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68
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
While the birth rate for the district in 1924 was 22.3, the
infantile, mortality rate was 85.1, compared with 23.1 and 49.?
respectively in 1923. The number of deaths from diarrhoaji
diseases under two years of age per thousand births was 17.7
forming 41.6 per cent, of the zymotic death rate, which was 0.9.
The actual number of deaths from all causes under one year was
72, 23 being female and 49 male children. During the same
period the infantile mortality rate for England and Wales was
75, for the 105 Great Towns 80, for the 157 smaller towns 71,
while in London it was 69.
Special visits were made to all deaths up to 3 years of age
by health visitors.
The importance of breast feeding and the regular use of dried
milk, instruction in mothercraft, demonstrations in infant clothing,
etc., at the Centres, have been emphasised in the part which
they have played in the lessened infantile mortality rate which has
occurred since the beginning of the present century by nearly 10<>
per cent., although the great centres of industry still continue to
maintain a higher than the average rate.
MOUSING CONDITIONS.
The Table on the following page is an analysis of the conditions
under which births and death up to one year occurred during .he
year, the infantile death rates for the various wards of the district,
varying diiectly with overcrowding and housing conditions, being as
follows: Abbey 153.8, Gascoigne 64.5, Longbridge 72.7, Rippic
38.4, Westbury 52.9, Central 90.9.