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26
It is not usual for medical officers of health to set out a table such
as the above but certain features in it are so interesting that it has been
included in each report for the past few years. It clearly indicates the
danger of relying upon mortality rates without taking into account
other factors. Take Pall Mall and Regent wards—very similar in
residential characteristics. The Infant Mortality Rate in Pall Mall
would appear to indicate conditions disastrous to infant life, while
Regent has an infant mortality rate probably better than any in the
country. The explanation is that although there is a population of 2,872
in Pall Mall only 6 children were born during the whole year and one
of these died. In Regent with almost double the population 36 births
took place and again one died. The only measurable gauge lies in the
wards of large populations, Grosvenor, Victoria and St. John's. By
plotting an average of these respective rates, 30.3 ; 60.4 ; 62.8 a general
indication can be obtained of the survivorship of infants in the city.
The following table is inserted by courtesy of the Medical Officer of
Health, Poplar, by whom the figures were compiled.