London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1924
The annual report on the health of the Borough for the year1924
This page requires JavaScript
8
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
During the year 1924, there were 2,908 births and 219 deaths of children under the age of
twelve months in the Borough. These figures give an infantile mortality rate (deaths of infants
under 12 months to each 1,000 births) of 75.
The following table gives the births and the infantile deaths and death rates for the year 1924 in England and Wales, London, the Borough and the various Wards of the Borough.
| District. | No. of Births. | No. of Deaths of children under 1 year of age. | Infantile Mortality rate. |
|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | 730,286 | 54,557 | 75 |
| London | 87,162 | 6,163 | 69 |
| The Borough | 2,908 | 219 | 75 |
| North Kensington | 2,040 | 178 | 87 |
| South Kensington Wards. | 777 | 39 | 50 |
| St. Charles | 506 | 35 | 69 |
| Golborne | 673 | 67 | 99 |
| Norland | 557 | 55 | 98 |
| Pembridge | 304 | 21 | 69 |
| Holland | 207 | 12 | 57 |
| Earl's Court | 181 | 7 | 38 |
| Queen's Gate | 96 | 1 | 10 |
| Redcliffe | 196 | 14 | 71 |
| Brompton | 97 | 5 | 51 |
| Ward unknown | 91 | 2 | — |
In considering the above and subsequent tables it must be remembered that the deaths of
infants at any temporary address (institution or private house) to which the mother went for her
confinement, and deaths of infants in institutions to which they were transferred for treatment
from the place of birth, are allocated to the district of the usual residence of the mother.
The increase in the number of deaths from measles, bronchitis and pneumonia, which diseases
were prevalent during the very treacherous months of January, February and March, accounts for
the higher infant death rate in 1924 recorded throughout the country.
INFANTILE MORTALITY RATES, 1896.1924.
| Period. | England and Wales. | London. | Kenington. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1896-1900 | 156 | 162 | 176 |
| 1901-1905 | 138 | 139 | 144 |
| 1906-1910 | 117 | 114 | 120 |
| 1911-1915 | 109 | 110 | 110 |
| 1916 | 91 | 89 | 85 |
| 1917 | 96 | 104 | 130 |
| 1918 | 97 | 108 | 97 |
| 1919 | 89 | 85 | 102 |
| 1920 | 80 | 75 | 81 |
| 1921 | 83 | 80 | 110 |
| 1922 | 77 | 74 | 82 |
| 1923 | 69 | 60 | 70 |
| 1924 | 75 | 69 | 75 |
Whilst the infant death rates for 1924 in England and Wales, in London and in Kensington
are in each case a little higher than in 1923, the above table shows quite clearly that a steady
improvement has been taking place in recent years throughout the country and that the improvement
is more noticeable in Kensington than in England and Wales or London, with the result
that the Kensington rate is gradually comparing more and more favourably with the rates for
other districts.
The great improvement in the infant death rate of recent years is most encouraging, and it is
to be hoped that it will stimulate both voluntary and official workers to press forward with renewed
enthusiasm in a campaign which has been associated with such marked success.