London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Croydon 1935
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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133
Among the 147 deaths, 93 occurred in boy babies and 54 in
girls. Of the births, 1,736 were males and 1,552 females. The
infantile mortality rate for the two sexes was, therefore:—Boys,
54; girls, 35.
The rate of infant mortality amongst illegitimate children
was 152 per 1,000. The rate in legitimate children was 40 per
1,000.
| I. Complications of Labour. | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4 | ||
| 11. Foetal States. | ||
| 1 | ||
| 1 | ||
| III. Prematurity | ||
| IV. Post-Natal Causes | ||
The rate of infantile mortality for England and Wales in 1935
was 57, and for the 121 large towns 62. The rate for Croydon is
therefore considerably lower than the average rate. An analysis
of Table VI. shows that, of the total infant deaths, 23.1%
occurred on the first day of life and 56.5% before the completion
of the first month, and it is probable that these deaths were due to
causes operating before birth except in so far as accidents of birth
(4) were concerned. If it was not for the persistently high rate
of this mortality the total infant mortality figure would be better
than it is,