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The actual number of infantile deaths recorded during the
year was 22 (two less than last year) and these were attributed to
the following causes: —
Prematurity 9
Bronchopneumonia 2
Atelectasis 1
Atelectasis
(inhalation) 1
Congenital malformation 7
Ac. tracheo-bronchitis 1
Erythroblastosis 1
Of the above, 16 were male and 6 female; 8 died in St.
Alfege's Hospital, 3 in the Brook Hospital, 1 at home and 10 in
hospitals and institutions outside the Borough.
Neo-Natal Mortality.—Neo-natal mortality, i.e., infants dying
before attaining the age of one month, accounted for 17 deaths,
equivalent to 77.25% of all infant deaths and giving a Neo-natal
Mortality Rate of 13.56 per 1,000 live births. This compares
favourably with the figure of 15.6 returned for England and Wales.
Fifteen of these neo-natal deaths occurred within the first week of
birth, the main cause being Prematurity.
Perinatal Mortality.—The Perinatal Mortality Rate, calculated
from a total of 29 still births and deaths of infants under 1 week,
was 22.87 per 1,000 total births compared with 25.92 for the previous
year. The equivalent rate for England and Wales is 32.9.
Reproductive Wastage.—A sum total of 36 Stillbirths and
Infantile deaths gives a reproductive wastage rate of 29.18 per
1,000 total births, a decrease of 4.89 from the 1959 figure.
Bad housing, overcrowding, poor sanitation, low standards of
education, all tend to produce higher Infant Mortality Rates. It