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24
in human existence and that is health. Health, however, is precisely
the last thing that appeals to an individual in health. The appeal in
this case is to his pocket. We need go no further to understand the
indignation of the healthy ratepayer against the extravagance of the
local authority in matters of health if we realise that the only thing
appreciable by the man in the street is a dividend expressed in coin of
the realm. The health department can show nothing of this sort; its
dividend is health, physical fitness, and the mental value that attaches
to a healthy population. The public health department's object is to
fight disease-producing conditions, but it is up against two mountains
of obstruction. One of these is self-interest; the other is colossal
ignorance.
Infantile Mortality.
Total deaths of Infants under one year, 309.
Average for previous
1914. 10 years.
Deptford Infantile death rate per
per 1000 births 99 122
England and Wales 105
97 Large Towns 114
145 Smaller Towns 104
County of London 104
Of the 1,598 deaths recorded during the year 309 were of infants
under one year of age.
During the past ten years the infantile death-rate has fallen from
149 to 99 per 1,000 births registered.
In a previous table will be seen the infantile mortality per 1,000
births for the past ten years.