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17
Deaths of Illegitimate Infants.
Of the 272 deaths of Infants under 1 year of age, 38 were illegitimate, equal to a deathrate
of 154 per thousand illegitimate births, as compared with a death-rate of 57 per 1000
legitimate births.
Economic Conditions.
Whilst there is, doubtless, a close connection between public health and such conditions as
bad housing, unemployment and consequent poverty, yet statistics seem to indicate that the
effects of these conditions have not been so deleterious as might have been anticipated.
During the year under review housing conditions in the Borough were very bad, and unemployment
was acute, yet, notwithstanding these factors, the death-rale was the lowest recorded. The
probable explanation is that the various relief measures (unemployment grant, relief by the
Guardians, etc.) were sufficient to obviate any actual want, and so long as the body is fairly
well nourished there is considerable natural resistance to disease, despite bad conditions of
environment.
The amount of out-relief granted during the past 7 years is indicated in the following
table (kindly supplied by Mr. Bernard Chapman, Clerk to the St. Pancras Guardians), which
gives for half-yearly periods the amount spent on out-door relief and the number chargeable in
this respect in the middle week of each half-year: —
Half-Year ending
Amount spent
in the half-year.
Numbers chargeable
in the middle week of the
half-year.
£
Michaelmas, 1917 3079 871
Lady day, 1918 3382 852
Michaelmas, 1918 3461 771
Lady day, 1919 3814 754
Michaelmas, 1919 4557 823
Lady day, 1920 6146 899
Michaelmas, 1920 8161 1079
Lady day, 1921 13081 1660
Michaelmas, 1921 21400 3529
Lady day, 1922 40081 6429
Michaelmas, 1922 34591 6325
Lady day, 1923 34193 6425
Michaelmas, 1923 28312 5489
Lady day, 1924 31690 5290
The table shews a considerable decrease in the numbers has taken place during the past
two half-yearly periods.
For purposes of comparison, the number of inmates of the House are given below, the
figures being: also supplied bv Mr. Chapman.
Date.
Numbers chargeable in
St. Pancras House.
July 1st, 1917 1074
January 1st, 1918 1058
July 1st, 1918 1027
January 1st, 1919 913
July 1st, 1919 877
January 1st, 1920 902
July 1st, 1920 908
January 1st, 1921 982
July 1st, 1921 974
January 1st, 1922 1069
July 1st, 1922 1099
January 1st, 1923 1122
July 1st, 1923 1045
January 1st, 1924 1173