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 1911
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
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51
mortality in childhood.
The figures suggest that there has not been much change in the amount of infantile mortality
due to ante-natal causes. Particulars as to causes of and ages at death during each of the last
five years—according to the selection proposed by Method A—are given in Table 32.
Of the 22 deaths included under this heading which were recorded last year as taking place
during the first day of life, 6 (3 of each sex) occurred within the first hour, 17 (11 males, 6 females)
within the first twelve hours, and 5 (1 male, 4 females) within the second. The 101 deaths
included those of four sets of twins, and with respect to 6 of the total deaths inquests were held.
Fourteen of the children were illegitimate, the proportion of such deaths to the total number being
13 8 per cent., the proportion of illegitimate to total births being 5 7 per cent.
The elimination of the 101 deaths (Method A) would reduce the infantile mortality to 96
per 1,000, and of the 116 deaths (Method B) to 91.
TABLE 32.
| Causes of Death. | Males. | Females. | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1907. | 1908. | 1909. | 1910. | 1911. | 1907. | 1908. | 1909. | 1910. | 1911. | ||
| Premature Birth | 39 | 23 | 25 | 28 | 20 | 22 | 16 | 23 | 19 | 12 | |
| Congenital Defects | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 2 | ||
| Atelectasis | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| Injury at Birth | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | - | 1 | 2 | 5 | ||
| Debility at Birth | 6 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 2 | - | 8 | |||
| Atrophy, Debility | 11 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Want of Breast Milk | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | |||
| Diarrhœal Diseases | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| Septic Diseases | 1 | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | |
| Venereal Diseases | - | 1 | 1 | 7 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Respiratory Diseases | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | |
| Meningitis, Convulsions | 6 | 4 | 3 | - | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | - | - | |
| Overlaid in Bed | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | |
| Other Causes | 3 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 4 | |
| Not Certified | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | |
| Ages at death— | 0— | 18 | 16 | 17 | 23 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 17 | 12 | 10 |
| 1— | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | |
| Days | 2— | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 3— | 3 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 2 | - | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | |
| 4— | 3 | 2 | 2 | - | 2 | 3 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | |
| 5— | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | |
| 6— | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | 3 | - | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |
| Weeks | 1— | 12 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 8 |
| 2— | 9 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | |
| Months | 3— | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 1—2 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5* | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 8 | |
* 2 other deaths aged 4—5 months.
Table VIII., Appendix A, contains an analysis of the deaths at ages under one year by
causes, sex and ages, in the form prescribed by the Local Government Board, to which have been
added the averages for the preceding quinquennium.