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MORTALITY IN CHILDHOOD. 63
Mortality in Special Areas.-The mortality rates in the "Special Areas" recorded in 1912
arc given in Table 39 (page 05). Last year's rates were in excess of those recorded in 1911-and
the annual averages-in "Hall Park," "Clarendon Street," and "Queen's Park" (the Estate).
The reductions noted in "Amberley Road" and "Alfred Road" were considerable-23 and
24 per cent. respectively below the annual averages.
The changes in the Ward rates of infantile mortality produced by excluding the rates
observed in the "Special Areas" is shown in the appended statement. (See below.) It is rather
remarkable that the mortality in the "Rest of Ward" in Queen's Park Ward should be so much
lower than that on "the Estate." The " Rest" is, generally speaking, much below the "Estate"
in the standard of general sanitation. The mortality in the "Special Areas" included in
Church Ward plays an important part in raising the total mortality of the Ward.

Reference to Table 39 will show which Areas are included in the different Wards.
In Table 40 the combined mortality rates recorded in the six "Areas" from selected diseases
are compared with those in the remainder of the Borough. The figures present two or three
peculiarities. The low rate from whooping cough (101) in the "Combined Areas" as compared
with one of 4.94 in the "Rest of Borough" suggests that some deaths in the "Combined Areas"
from that disease were registered as due to other causes. Such view receives some support from
the rates due to the respiratory diseases (24.21 in the "Combined Areas, 15.81 in the "Rest of
Borough"). On the other hand, it should be stated that inquiries as to the presence of
measles or whooping cough were made in connection with almost all deaths of young children
certified as due to bronchitis, broncho-pneumonia, or pneumonia.
The mortality from the "diarrhœal diseases" in the "Combined Areas" (25.22) was nearly
four times as great as that in the " Rest of Borough." There was also a very great difference in
the rates from the tuberculous diseases-more than 3 to 1.
Among the deaths arising from premature births and developmental diseases, the only cause
giving rise to a notably higher mortality in the "Combined Areas" was "atrophy and debility"
(rate 4 03; "Rest of Borough" 2 96). The total mortality from these causes (premature birth
and developmental diseases) was 3529 in the " Combined Areas" and 4098 in " Rest of Borough."
The mortalities in the "Combined Areas" from convulsions (6.65) and suffocation, overlaid in
bed (5.04), were much in excess of the rates recorded in the " Rest of Borough."
It is noteworthy that the mortality from all causes at ages under one month in the "Combined
Areas" (36.32) was below that of the "Rest of Borough" (38.04). At ages 3.6 and 6.9 months
the "Area" rates were more than double those recorded in the "Rest." The opinion has been
expressed before that the children in the "Areas" are not, on the whole, born less healthy than
in the "Rest of Borough," but that they are the victims of their environment, and hence fail to
survive the first year of life to the same extent as do the children in the other parts of the
Borough. It is highly probable that maternal ignorance and habits are the most important
factors of environment. It is thought that the figures here adduced support those views.
Health Visiting.-The staff of Women Inspectors had very little time for the visiting of
new.born infants, and only 332 infants were visited by them during the year for the special
purpose of tendering advice and help to the mothers in the management of their infants. Much
work was, doubtless, accomplished in that direction when visiting homes for other purposes, but
no records of such work were kept. The recorded visits were much too late after the births of
the children, a fact which accounts for the proportion reported to be breast.fed being so low as