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14
The fact that the rate is so low, the lowest ever recorded, makes 1913, therefore,
a noteworthy year. It is further noteworthy in that it is the first year in which the
total number of deaths amongst infants has come definitely below 200. The manner
in which the decline in the number and the rate has taken place is graphically shown
in the chart facing page 12. The causes which have operated to bring about the
decline are discussed on this and succeeding pages.
One cause upon which it is customary to throw some of the responsibility for
infant deaths is the weather or rather the climatic conditions prevailing throughout
any one year. Usually it is found that if there has been much dry warm weather
during the summer and autumn a considerable number of infants contract and
succumb to the diarrhoeal diseases. In years characterized by such weather, the
infantile mortality rate is high. If the other extreme is touched and wet and cold
weather prevails respiratory diseases are coipmon and tend to keep the rate up, though
rarely so high as is the case if the weather is favourable to diarrhoea.
The year 1913 was one in which there was weather favourable both to the
respiratory diseases and to diarrhœa.
In the first half there was not enough warm weather to counteract the possibility
ot bronchitis and pneumonia amongst the infants, and in the summer and autumn not
enough cold to prevent the occurrence of diarrhœa.
If the total number of deaths and the infantile mortality rate be regarded,
however, neither respiratory nor diarrhœal diseases succeeded in getting a thorough
hold.
The conclusion that there must have been something keeping them in check is
therefore justified.
That something it is believed is to be found amongst the works done by the
Council and those who are co-operating with them, the St. Marylebone Health
Society chiefly.
The works carried out by the Council are partly in the direction of improving
sanitation generally, partly educational; the works of the others are almost entirely
educational.
Further reference will be made to each of these works under the heading
"Prevention of Infantile Mortality" and elsewhere in this report.
In the meantime the view is unhesitatingly expressed that the continued and
marked reduction in the infantile mortality rate that has been taking place in the
Borough for some years, and the low figure of 90 per 1000 in 1913 are the fruits of
the efforts of those who have been charged with the duty of safeguarding the public
health and those who have assisted them. The results in years favourable from the
weather point of view have been good because the efforts put forth on behalf of the
infants have helped them and the figures in unfavourable years are lower than they
would have been if the work had not been done.