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48
Tables 30 and 31 show the great excess of infant deaths among
illegitimate children and especially those in large towns.
One third of the total infant deaths (legitimate and illegitimate)
occur under one month of age, and more than 65 per cent. of these die
within the first week of life. It is therefore seen what an enormous
mortality there is in newly born infants.
London.
In Males 1 in every 6.6 legitimate births die under one year.
„ Females 1 „ 8.5 ,, „ „
„ Males 1 ,, 3.4 illegitimate „ ,,
,, Females 1 ,, 3.7 ,, ,,
Rural.
In Males 1 in every 8.0 legitimate births die under one year.
,, Females 1 „ 10.2 ,, ,, „
„ Males 1 „ 5.2 illegitimate „ ,,
„ Females 1 „ 6.0 „ ,, ,,
Southwark.
In Males and Females 1 in every 6.0 legitimate and illegitimate
births die under one year.
The table which Dr. Tatham has prepared of the causes of death of
infants during two periods, 1873-1877, and 1898-1902, is highly interesting
and instructive.
It will be seen that in the period taken the total infant deaths have
not materially diminished, yet under the individual heads considerable
changes have taken place. The deaths from the usual fevers, with the
exception of Measles, have declined. There has been an increase in
Pneumonia, which is coincident with an increase of that disease in the
general population. The most marked feature of the table is the large
increase in diarrhœal diseases (including gastro-enteritis and enteritis) in
premature birth and in congenital malformations. These latter two
diseases pointing to a falling off in the physical condition of mothers
The large increase of deaths under the head of Diarrhæa is far too large
to be materially explained away by any suggestion that many of the
deaths formerly returned as Convulsions and Atrophy are now and have
been for some time past certified as Diarrhæa.
Diarrhæa in infants is dependent on morbid causes, frequently the
consequence of inflammation brought about by the direct irritation of the
intestinal mucous membrane by improper feeding. The gross ignorance
that prevails among mothers, especially of the poorer classes, as to the