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1925
32
The infantile mortality is the highest in the district since 1918,
but it is probable that the increased mortality is due to transient
and temporary causes, and not to permanent ones.
Five dead babies were found in different parts of the district,
and probably did not belong to Acton residents.
Eight illegitimate babies died during the year, and this number
corresponds with an illegitimate infantile mortality of 210 per
1,000, compared with a legitimate rate of 71 per 1,000 births.
The number of children born out of wedlock last year was 38,
which corresponds to an illegitimate rate of 36 per 1,000 births.
Although the infantile mortality among illegitimate children has
diminished, there is still a sinister difference between the infant
death-rate for legitimate infants and that for illegitimate.
One of the main factors contributing to this undue mortality
is the fact that only a small proportion of illegitimate infants are
naturally fed, as generally an attempt is made to separate mother
and child as soon as possible, so that the former may return to
her work. Such children are usually put out to be " minded."
Occasionally in this district illegitimate children are adopted,
but the instances are few and far between. There is a popular
belief that there are a number of childless homes willing, even anxious
to adopt an infant of this class. Only when this theory is put
to the test is it found that such a child is unwanted. The National
Council for the Unmarried Mother and Her Child are doing good
work by trying to keep the mother and child together, with better
care of the mother both before and after the birth of the child.
There was also an increase in the deaths from Pneumonia,
probably due to the severe weather which was experienced in the
late autumn and early winter. The two other conditions which
caused most deaths were Diarrhoea and Ante-natal causes.
There were 10 deaths from Diarrhoea, 5 from Congenital
Debility, 5 from Congenital Malformation, 5 from Injury at Birth,
5 from Marasmus and 19 from Premature Birth.
Apart from the slight check of last year, there is nothing more
significant in our death returns than the steady reduction which
has taken place in the infantile mortality since the beginning of this