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21
SICKNESS.
The births of illegitimate children notified during the year numbered 65 and formed
2.3 per cent. of the total births notified, the corresponding figure for 1912 being 26. The
proportion of illegitimate births notified is strikingly lower than that observed among births
registered locally, viz., 5.5 per cent. The large number of notifications of illegitimate births
recorded above in Westbourne Ward is due to the presence of the Lying.in Wards.
There were 47 twin births notified last year, as compared with 54 in 1912, two of such births
occurring to unmarried women. In three of the births both children were still.born and one of
a third pair of twins. An analysis of the sex composition of the twin births, distinguishing the
children stillborn is given below:—
Total Births. Illegitimate Births.
Twin Births— M.M. M.F. F.F. M.M. M.F. F.F.
Both children living 14 16 13 — 2 —
One child dead — .1 — — — —
Both children dead 2 — — — — —
.The female still.bom.
Still.births.—The Notification of Births Act requires the birth of a child born dead after
twenty.eight weeks. gestation to be notified. Last year 65 still.births were so reported, 67 of
legitimate and 2 of illegitimate children, equal to 24 per cent. of the total births notified. In
1912 the percentage was 2.6, in 1911, 3.1 and 1910, 2.6.. Last year the percentage of still.births
among legitimate children was 24 per cent., and that among illegitimate, 3.1, the corresponding
proportions recorded in 1911 being 25 and 6.5 per cent. respectively. In the County of London
the still.births notified in 1913 were equal to 2 6 per cent. of all births notified, as compared with
2 4 in 1912, 2.3 in 1911 and 2.2 in 1910.
SICKNESS: Morbidity.
No changes were made during the year in the list of diseases to be certified under the
provisions of Section 55 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. In this section of the report
only those diseases which are of annual occurrence will be dealt with, the more rarely reported
diseases being reserved for special consideration at a later stage. It should be explained that
the figures now quoted relate to the cases certified, irrespective of errors of diagnosis, but
corrected for duplicate certification.
Table 17 contains the numbers of cases of the more common diseases reported in
1912 and 1913. In comparing the two years it has to be remembered that there were 53 weeks
in the latter year, as compared with 52 in the former. It is therefore desirable to pass at once
to the morbidity rates (per 1,000 persons of all ages, except the rates from puerperal fever and
ophthalmia neonatorum, which have been calculated on the numbers of births). It will be seen
that last year.s rates were higher than those recorded in 1912, except those from membranous
croup, erysipelas, puerperal fever, and ophthalmia neonatorum. The quinquennial averages from
membranous croup and enteric fever were higher than the rates recorded in 1913, the others lower.
Table 18 has been constructed from the numbers of cases reported in the Quarterly Reports
of the Registrar.General, such data being selected to secure uniformity in comparisons. The
table is drawn up in a form identical with that of Table 17. In quite a general way it may be
said that the rates from diphtheria and scarlet fever recorded last year were higher than those
recorded in 1912, and also higher than the five.yearly averages. On the other hand, the rates
from erysipelas and enteric fever were generally lower. The table permits of comparisons
between the rates recorded in the Borough and in the circumjacent districts, but inasmuch as
each disease has its own special sex.age incidence, the comparisons which the table allows
cannot be accepted unreservedly. Hitherto no standard morbidity rates have been suggested
by which the necessary adjustments for variations in the sex.age compositions of populations
. The question of the proportion of still.births is referred to under Health Visiting, and some results of
nquiries are given in Table 48.