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able. The continual decrease, unfortunately, is in the number of legitimate
children, who numbered 1,348 in 1917 ; in the pre-War year, 1913,
the figure was 2,057. Illegitimate births showed an increase from 176 to
196 in the same years.
Of the 1,315 births registered, notification was received of 1,020
(35 being of still-born children). Information was received from the
medical officers of other boroughs and of the County Council, of 378
Westminster infants born and notified elsewhere.
The birth-rate for England and Wales is down to 17.8 per 1,000
of population, showing a decrease of 3" 1 on the figures for 1916, a reduction,
as compared with the year preceding the War, of 14 per cent. The
London rate is estimated as 17' 5 per 1,000.
Death occurred in 160 instances in children under 1 year of age,
giving a rate of 103" 6 per 1,000 children born in the year, the average
of the five preceding years being 87. For legitimate children the rate
was 83 (average 77), for illegitimate 239 per 1,000 (average 188). Deaths
of illegitimate children have been high during the last three years, partly
due to the number of newly-born infants (10, 13 and 9) found in parks
and elsewhere, whose death was due to injury, accidental or intentional.
In the three divisions into which the City is divided under the
Maternity and Child Welfare Scheme, the figures (omitting the homeless)
were:—
Legitimate.
Illegitimate.
Total.
Pimlico—
Births 581 91 672
Deaths 42 17 59
Rate 72 186 87
Soho—
Births 368 51 419
Deaths 33 9 100
Rate 89 176 100
St. John and St. Margaret—-
Births 398 45 441
Deaths 37 12 49
Rate 92 266 110
The infantile death-rate for London was 103 per 1,000 births, 97 for
England. In Westminster there has been a steady increase in the
proportion of premature births, as a cause of death, and also in the
number of children born in an enfeebled condition, bronchitis and pneumonia
have caused an increase, but, on the other hand, there were fewer
deaths from stomach and bowel complaints. There is a rise in the
number of deaths attributed to syphilis.