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35
(1) TOTAL DEATHS.
Under 1 week.
1—2 Weeks.
2—3 Weeks.
3—4 Weeks.
Total under
1 Month.
1—2 Months.
2—3 Months.
3—4 Months.
4—5 Months.
5—6 Months.
6—7 Months.
7—8 Months.
8—9 Months.
9 —10 Months.
10—11 Months.
11—12 Months.
Total Deaths
under 1 Year.
During year 1904 166 45 51 32 294 119 88 56 53 48 49 51 50 45 37 37 927
,, 1905 154 34 27 32 247 96 90 50 38 64 41 23 37 36 38 27 787
,, 1906 1ll 28 45 21 205 87 72 63 54 43 47 41 38 42 25 37 754
Causes of Deaths of Infants.
Coming to the causes of deaths of infants we are on less secure ground
statistically, because it is often extremely difficult to diagnose the actual cause
of death in an infant, and because infants die less frequently from organic
disease than functional disturbance or decline. I shall, therefore, not attempt
to compare the causes of deaths or draw conclusions from them.
Conclusion.
The reason for the reduction of infant mortality in St. Pancras is, in my
opinion, due to an increase in breast-feeding. It is extremely difficult to
demonstrate this in figures, but inquiries indicate that maternal functions are
being better fulfilled, and the constantly re-iterated advice to thousands of
mothers to breast feed must be having this salutary effect.
John F. J. Sykes,
Medical Officer of Health.
REPORT OF THE WOMAN INSPECTOR.
Health Department,
Town Hall,
March 6th, 1907.
To the Medical Officer of Health.
Sir,
During the year 1906, the work done in connection with the efforts
to lessen the Infantile Mortality of St. Pancras, has continued on the same
lines as shewn at some length, in my report to you for the year 1905.
In addition, certain new departures have been made, and fresh schemes
adopted, with a view of not only diminishing the death-rate of Infants under
12 months, but also of improving the general health and condition of those
who survive.
All the various measures (e.g. Distribution of Advice cards; Personal visits
to Mothers; the referring of Mothers and Infants to Doctors, Hospitals,
Charitable agencies, etc., for Medical advice and nourishment), so strongly
urged by you, with the object of inducing and prolonging natural feeding,
and discouraging artificial feeding—all these means adopted, seem to be