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

Poplar 1900

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Bromley, South District comprising the parishes of All Saints Poplar and Bromley Saint Leonard]

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7
INFANTILE MORTALITY.

Table: The death rates of children, under one year per 1000births for the past seven years being:—

The death rates of children, under one year per 1000births for the past seven years being:—

1894.1895.1896.1897.1898.18991900.
Poplar152190177172172183. 182
Bromley152184168164198174179

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The problem of combating and limiting to some extent the excessive
mortality of infants under one year of age could be solved
by the Municipal Sterilisation of Milk as is done at St. Helen's,
Lancashire.
Philanthropic societies for the sale of sterilised humanised milk
exist at Fécamp, a small seaside town in Normandy, likewise at
Havre.
Considerable benefit as regards the saving of infant life has been
obtained at St. Helen's. The medical practitioners in the district
have co-operated, and recommended the use of the sterilised milk to
their patients.
At St. Helen's it is stated that during the very hot weather of 1899,
when Diarrhoea was so prevalent throughout the whole country, many
cases were brought to the depot in the last stage of the disease. In
more than one instance the milk seemed to work like magic, and the
recoveries were most remarkable.
If it were possible to establish creches throughout the district
where children could be looked after and fed upon sterilised milk
when their mothers are at work, no doubt infant mortality would
also be lessened.