Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, London, Borough of]
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The infantile mortality occurring during the whole year per 1,000 births is classified in the following table according to the quarter of the year in which the deaths took place, and the corresponding figures are given for each of the past 8 years:—
Infantile Mortality. | 1st Quarter. | 2nd Quarter | 3rd Quarter. | 4th Quarter. | Whole Year. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
130 | 96 | 175 | 139 | 135.7 | |
„ „ 1906 | 128 | 103 | 172 | 121 | 131.7 |
„ „ 1907 | 109 | 122 | 102 | 123 | 113.8 |
„ „ 1908 | 120 | 91 | 116 | 130 | 115.0 |
„ „ 1909 | 1l8 | 87 | 106 | 125 | 108.8 |
„ „ 1910 | 94 | 103 | 95 | 143 | 107.8 |
„ „ 1911 | 100 | 82 | 178 | 126 | 121.3 (112.1)* |
„ „ 1912 | 105 | 82 | 87 | 102 | 94.3 (88.0)* |
„ „ 1613 | 97 | 72 | 105 | 121 | 99.1 (92.8)* |
* The figures in backets are corrected for outward and inward transfers. This additional information was supplied by the Registrar-General for the first time for the year 1911. |
The table below shows the total infantile mortality and that from congenital, intestinal, pulmonary and certain zymotic causes, contrasted for a series of 8 years with certain meteorological records taken at Camden Square, N.W., indicating the severity of the summers as regards heat and dryness and the severity of the winters as regards coldness:—
Year. | Maximum monthly earth temperature taken at Camden Sq. at 4 ft. 0 in. depth. | Rainfall during the third quarter. Inches. | Lowest mean weekly temperature recorded during the year. | Rate of Infantile Mortality. | Deaths under one year of age. | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Injury at Birth, Atelectasis, Congenital Malformations, Premature Birth, Atrophy, Debility and Maramus. | Diarrhœa and Enteritis. | Bronchitis and Pneumonia. | Measles. | Whooping Cough. | |||||
1905 | 60.8 | 5.65 | 27.8 | 135.7 | 251 | 159 | 144 | 15 | 29 |
1906 | 60.7 | 2.98 | 25.9 | 131.1 | 199 | 189 | 136 | 24 | 28 |
1907 | 57.8 | 3.77 | 26.6 | 113.8 | 198 | 75 | 150 | 20 | 33 |
1908 | 59.8 | 8.15 | 26.5 | 115.0 | 221 | 94 | 129 | 11 | 31 |
1909 | 58.8 | 7.43 | 23.4 | 108.8 | 211 | 74 | 109 | 28 | 8 |
1910 | 58.2 | 6.08 | 28.4 | 107.8 | 213 | 52 | 106 | 42 | 40 |
1911 | 62.8 | 2.94 | 28.6 | 121.3 (112.1)* | 204 | 168 | 105 | 17 | 16 |
1912 | 58.4 | 5.64 | 237 | 94.3 ( 88.0)* | 75 | 32 | 70 | 13 | 21 |
1913 | 58.0 | 5.43 | 31.2 | 99.1 ( 92.8)* | 177 | †95 | 114 | 10 | 12 |
* The figures in brackets are corrected figures (see Note above). † The figures prior to 1913 are for "Diarrhœa and Dysentery.'' |
It will be seen that the rate of infantile mortality has tended to vary in
direct proportion to the 4 ft. 0 in. earth temperature, the temperature appearing
to exercise a greater influence than the amount of rainfall. The mortality