London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Islington 1970
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Islington Borough]
This page requires JavaScript
ANALYSIS OF INFANT DEATHS - 1970
(Based on Registrar General's Returns)
| Primary Cause of Death | Under 1 day | Days | Weeks | Months | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 -2 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 4-5 | 5-6 | 6-7 | 1 - 2 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 1 - 2 | 2-3 | 3-4 | 4-5 | 5-6 | 6-7 | 7-8 | 8-9 | 9-10 | 10-11 | 11-12 | Totals | |||
| Enteritis and other diarrhoeal diseases | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Meningococcal infection | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| All other infective and parasitic diseases | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other diseases of nervous system and sense organs | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Pneumonia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bronchitis, emphysema | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other diseases of the respiratory system | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Intestinal obstruction and hernia . | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other diseases of the genitourinary system | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Congenital anomalies | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||
| Birth injury, difficult labour, and other anoxic and hypoxic conditions | 7 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Other causes of perinatal mortality | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Accidents: | Motor vehicle — Nil | - | |||||||||||||||||||||
| All other | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Totals | 20 | 6 | 4 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 7 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | - | 1 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 60 | |
Estimated Child Population
| Under 1 year | 1-4 | Total under 5 | 5- 14 | Total under 15 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Islington | 3,920 | 16,380 | 20,300 | 27,900 | 48,200 |
| Greater London | 113,450 | 468,350 | 581,800 | 1,602,400 |
COMMENTS ON VITAL STATISTICS
DEATHS OF INFANTS UNDER ONE YEAR
The infant mortality rate shows a substantial fall since 1969 and is below that for England and Wales.
While this is gratifying, too much should not be read into it as the absolute figures are low enough to allow
chance variations to play a significant role.
One third of all infant deaths occurred within the first twenty-four hours following birth. From one to
twelve months the greatest risk to infants was respiratory disease; of a total of twenty-four infant deaths in
the age group one to twelve months, thirteen were due to pneumonia, bronchitis and other diseases of the
respiratory system.
21