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It will be noted that of the 26 children who died before they were
1 year old, only 6 were more than a month old. Of these 6, one, who was
boarded out in the District as having tubercular parents, died of tubercular
meningitis, one died of diarrhoea and 4 of pneumonia, thus emphasising
the necessity for preventing infection in young babies.
The relatively high number of deaths from respiratory infection
indicates that the prevention of the spread of colds and coughs, particularly
to young babies, is of the greatest importance.
The 20 babies dying in the first month corresponds with a neo-natal
mortality rate of 19 (i.e. deaths in the first month per 1,000 live births)
and this is the lowest but one recorded since 1936 when mention was first
made of this rate locally.
Reviewing these 20 deaths it will be noted that only 1 occurred
possibly owing to infection. The others were associated with birth and
probably reflect in large measure the ante-natal condition of the mother.
As such the neo-natal mortality rate should be considered in conjunction
with the still birth rate. Fortunately both rates have tended to drop
locally since the war.
It should be noted that all the 9 deaths in premature babies occurred
after the baby had been born in hospital, or in 1 case in a Nursing Home,
and before their discharge home. Six of the babies were premature twins.
This number suggests that 31 per cent, of the 29 babies notified as being
premature at birth died. While this fact is to be regretted and regarded
as a challenge to both the ante-natal and hospital services, it does not
reflect on the special arrangements made locally for the assistance of
mothers with premature babies which are referred to later in this Report.
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