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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 1907
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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MORTALITY OF CHILDHOOD
33
During the past three years—that is, since the Registrars have supplied particulars
relating to the registration of births—those returns have been checked week by week against
the death returns to ascertain the numbers of infants dying prior to the registration of their
births. In 1905, 87 such deaths were noted; in 1906, 89; and last year, 124. Doubtless
increased skill in making the search accounts for a large proportion of the increase noted last
year; but even now there is reason to believe that some deaths are not detected.
The period prescribed for the registration of births being limited (under ordinary circumstances)
to six weeks, the ages of the infants varied from a few minutes to 6 or 7 weeks.
(See Table 24). An analysis of the causes of death shows that 61 (nearly 50 per cent.) of
the deaths were attributed to "premature birth," and 25 others to congenital abnormalities
which rendered life impossible. In other words, just on 70 per cent. of all the infants whose
births were registered during the year were born not to live but to die. Indeed, one may say
that the survival of nearly all those 124 children was on eugenic, if not ethical grounds,
undesirable. If their survival could be secured by medical care it is highly probable that the
majority of them would have developed into hopelessly unfit individuals.
TABLE 24.
Children Dead at or before Registration of Birth.
1907.
| Ages at Death. | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Days. | Weeks. | Months. | All Ages. | |||||||||||||
| 0— | 1— | 2— | 3— | 4— | 5— | 6— | 0— | 1— | 2— | 3— | 0— | 1— | P. | M. | F. | |
| Measles | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Whooping Cough | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Diarrhœa | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | — |
| Enteritis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Premature Birth | 27 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 1 | — | 46 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 58 | 3 | 61 | 39 | 22 |
| Injury at Birth | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — |
| Debility* | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 4 | 18 | 11 | 7 |
| Malformation † | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 6 | 2 | 2 | — | 10 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 6 |
| Syphilis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | — | 2 |
| Erysipelas | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Convulsions | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Respiratory Diseases | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Overlaid | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — |
| Other causes | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Not certified | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — |
| Males | 18 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 40 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 67 | 12 | 79 | ||
| Females | 14 | 3 | 3 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 24 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 38 | 7 | 45 | ||
| Persons | 32 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 64 | 17 | 15 | 9 | 105 | 19 | 124 | ||
* Includes—"Debility at Birth," "Want of Breast Milk," "Atrophy and Debility."
† Includes—"Atelectasis," "Congenital Malformations."