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14
The death-rate of legitimate children gives a better guide to the
improvement which has taken place during the last 20 years than does
the combined rate. Climatic conditions doubtless have had some
influence, as, for example, the very hot summer in 1911, but to these
conditions may rather be attributed the fluctuations which occur from
year to year, while the steady fall in the. rate may be ascribed to the
greater attention given to child life, and to improved sanitary
conditions.
The illegitimate death-rate has always been much higher, and its
influence on the total rate is shown above. Many of the illegitimate
births and deaths (and a few of the legitimate) are not really Westminster
cases. Women come from the country to stay in rescue and other home3
for a few weeks before their confinement and afterwards conn return
to the Homes for a time, while others return home, having boarded
out the babies in Westminster or elsewhere. In other cases mothers
and babies come to Westminster from Homes in other districts.
The recent removal of several of these Homes from Westminster
will probably produce an improvement in this respect. Whether the
laxity of moral conduct be a result of the war, lapse of parental control or
other causes, from a public health point of view, it must be deplored
that 20 per cent. of the babies born die either from being born unhealthy
or want of subsequent care, as compared with the 6 per cent. of legitimately
born infants.