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27
3.—Mortality Amongst Children under
5 Years of Age.
The decline in the number of deaths of infants under I year of
age is, again, remarkable, but that of children under 5 years of age is
even more remarkable. Both sets of figures for the year 1926 are the
lowest ever registered, or tabulated, in connection with either the
Borough or the old Parish, and the following details are, consequently,
worthy of permanent record : —
1.—Infantile Mortality (Deaths of In/ants under One Year of Age).
288 corrected deaths were registered during the year 1926 amongst
infants under one year of age, as compared with the following average
yearly numbers during the past quarter of a century (25 years),
arranged quinquennially and decennially :—
5 years, 1921-1925 (Borough) 4194
10 years, 1911-1920 (Borough) 619.7
10 years, 1901.1910 (Borough) 1020.1
Average for 25 years, 1901-1925 = 686.4.
The existing records, that are available, allow even a further comparison
(beyond a quarter of a century ago) to be made, viz., for the
decenniun 1891-1900, as follows:—10 years, 1891-1900 (Parish),
1,358.5
In other words, there has been during 1926 a drop of 58.1 per
cent., as compared with the actual yearly average figures during the
past 25 years, and a drop of 78.8 per cent., as compared with the
average figures for 1891.1900 (Parish).
Expressed in rates per 1,000 of the total births registered (uncorrected)
for the same quinquennial and decennial periods, the results are
as follows:— 1926, 38.4; 5 years, 1921.5 (Borough), 50.7; 10 years,
1911-1920 (Borough), 77.2; 10 years, 1901-1910 (Borough), 115.3
(average rate for the 25 years 1901-1925 = 81.0), and 10 years 1891.
1900 (Parish), 146.1, representing a drop of 53.1 per cent. in the rate
for 1926, as compared with the average rates for the past 25 years, and
a drop of 73.7 per cent. as compared with the average rate for
1891-1900 (Parish).
These figures (in regard to infantile mortality) can only adequately
be described as extraordinary, if not incredible, figures.
2.—Child Mortality {Deaths of Children between 1 and 5 Years of Age).
199 corrected deaths were registered during the year 1926 amongst
children between 1 and 5 years of age, as compared with the following
average yearly numbers during the past quarter of a century (25 years),
arranged quinquennially and decennially :—
5 years, 1921-1925 (Borough) 226.8
10 years, 1911-1920 (Borough) 338.9
10 years, 1901-1910 (Borough) 483.4
Average for 25 years, 1901-1925 = 349.7.