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57
Infectious Disease.
Whooping cough accounted for 2 deaths as compared with
6 deaths in 1937. There were no deaths from measles.
Respiratory Diseases.
Diseases affecting the respiratory system are difficult to control
and an epidemic of measles or whooping cough may at any time
result in a high rate of infantile mortality because of the risk of
broncho-pneumonia, which is so fatal in infants.
Bronchitis and pneumonia accounted for 10 deaths last year
as compared with 18 in 1937.
Wasting Diseases.
The group of wasting diseases, such as prematurity, debility
and marasmus form a large proportion of the infantile deaths
throughout the country and appear to be almost unpreventable.
Prematurity, or marasmus, appeared on the death certificate
in 11 cases , in 8 of these it was the only cause stated for death, and
in the remaining cases combined with other conditions.
Gastro-enteritis as a cause of infant deaths has been declining
for some years with the advent of motor traffic and more knowledge
and care on the part of the mothers in cleanly methods of artificial
feeding ; it still, however, ranks high in the causes of mortality.
Twelve deaths from gastro-enteritis were recorded last year.
Summary.
Prematurity, respiratory diseases, enteritis and other infections
are still the heaviest contributing factors in the infant deaths recorded
in the Borough.
Premature infants require prolonged special attention which is
most conveniently given in special cots in hospitals. Further
provision for these cases is required. Happily, quadruplets and
quintuplets are very rare, but the recent cases noted in the press
shows clearly the success attending expert nursing in premature
babies. Many mothers book too late for their confinement, or
in some cases, especially the unmarried, make no provision at all.
Education of the mothers and a more humane attitude to unmarried
mothers by the general public would reduce much unnecessary
infantile mortality. Special attention should be given at hospitals
to infants possibly acutely ill ; observation beds for these cases
would probably prevent many deaths from bronchitis and
pneumonia. Many cases are sent in to hospital in a moribund
condition. The question of cross-infection in infants' wards is