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47
The comparison is carried still further, and the variations in
infant mortality in neighbouring sanitary areas, and within the
area of individual sanitary districts. Within the County of
Middlesex during the same period Acton had the highest
infantile mortality and Hornsey had the lowest, with 66.8 per 1,000
births. Although the analysis in the Local Government Board
Report is not carried farther, as far as this district is concerned,
vet it is interesting to note that the variations in the different
Wards of the district are almost as great as they are in the towns
within the same county or in the different towns throughout the
kingdom. In the period 1907-1910, the average infantile
mortality in the Xorth-East Ward was 74 per 1,000 births, and
in the South-West Ward it was 151.5.
As our comparison for the years 1911-1913 will be limited
to the 101 large towns with a population of over 50,000
inhabitants and the 29 Metropolitan Boroughs, it will be interesting
to note that the towns with the highest populations do not
necessarily have the greatest infantile mortality. For instance,
the group of towns with the highest infantile mortality includes
12 with a population under 50,000, 5 of these having a population
under 30,000.
The group of 25 towns having the lowest infantile mortality
includes only 12 towns with a population under 50,000. Of the
101 large tow ns w ith a population of over 50,000, in the years
1907-1910, 44 had a lower infantile mortality and 56 had a higher
one than Acton.
One remarkable fact emerges from a comparison of the
infantile mortality at different ages, and that is, Acton compares
very favourably during the earlier periods, but some influences
adverse to life operate more severely from the sixth to the twelfth
months. These influences really operate to some extent from the
third month, but are more marked after the sixth month.
In the first week after birth the average rate for the 241
urban areas was 24.3 per 1,000; ir. \cton it was 21.8. In the
first month after birth the average rate for the 241 urban areas
was 40.2, and in Acton it was 35-8, in the first three months the