View report page

58
Infantile Mortality.—During the years 1923 and 1924 we were
able to record the very low infant death rates of 32.9 and 42.2
respectively.
In 1925 the death rate rose again to 63.8 per one thousand
births.
This rate represents the deaths of 31 infants under the age of
twelve months. An analysis of these deaths again focusses attention
on the large number which die within a few days or hours of
birth. Fifteen deaths occurred within the first week of life and
ten of them died during the twenty four hours following birth,
including three sets of premature twins. In these cases death was
attributed to the following causes: —
Premature birth 9, convulsions 1, congenital heart disease 1,
suffocation 1, atelectasis 1, congenital malformation 1,
atrophy debility and marasmus 1.
Five of the above deaths occurred in the Maternity Home, and
enquiry into the remainder does not indicate any lack of care or
attention connected with child birth.
Of the remaining 16 deaths which occurred at later periods of
the first year of life 1 death was due to Measles and 2 to Whooping
Cough. In all 3 a Doctor was in attendance. The Measles case was
removed to the Beckenham Cottage Hospital and the District Nurses
attended the home under the Council's arrangement.
Two deaths were attributed to Influenza and 3 to Bronchitis and
Pneumonia.
One death followed operation for intussusception.
Still Births.—Three still births were notified during the year
as compared with 10 in 1924 and 15 in 1923.
Placenta Praevia was the cause of the still birth in one case
and in the remaining two the cause was unknown.
Notifiable Diseases.—No case of Ophthalmia Neonatorum,
Poliomyelitis, or Epidemic Diarrhœa was notified during the year.