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
Kensington 1912
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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10
A comparison of the percentages shown in the Table suggests that the death-rate is distinctly
greater amongst the infants of mothers engaged in laundry work and other occupations, than it
is amongst the infants of married women whose work is confined to the performance of household
duties. These results are consistent with those obtained in former years.
They show that 93 per cent. were still being fed on the breast alone in their second or third week of life, but they cannot be used for the purpose of comparison with the records of the deaths of infants at every age after the 7th day.
| Particulars Recorded. | Cases in which Particulars were Recorded. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survivors. | Deaths. | |||
| Number. | Per Cent. | Per Cent. | Number. | |
| 174 | 14 | 18 | 25 | |
| Charing, house-work (out) | 45 | 4 | 7 | 10 |
| Other occupations | 43 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| No occupation | 976 | 79 | 71 | 102 |
| Totals | 1,238 | 100 | 100 | 142 |
| 42 | 8 | 22 | 23 | |
| Breast and cow's milk | 22 | 2 | 11 | 11 |
| Condensed milk alone | 12 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Other foods with milk | 16 | 1 | 11 | 12 |
| Total artificial | 92 | 7 | 46 | 48 |
| Breast alone | 1,161 | 93 | 54 | 56 |
| Totals | 1,253 | 100 | 100 | 104 |
| 227 | 19 | 20 | 28 | |
| 2 | 754 | 63 | 58 | 80 |
| 3 | 145 | 12 | 13 | 18 |
| 4 or more | 68 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Totals | 1,194 | 100 | 100 | 138 |
| Basement rooms only | 174 | 15 | 11 | 15 |