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
Greenwich 1912
The annual report made to the Council of the Metropolitan Borough of Greenwich for the year 1912
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20
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The Infantile Mortality, measured by the deaths of children
under one year of age to the number of births registered, was 84
per 1,000 births, there having been a total of 200 such deaths
during the year, as compared with 300, 310 and 259, the figures
for the three preceding years. The number for the County of
London was 91 per 1,000 births, the average for the past five
years being 109 per 1,000 births. The average for the past five
years in Greenwich has been 112 per 1,000 births, from which it
will be seen that this year there have been 22 fewer deaths for
each 1,000 births. The greater portion of this decreased fatality
being due to the less number of deaths from Diarrhoea during
the summer months.
The following table gives the number and character of the
intimations respecting births in the Borough since the adoption
of the Notification of Births Act, 1907:—
NOTIFICATION OF BIRTHS ACT, 1907. Date of adoption—17th March, 1909.
| 1909. | 1910. | 1911. | 1912. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Number of Births notified in each year since adoption | 1,228 | 2,663 | 2,553 | 2,450 |
| (a) Attended by Midwives | 642 | 1,298 | 1,282 | 1,412 |
| (b) Attended by Doctors | 586 | 1,365 | 1,271 | 1,038 |
| Number of Still Births notified in each year | 16 | 51 | 24 | 71 |
| Number of Births registered in each year | 2,492 | 2,457 | 2,381 | 2,393 |
In order to assist in the prevention of cases of Diarrhœa
amongst young children during the summer months, a Temporary
Health Visitor was appointed, whose duty it was to visit under the
Notification of Births Act, and, as stated later on, in connection
with deaths from Diarrhoea, undoubtedly the effect of such visitation
was beneficial. The appointment, however, was not continued,
and arrangements have been made for the work to be carried out in