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3
One asks oneself immediately the extent to which these
improvements in the social life of the country are reflected in
the health of the nation. Turning to Hampstead, we can quote
the birth rate, death rate, and the infantile death rate.
Birth rate Death Rate Deaths of Infants
per 1,000 per 1,000 under 1 year per
estimated estimated 1,000 live births
population population
1950 15.5 10.0 19
1951 14.5 11.5 27
1952 14.9 11.2 24
1953 14.5 11.8 16
1954 14.7 9.1 17
The death rate has shown a satisfactory reduction,
whilst the birth rate has been more or less unchanged during
the past 4 years. The figure one rightly wants is that relating
to sickness and this it is somewhat difficult to obtain. On
the other hand it is argued that the infantile mortality rate
is probably the best index of the health of a community, for
it depends on family Income, housing, and knowledge of parentcraft.
The figures for Hampstead indicate that the improvement
in the social conditions of the community are reflected in the
infantile mortality rate, for the services provided for
expectant and nursing mothers and children under 5 years have
remained more or less constant for the period under review.
The number of deaths of children under 1 year in 1953
was 23, and in 1954 was 24. The deaths of infants under 4 weeks
in 1953 was 20, in 1954 it was 16, a drop of four.
When notification of birth was first adopted in 1907
its necessity was argued on the grounds that 25 per cent. of the
children who died under the age of 1 year, died before they
reached the age of 4 weeks. At that time the only information
the Medical Officer of Health could obtain as to the births in
his district was as to the registration of birth, and this could
take place any time within the first 42 days of life, and was
incumbent upon the parent. In that 25 per cent. of the infantile
deaths occurred in the first 4 weeks of life this registration
came too late to enable the Medical Officer of Health to take
any practical steps in so far as 25 per cent. of such deaths were
concerned.
Let us look at the position today. The neo-natal
death rate, that is the children dying within 4 weeks of birth