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
Lewisham 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lewisham Borough]
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Deaths under 1 year of age
Table 3
| Cause of death | Sex | Under 1 day | 1_6 days | 1 week | 2 weeks | 3 weeks | Total under 4 wks_ | 1_2 mths_ | 3_5 mths_ | 6_8 mths_ | 9_11 mths_ | Total 1_11 mths_ | Total under 1 yr_ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflammatory diseases of central nervous system | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Pneumonia | M | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| F | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 4 | |
| Bronchitis | M | _ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| F | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | |
| Spina bifida and meningocele | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| F | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | |
| Other congenital malformations | M | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 3 |
| F | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | |
| Injury at birth | M | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
| F | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | 3 | |
| Postnatal asphyxia and atelectasis | M | 2 | 9 | _ | _ | _ | 11 | _ | _ | _ | _ | 11 | |
| F | _ | 1 | _ | _ | _ | 1 | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | 1 | |
| Pemphigus and sepsis of newborn | M | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ |
| F | _ | _ | _ | 1 | _ | 1 | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | 1 | |
| Haemolytic disease of newborn | M | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ |
| F | 1 | 1 | — | _ | _ | 2 | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | 2 | |
| Immaturity | M | 7 | _ | _ | _ | _ | 7 | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | 7 |
| F | 3 | 1 | _ | _ | 2 | 6 | _ | _ | _ | _ | _ | 6 | |
| TOTALS | M | 13 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 2 | 1 | _ | 3 | 6 | 34 |
| F | 7 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 2 | 1 | _ | _ | 3 | 27 | |
| GRAND TOTAL | 20 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 52 | 4 | 2 | _ | 3 | 9 | 61 |
There were no deaths in the following groups: tuberculosis (all
forms), syphilis, diphtheria, whooping-cough, meningococcal infection,
acute poliomyelitis, measles, diseases of ear and mastoid process,
influenza, gastritis and duodenitis, gastro-enteritis, convulsions,
accidents and lack of care of the newborn.
Nine infants (6 males and 3 females) thus died between the ages of
one month and one year compared with 19 in the previous year and 24
in the year before that. Six of the nine were from pneumonia or
bronchitis, and two were due to congenital malformations. On the other
hand there was an increase of 18 in the number of deaths under 4
weeks of age, spread over many groups.