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
Battersea 1926
Report on the health of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea for the year 1926
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The number of infant deaths and the infant mortality in each quarter of the year was as follows : —
| Births registered. | Infant deaths. | Infant Mortality Rate. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First quarter | 725 | 48 | 66.2 |
| Second quarter | 799 | 34 | 42.6 |
| Third quarter | 750 | 38 | 50.6 |
| Fourth quarter | 695 | 63 | 90.6 |
During the first 9 months of the year the infant death-rate was
52.8. The unusually high mortality of the last quarter of the year
accounted for the increased rate for the whole year as compared
with 1925.
There were 81 deaths of infants during the first four weeks of
life (or 44.3 per cent. of the total infant deaths) as compared with
89 deaths (or 47.9 per cent.) in 1925 and an average percentage
for the quinquennium 1921-1925 of 42.1.
The main causes responsible for the increase in the infant
deaths were Diarrhoea and Enteritis and respiratory diseases.
Measles also accounted for some of these infant deaths. On the
other hand it is satisfactory to record that the deaths from developmental
diseases decreased from 88 to 72 as compared with 1925.
The next tables show the incidence of mortality from the chief
diseases of infancy in the first four weeks and during the four
trimesters :—
Table showing Deaths of Infants under 1 day, under 1 week and under 4 weeks from 1921 to 1926.
| Year. | Under 24 hrs. | 1 to 7 days. | 1 to4 weeks. | Total under 4 weeks. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | 38 | 21 | 49 | 108 |
| 1922 | 32 | 41 | 35 | 108 |
| 1923 | 33 | 21 | 23 | 77 |
| 1924 | 21 | 29 | 27 | 77 |
| 1925 | 25 | 29 | 35 | 89 |
| Total 1921-25 | 149 | 141 | 169 | 459 |
| Mean do. | 29.8 | 28.2 | 33.8 | 91.8 |
| 1926 | 20 | 38 | 23 | 81 |