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
Greenwich 1964
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Greenwich Borough]
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The following table shows the comparative Infantile Mortality Rates for the year 1901 and the quinquennial periods since 1931, together with the Rate for 1964:—
| District | Year 1901 | Average for Quinquennial Periods | Year 1964 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 to 1935 | 1936 to 1940 | 1941 to 1945 | 1946 to 1950 | 1951 to 1955 | 1956 to 1960 | |||
| Greenwich | 75 | 50 | 40 | 27 | 18.4 | 18.89 | ||
| London | 63 | 56 | 60 | 33 | 23.8 | 21.9 | ||
| England and Wales | 62 | 55 | 50 | 36 | 26.9 | 22.7 | ||
The actual number of infantile deaths recorded during the year was 28 (8 more than last year) and these were attributed to the following causes:—
| Prematurity | 10 | Congenital Heart Disease | 1 |
| Bronchopneumonia | 6 | Congenital Malformation | 1 |
| Cerebral Haemorrhage | 3 | Hyaline Membrane | 1 |
| Respiratory Distress | 2 | Afibrinogenaemia | 1 |
| Foetal Asphyxia | 1 | Haemolytic Disease of Newborn | 1 |
| Acute Viral Pneumonitis | 1 |
Of the above, 17 were male and 11 female; 6 died in St. Alfege's
Hospital, 2 in the Miller Hospital, 2 in the Brook Hospital, 2 at
home and 16 in hospitals and institutions outside the Borough.
A table showing the causes of and ages at death is included
in the Appendix to the Report.
Neo-Natal Mortality —Neo-natal mortality, i.e., infants dying
before attaining the age of one month, accounted for 23 deaths
equivalent to 82.1 per cent of all infant deaths and giving a Neonatal
Mortality Rate of 15.78 per 1,000 live births. This rate is
an increase of 8.60 over that of the previous year and is 1.98 higher
than the figure of 13.8 returned for England and Wales.
Early Neo-Natal Mortality.—Twenty neo-natal deaths which
occurred within the first week of birth gave an early neo-natal
mortality rate of 13.66 per 1,000 live births (which is more than
twice the rate for 1963), the causes being:—
Prematurity 9 Congenital Heart Disease 1
Cerebral Haemorrhage 3 Congenital Malformation 1
Respiratory Distress 2 Hyaline Membrane 1
Foetal Asphyxia 1 Haemolytic Disease of
Bronchopneumonia 1 Newborn 1