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 London County Council]
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Infant mortality
Table (viii)—
Age at death | Rates per 1,000 live births | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Under 1 day | 1 to 6 days | 1 to 3 wks. | 1 to 11 mnths | Total under 1 yr. | Early neonatal | Neonatal | Total infant mortality | |
Legitimate Males Females | 240 174 | 153 84 | 64 41 | 234 170 | 691 469 | 14.1 9.7 | 16.4 11.2 | 24.8 17.6 |
414 | 237 | 105 | 404 | 1,160 | 12.0 | 13.9 | 21.3 | |
Illegitimate Males Females | 57 46 | 23 25 | 9 7 | 28 30 | 117 108 | 17.5 15.9 | 19.5 17.5 | 25.6 24.2 |
103 | 48 | 16 | 58 | 225 | 16.7 | 18.5 | 24 .9 | |
Total legitimate and illegitimate Males Females Both sexes | 297 220 | 176 109 | 73 48 | 262 200 | 808 577 | 14.6 10.6 | 16.9 12.1 | 24.9 18.6 |
517 | 285 | 121 | 462 | 1,385 | 12.6 | 14.5 | 21.8 | |
There was an increase in mortality in infants from bronchitis and pneumonia in 1963—a
consequence of the cold weather referred to earlier. The pattern of infant mortality over
the past decade is given in table (ix) below:
Table (ix)—
Cause of death | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whooping cough | 0.06 | 006 | 004 | 0.02 | — | 0.05 | 0.05 | — | 0.03 | 0.03 |
Tuberculosis | 0.08 | — | — | — | — | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.03 | — | — |
Measles | 0.02 | 0.10 | — | — | — | — | — | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.02 |
Bronchitis and pneumonia | 2.70 | 3.57 | 3.32 | 2.88 | 3.45 | 3.50 | 3.63 | 3.18 | 3.63 | 4.35 |
Gastro-enteritis | 0.43 | 0.48 | 0.35 | 0.42 | 0.31 | 0.27 | 0.16 | 0.30 | 0.37 | 0.44 |
Congenital malformations | 3.51 | 3.43 | 3.70 | 3.96 | 4. 51 | 4.75 | 4.32 | 3.94 | 3.68 | 4.11 |
Injury at birth | 2.34 | 2.59 | 2.64 | 2.98 | 2.27 | 2.46 | 2.55 | 2.81 | 2.45 | 2.44 |
Post.natal asphyxia and atelectasis | 4.06 | 4.32 | 3.66 | 4.17 | 4.08 | 3.59 | 3.63 | 3.61 | 3.63 | 3.17 |
Haemolytic disease | 0.55 | 0.58 | 0 61 | 0.51 | 0.44 | 0.51 | 0.54 | 0.37 | 0.34 | 0.47 |
Immaturity | 3.70 | 4.67 | 4.10 | 4.27 | 4.69 | 3.86 | 3.71 | 3.85 | 3.47 | 2.94 |
Convulsions | 0.02 | — | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Accidental mechanical suffocation | 0.12 | 0.06 | 0.21 | 0.23 | 0 13 | 0.16 | 009 | 0. 13 | 0.16 | 0.06 |
Other causes | 3.04 | 3.35 | 2.55 | 2.56 | 2.60 | 3.26 | 2.77 | 3.10 | 3.28 | 3.78 |
All causes | 21 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 |