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34
Ages at Death of Infants.
If we compare the ages at which infants under one year of age have been
dying during each of the last three years, some further interesting results
appear. The two tables below show the total number of deaths of infants,
not during the summer only, but during the whole of each of the years 1904,
1905, and 1906.
It will be seen in the first table that, dividing the ages at death into two sixmonthly
periods and comparing 1904 with 1906, there was an increase of about
1.5 per cent. of the total deaths in the latter year during the second half ot the
year and a corresponding decrease during the first half, showing that not only
is the total number of deaths diminishing, but also that those which take place
are occurring later than in the former year.
Dividing the ages at deaths into three-monthly periods, it will be further
seen that there was a diminution in 1906 of about 4.3 per cent. in the first
three-monthly period of age and an increase of about 4.4 per cent. in the second
trimestre of life.
Dividing the ages at death into monthly periods, as shown in the second
table below, and comparing 1906 with 1904, it will be seen that whereas in the
second month the diminution of mortality is about 2.3 per cent. of the total
deaths for the year, in the first month the diminution is about 4.5 per cent.
Dividing the first month into fortnightly periods and comparing 1906 with
1904, the proportionate mortality was about the same in the second half, but
in the first it diminished some 4⅓ per cent. calculated upon the total deaths
for the year.
Again, dividing the first fortnight into two weeks and making similar comparisons,
whereas there is a diminution of about 1 per cent. of deaths in the
second week, there is a diminution of about 2 par cent. in the first week of the
first year of life.
So that, in addition to a markedly reduced infantile mortality as a whole,
not only are fewer deaths of infants per 1,000 births taking place in
St. Pancras, but also those infants that die are dying at a later period. In
other words, infant life is being prolonged all along the line of age, and this
of course is most marked at the youngest age.
(1) TOTAL DEATHS.
0—3
Months.
3—6
Months.
0—6
Months.
6—9
y onths.
9—12
Months.
6—12
Months.
Total.
Year 1904 501 157 658 150 119 269 927
„ 1905 433 152 585 101 101 202 787
„ 1906 364 160 524 126 104 230 754