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
Paddington 1904
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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47
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
of weekly returns of births registered. Useful as this information will prove to be, it is
feared that it will in many cases be too late. Six weeks may elapse between the child's
birth and registration, the latter not coming before the Department for another week. In
certain cases therefore upwards of two months will elapse before any advice can be offered.
Of the deaths from diarrhœa at ages under one year, 13 per cent, took place within the first
two months of life.
Mortality among Illegitimate Children.—Seventv-one (71) deaths of illegitimate children
were registered in the Borough, 7 of the deceased infants not belonging to the Parish. From
other parts of the Metropolis 5 other deaths were returned. Of the corrected total (69
deaths), 58 were infants under one year, 10 aged one to five years, and 1 aged over five years
The infantile mortality* among illegitimates was at the rate of 425 per 1,000 such births,† as
compared with rates of 295 in 1903, 208 in 1902, and 413 in 1901. An analysis, sex and age
sub-division, of last year's deaths is appended:—
Deaths of Illegitimate Children.
| Age at Death | St. Mary. | 1904. | North-West Paddington. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. John. | ||||||
| years. | M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. |
| 0— | 16 | 24 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| 1— | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | _ |
| 5— | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 1904 | 20 | 29 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
| 1903 | 10 | 14 | i | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 1902 | 19 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
The more important causes of death, and the occupations of the mothers are indicated below:— Causes of Death.
| 0— | 1— | 5— | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| Measles | 1 | — | 1 | — | _ | _ |
| Whooping Cough | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
| Diarrhoeal Diseases | 6 | 12 | 3 | 3 | — | _ |
| Syphilis | __ | 2 | _ | _ | — | |
| Tubercular Diseases | 1 | 1 | _ | _ | _ | _ |
| Premature Birth | 7 | 2 | _ | _ | _ | _ |
| Developmental Diseases | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| Convulsions | 1 | 1 | — | _ | _ | — |
| Heart Disease | _ | _ | 1 | _ | _ | _ |
| Respiratory Diseases | 4 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Overlaid in Bed | — | _ | _ | — | _ | _ |
| Accident and Violence | 1 | 1 | _ | _ | _ | _ |
| Other Causes | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | l |
| All Causes | 27 | 31 | 6 | 4 | 0 | l |
Inquests were held touching 6 deaths.
Occupations of Mothers.
| Domestic Service | 48 | Commercial Employments | 17 |
| "Servant" | 10 | Dressmaker | 6 |
| Cook | 10 | Laundress | 8 |
| General Servant | 14 | Waitress | 1 |
| Housemaid | 5 | Book-keeper | 1 |
| Kitchenmaid | 1 | Paper-sorter | 1 |
| Charwoman | 5 | ||
| Housekeeper | 2 | Occupation not known | 4 |
| Parlourmaid | 1 |
*These rates are based on the number of illegitimate births registered in the Borough. If the births in outlying
hospitals be taken into account the rates for the four years will be: 1904, 338; 1903, 221; 1902 213; and
1901, 352.
The mortalities among legitimate and illegitimate children, calculated on the numbers of each class whose
births were registered during the year, were—Males, 138 and 417; females, 103 and 409 ; and persons, 119 and 425.