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origin we are face to face with a real and serious increase of nearly
50 in bronchitis and pneumonia, most of which occurred towards the
end of the first year of life. They are both in great measure dependent
on the weather, and although their burden falls most on the
poor they take heavy toll from all classes. The weather, like that
of 1914, was only slightly favourable to diarrheal diseases, so that
there is little comparison of use to be drawn between the two years.
Syphilis was assigned as a cause in eight instances, instead of the
twelve of the previous year, but it is probable that the influence of
this disease may be rightly sought in some of the other causes.
There were the same number of deaths from overlaying, a cause
which may truly and accurately be described as preventable, in contradistinction
to some other diseases to which this adjective is so
loosely applied. This number, which exceeds 1 per cent., is a
sinister compliment to the intelligence of mothers, and it is to be
noted that it exerts its influence in other boroughs in spite of the
health visitor.
Premature birth has been a cause which during the past year
has received much attention, as being one which offers on the part of
Public Health authorities a fertile field for administrative action.It
is claimed that many of the deaths might have been prevented and
future trouble for the mother obviated had she been under medical
care during her pregnancy.
Whether any appreciable decrease is to be hoped for from this
cause if a system of ante-natal clinics were instituted is doubtful.
Those mothers who now go to their own doctors or midwives might
attend, but that it would reach the large careless class which prefers
to let things take their chance is doubtful, unless a complete system
of notification were set up and enforced by rigorous measures
directed against those who did not comply. This section also claims
those deaths from wasting diseases which are also among those
especially fixed on as calling for the efforts of the health visitor;
and it also embraces the fatal results of congenital defects which
even the most purblind crank can hardly consider as likely to
undergo any reduction as the result of municipal interference.
The deaths from premature birth were 9 less, and in those from
wasting, &c., there is a drop of 25. Had this Council yielded to
the pressure brought to bear on them, it is difficult to think that this
reduction would not have been hailed both as a convincing proof of
the necessity for the appointment of health visitors and its gratifying
result.
Of the 6,069 births that were registered, we received the information
called for by the Notification of Births Act in 5,368
instances; of these 1,586 were from doctors, 3,049 from midwives
and nurses, 492 from parents, 27 from other persons, and 195 from
other boroughs, while the authorities of King's College Hospital
forwarded us 19 notices of births attended by their Maternity
Department.
The deaths from the notifiable infectious diseases show an increase
except in the cases of diphtheria, scarlet fever, and erysipelas.