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12
Inquiry into Maternal Deaths.
Confidential reports relating to maternal deaths occurring in
the Borough were submitted as in past years to the Ministry of
Health.
Infantile Mortality.
It is satisfactory to report that the number of deaths of
children under one year of age fell from 214 in 1934 to 191 in 1935.
These deaths expressed in relation to the registered live births
represent an infantile mortality rate of 60 per 1,000.
The causes of and ages at deaths of infants under one year of
age during 1935 are shown in the table appearing on page 14.
The infantile mortality rate is to some extent an index of the
efficiency of the Maternity and Child Welfare Service in the area,
and whilst there are fluctuations in the mortality rate year by
year, yet there can be little doubt that the remarkable decrease
which has taken place in the infantile mortality rate in the last
20 years is directly attributable to this important public health
service.
The deaths of illegitimate children under one year numbered
15 representing a mortality rate of 106 per 1,000 total births. For
comparative purposes the infantile deaths and death rates in the
Borough, London, and England and Wales for the past five years
are given in the following table: —
The Borough. London. England and Wales.
No. of No. of No. of
deaths of deaths of deaths of
children Infantile children Infantile children Infantile
Year. under 1 Mortality under 1 Mortality under 1 Mortality
year of Rate. year of Rate. year of Hate,
age. age. age.
1931 208 56 4,270 65 41,939 66
1932 234 65 4,143 66 39,933 65
1933 160 49 3,377 59 36,960 64
1934 214 67 3,832 67 35,017 59
1935 191 60 3,229 58 33,884 57
The highest number of deaths among infants under one year
were those relating to enteritis and premature birth which were
31 and 28 respectively.
The following table gives the Ward distribution of deaths.