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 1906
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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33
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The diminutions in the numbers dying at different ages are set out below:—
| 1906. | Annual average. | Gain (—). | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901-05. | Loss ( + ). | |||||
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| Under one month | 54 | 46 | 72 | 57 | 18 | —11 |
| Aged 1-3 months | 39 | 30 | 52 | 35 | —13 | —5 |
| Under 3 months | 93 | 76 | 124 | 92 | —31 | —16 |
| Aged 3-6 „ | 52 | 41 | 47 | 39 | + 5 | 4-2 |
| 6-9 „ | 24 | 19 | 38 | 27 | —14 | —8 |
| 9-12 „ | 28 | 20 | 28 | 28 | ±0 | 8 |
In three individual age-groups only were the deaths recorded last year in excess of the average, viz.:—
| 1906. | Annual average. | Gain (—). | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901-05. | Loss ( + ). | |||||
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | |
| Aged 4-5 months | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | —1 | + 2 |
| 5-6 ,, | 17 | 11 | 12 | 9 | + 5 | + 2 |
| 9-10 „ | 15 | 10 | 10 | 10 | + 5 | +0 |
The causes of death scheduled in Table VI. fall into five groups, the increases or decreases in the numbers of deaths in each group are indicated below.—
| 1906. | Annual average. | Gain (—). | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901-05. | Loss ( + ). | ||||||
| M. | F. | M. | F. | M. | F. | ||
| I.—"Common Infectious Diseases" | 6 | 2 | 15 | 16 | —9 | —14 | |
| 11.—"Diarrhoea Diseases" | 64 | 60 | 53 | 40 | + 11 | + 20 | |
| III.—"Wasting Diseases" | 67 | 43 | 75 | 58 | —8 | —15 | |
| IV.—"Tubercular Diseases" | 8 | 6 | 11 | 9 | —3 | —3 | |
| V.—Other causes | 52 | 45 | 82 | 61 | —30 | —16 | |
It will be seen that the deaths from the "diarrhœal diseases" last year were in excess of
the average, the increase being equal to 33'3 per cent, of the a\erage (93). Such increa
prevalence is an unhappy characteristic of a fine warm summer. If the number of deaths
from the diarrhceal diseases had been equal to the average, the infantile mortality last year
would have been 98 per 1,000 births instead of 107 as recorded.
The causes of death in "Hall Park" and "Queen's Park," the insula having the highest
and lowest infantile mortality rates during the year, have been tabulated in Tables 26 and 27
on the same principles as Table \ I., Appendix, with the omission of causes of death
were not operative during the year. The main differences between the mortality in
districts are the relatively high numbers of deaths from "diarrhœal" and "respiratory
diseases," in "Hall Park."" The births in "Queen's Park" were almost exactly double the
number in " Hall Park," while the deaths from the " diarrhœal diseases " in the latter (12)
exceeded the number (10) in the former. Again there were 6 deaths from "respiratory
diseases ' in "Hall Park," against none in "Queen s Park.
The deaths from " suffocation " during the five years 1901-05 numbered 55, and included
50 of children overlaid in bed. On an average 10 deaths are caused each year from
"accident," a sheer waste of life which should not be tolerated. Separate cots for young
babies ought to be universally used. They can be provided at small cost, as those who
afford to purchase ordinary cots can get banana crates for a few pence. Such crates
admirable beds. It is to be feared that many of the "accidents" occur while the parents are
more or less overcome with drink. In this matter England is behind certain of th Continental