average for the previous 10 years was 129.
I cannot but help feeling that some of this improvement is due
to the favourable manner in which the Council has received and
acted on the recommendations of the Public Health Committee.
Every extended inquiry into the intricate subject of infant
mortality brings to light the fact that parents living apparently
under the same social and sanitary conditions, have varying
success in rearing their children, and that the personal factor
deserves a careful study. Poverty and riches, sanitary or
insanitary conditions, occupation or the want of it, high
birth-rate or low, all play their part in bringing these variations
about.
Tuberculosis.
A great increase in the duties of your Medical Officer will
be caused by the Tuberculosis Regulations 1912, referred to in
the text and which makes every form of Tuberculosis, whether
Pulmonary or otherwise, notifiable. It may be readily understood
that these regulations were not made law for the mere
pleasure of increasing the clerical work of this department, but