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 1959
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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DETAILS OF INFANT MORTALITY
The following table gives the cause of death during the first month of life (Neo-natal mortality):-
| (l) Complications of Labour:- | ||||
| Trauma at Birth | 3 | |||
| Intra-uterine asphyxia (Toxaemia) | 1 | |||
| 4 | ||||
| (a) Poetal States- | ||||
| Congenital Malformities | 9 | |||
| Atelectasis | 9 | |||
| Haemorrhagic Disease of Newborn | 6 | |||
| 24 | ||||
| (3) Prematurity | 24 | |||
| 24 | ||||
| (4) Post-Natal Causes | 7 | |||
| 7 | ||||
| Total | 59 | |||
| Percentage Deaths under 1 year per Total Infantile | Deaths under 1 year per 1,000 Births | |||
| 1959 | 1958 | 1959 | 1958 | |
| Injury at Birth and Congenital | 23.8 | 33. 3 | 4.99 | 5.97 |
| Premature Births | 30.0 | 15.9 | 6.31 | 2.86 |
| Respiratory Diseases | 12.5 | 15.9 | 2.63 | 2.86 |
| Atelectasis, Debility and Marasmus | - | 13.0 | 2.34 | 2. 34 |
| Diseases of Digestion* | 1. 2 | 1. 4 | 0. 26 | 0. 26 |
| Other Causes | 21. 3 | 20.3 | 4.47 | 3. 63 |
*These from Gastro enteritis
Perinatal Deaths
Stillbirths - 69
Deaths in first week - 50
Causes of Death in first week
Prematurity - 23
Congenital conditions - 5
Atelectasis - 9
Cerebral haemorrhage - 3
Pneumonia of the newborn - 1
Perinatal rate - 31 per 1,000
total (live and still) births
Intra uterine asphyxia - 1
Haemorrhagic disease of
newborn - 6
Other - 3
Prematurity was a contributory
cause in 6 cases.