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
City of Westminster 1908
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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19
the average of the previous tea years. The corrected rate was
100, the average of the years 1901-7 being 113. On deducting the
births and deaths of illegitimate children, it will be seen below that
the infant death-rate has fallen regularly from 125 to 97 per 1,000.
The London rate for 1908 was 113, the average being 143. The
infantile death-rate in England and Wales was 121, being a little
higher than 1907, but still a good deal below the average. Table V,
required by the Local Government Board, shows in detail the ages and
causes of death of children under 1 year of age.
It will be noted in the Table above that the decrease in infant
deaths was chiefly in the 2nd Quarter of the year, but deaths in the
3rd Quarter, although more than 1907, were less than the average.
27 deaths in 1908 were those of illegitimate infants. The deathrate
of such children is much higher than that of legitimate infants :—
Figures for both births and deaths of infants corrected, showing the true rate in each of the last seven years:—
| Legitimate. | Illegitimate. | Total Rate. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Births. | Deaths. | Rate per 1,000. | Births. | Deaths. | Rate per 1,000. | ||
| 1902 | 3,275 | 410 | 125 | 186 | 32 | 172 | 127 |
| 1903 | 3,035 | 345 | 113 | 150 | 25 | 166 | 116 |
| 1901 | 2,920 | 320 | 109 | 134 | 40 | 298 | 118 |
| 1905 | 2,971 | 305 | 102 | 149 | 24 | 161 | 105 |
| 1906 | 2,744 | 285 | 103 | 187 | 38 | 203 | 110 |
| 1907 | 2,764 | 269 | 97 | 163 | 34 | 208 | 103 |
| 1908 Seven years | 2,739 | 266 | 97 | 174 | 27 | 155 | 100 |
| 20,418 | 2,200 | 107 | 1,143 | 220 | 192 | 112 | |
The following table shows the number of deaths of infants, and their
relation to births in the last four years. It also shows the age periods
at which they died
Deaths per 1,000 born (corrected figures).
| Age at Death. | 1905. | 1906. | 1907. | 1908. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Rate. | No. | Rate. | No. | Rate. | No. | Rate. | |
| Under 1 week | 66 | 21.1 | 64 | 21.8 | 85 | 29.1 | 66 | 21.2 |
| 1 month | 131 | 41.9 | 120 | 41.0 | 126 | 43.1 | 105 | 38.3 |
| ,, 3 months | 195 | 62.5 | 195 | 66.6 | 182 | 62.3 | 166 | 60.5 |
| 3 to 6 months | 38 | 12.1 | 53 | 18.1 | 57 | 19.4 | 47 | 16.1 |
| 6 „ 9 „ | 52 | 16.6 | 46 | 15.8 | 30 | 10.3 | 50 | 17.1 |
| 9 „12 „ | 44 | 14.1 | 29 | 9.9 | 31 | 11.5 | 30 | 10.2 |
| Total in year | 329 | 105.4 | 323 | 110.4 | 303 | 103.5 | 293 | 100.5 |