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 1922
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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The following table compares the total infantile mortality rate for the Borough in recent years with the illegitimate infantile mortality rate:-
| Total. | Legitimate. | Illegitimate. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Births | 3,152 | 2,945 | 207 |
| Infant Deaths | 257 | 229 | 28 |
| Infant Death Rate per 1,000 births | 82 | 78 | 135 |
Five infants found dead in regard to whom no particulars of parentage could be obtained'
have been classed as legitimate.
The following table compares the total infantile mortality rate for the Borough in recent year? with the illegitimate infantile mortality rate:—
| Year | Deaths of all children under 1 year of age per 1,000 births | Deaths of illegitimate children under 1 year of age per 1,000 illegitimate births |
|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 108 | 292 |
| 1911 | 135 | 302 |
| 1912 | 92 | 357 |
| 1913 | 111 | 344 |
| 1914 | 95 | 272 |
| 1915 | 119 | 346 |
| 1916 | 85 | 211 |
| 1917 | 130 | 408 |
| 1918 | 97 | 256 |
| 1919 | 102 | 180 |
| 1920 | 81 | 201 |
| 1921 | 110 | 217 |
| 1922 | 82 | 135 |
Although a good deal of the improvement in the infantile death rate is attributable to the
comparative freedom of Kensington from summer diarrhoea during the year, the considerable
decrease in the number of births and deaths of illegitimate children has had a very important effect
on the rate in question.
In 1922 there were 207 illegitimate births as against 308 in 1921, a decrease of over 30 per
cent., whereas the total number of births in the Borough showed a decrease of only 4 per cent. In
fact, the decrease in the total number of births in the year as compared with 1921 is almost
entirely accounted for by the decrease in the number of illegitimate births.
Such a result is indeed satisfactory, but what is still more pleasing, is the fact that the deaths
of illegitimate infants decreased from 67 in 1921 to 28 in 1922, a drop of 58 per cent.
It is scarcely necessary to comment upon the ante-natal and post-natal conditions associated
with illegitimate births. In the majority of cases the mothers work almost up to the time of
confinement and often resume work as quickly as possible afterwards. Owing to the mother
having to earn her living, the child does not generally receive adequate attention, unless it be in an
institution.
In many cases the child is not wanted.
In view of the disabilities imposed by society on unmarried mothers and their children, an
even higher death rate might have been expected.
For the purpose of allocating births and deaths, the Registrar-General regards the employer's
house as the permanent home address of a domestic servant, and as 16 of the 28 illegitimate babies
dying were born to single women of this class, it will be seen that the Registrar-General's ruling
results in the allocation to Kensington of a number of deaths of children whose mothers probably,
do not belong to the Borough.