London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
View report page
Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Croydon 1930
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
This page requires JavaScript
Number of deaths within the first month of life:—
| Year. | No. of Deaths. | No. of Births. | Rate. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | 101 | 3456 | 29/1000 live births. |
| 1925 | 68 | 3506 | 19 „ „ „ |
| 1926 | 80 | 3477 | 23 „ „ „ |
| 1927 | 83 | 3174 | 26 „ „ „ |
| 1928 | 66 | 3374 | 20 „ „ „ |
| 1929 | 88 | 3399 | 26 „ „ „ |
| 1930 | 82 | 3514 | 23 „ „ „ |
Among the 171 deaths, 93 occurred in boy babies and 78 in
girls. 1,774 were born males and 1,740 females. The infantile
mortality rate for the two sexes was, therefore: Boys, 53; girls,
45.
The rate of infant mortality amongst illegitimate children was
106 ner 1.000. The rate in legitimate children was 45 per 1,000.
The following table gives the causes of death during the first two months of life.
| I. | Complications of Labour- | |
| Cerebral Haemorrhage | 6 | |
| Trauma at Birth | 1 | |
| Sepsis of Umbilical Cord | 1 | |
| 8 | ||
| II. | Foetal States— | |
| Congenital Heart Malformation | 6 | |
| Other Congenital Deformities | 7 | |
| Atelectasis | 10 | |
| Congenital Debility and Marasmus | 13 | |
| Purpura Neonatorum | 1 | |
| Melæna | 1 | |
| Hepatogenous Jaundice | 1 | |
| 39 | ||
| III. | Prematurity | 39 |
| 39 | ||
| IV. | Post-Natal Causes | 15 |
| 15 | ||
| 101 | ||
The rate of infantile mortality for England and Wales in 1930
was 60, and for the 107 large towns 64. The rate for Croydon is
therefore considerably lower than the average rate. An analysis of
Table LXXX shows that of the total infant deaths, 20.5% occurred
on the first day of life and 48% before the completion of the first
month and it may reasonably be deducted that these deaths were
due to causes operating before birth except in so far as accidents of
birth (9) are concerned It is interesting to note this percentage
is very constant throughout England and Wales and does not vary
to any great degree with variations in districts.