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
Dagenham 1929
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Dagenham]
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52
2. Difficulties in Labour.—17.
Abnormal Presentation,1; Breech Delivery, 4; Complications
of Labour, 12.
3. Foetal Causes.—8.
Anencephaly, 3; Dead Foetus, 5.
4. Other Causes, 7.
Infant Mortality.
157 deaths (95 male, 62 female) of infants under one year
of age occurred, being an infant mortality rate of 67.7 compared
74 for the country as a whole and 73.1 for last year. The
rate amongst legitimate children is 64.5 and illegitimate 270.
The following table analyses the causes of death occurring in the first three months: —
| Disease. | Under 1 day. | 1-7 days. | 1 week-1 month. | 1-3 months. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | M | F | M | F | M | F | ||
| Prematurity | 8 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — |
| Deficient Inherent | ||||||||
| Vitality | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | — | — |
| Atelectasis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Debility | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Congenital Heart | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Congenital -Defects | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Asphyxia | 2 | _ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cerebral Haemorrhage | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Pneumonia and | ||||||||
| Bronchitis | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| Pemphigus | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — |
| Pyloric-stenosis | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — |
| Enteritis | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 |
| Infections | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Convulsions | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 18 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 8 | 14 | 5 | |
. The Neo-natal deaths, that is, those occuring within the
first month, make a total of 62 (males 40, females 22) providing
7 themselves an infant mortality rate of 25 or 40% of the total
Want mortality rate.
25 deaths (14 male, 11 females), occurring in the tirst
three months were ascribed to prematurity, of which 18 occurred
within the first few days after birth. Of these a number were
definitely due to the immature condition of the infant at the
time of birth not permitting of its adaptation to its new