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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35
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The consideration of infantile mortality would not be complete without a reference to
the frequent occurrence of the registration of birth after or at the same time as the registration
of the child's death. During the past year this happened 89 times. The ages of the
deceased children ranged from a few hours to something under 2 months. Reference to
Table 28 will show that the bulk of such deaths were practically inevitable, some perhaps,
even desirable. On the other hand there can be little doubt that approximately a quarter of
such deaths were due to preventible causes, and that had registration been effected at an
earlier date something might have been done in that direction. The system inaugurated
by the Medical Officer of Health of the County whereby midwives, or some of them, report
to him each week the names and addresses of women attended by them, is a step in the right
direction, and will, it is hoped, be a prelude to the regular "notification" of births. The
returns received by the County Medical Officer of Health are distributed to the medical
officers of health of the Boroughs where the parturient women reside. It is thus possible to
get into communication with the mothers within a fortnight of the birth of the child.
TABLE 28.
Infants deceased at time of Registration of Birth.
| Days. | Weeks. | Month. | Totals | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0— | 1— | 9 | 3 | 4-- | 5 | 6— | 1 | 2 | 3— | 1 | p. | m. | f. | |
| Diarrhceal Dis. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 6 |
| Syphilis | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Premature Birth | 13 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 19 | 19 |
| Congenital Malforma | ||||||||||||||
| tions | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Injury at Birth | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Atrophy and Debility | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 13 | 6 |
| Respiratory Dis. | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| Accidents | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | - | 3 |
| Other causes | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 3 | - | 1 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Totals | 20 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 89 | 47 | 42 |
| Males | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 5 | - | 47 | - |
| Females | 9 | 8 | 2 | - | - | - | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | - | - | 42 | |
Infantile Diarrhcea.—There were in all 124 deaths at ages under one year from the
various diseases included under this designation, viz. 54 from "diarrhoea, dysentery," 59 from
kk epidemic (zymotic) enteritis," and 11 from "enteritis/'* 64 of the deceased being boys and
60 girls. In 1905 the deaths from these causes numbered 68, in 1904, 132, in 1903, 73,
in 1902, 70, and in 1901, 124. Last year's total was in excess of the average for the five
years 1901-05.
The deaths from "diarrhœa" constituted 35T per cent, of all deaths under one year of
age and were equal to a mortality of 37 per 1,000 births. The highest percentage of deaths
from this cause was recorded in Hyde Park Ward (50 per cent.), and the lowest in Lancaster
Gate, West, Ward (0). that of Westbourne Ward (26*0) being the next lowest.
(See Table 28a).
*These deaths included 4 (3 of boys and 1 of a girl) from "enteritis,"' and 7 (5 of boys and 2 of girls) from
gastro-enteritis." There were in addition, 2 deaths (one of each sex) from " gastritis."