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
Enfield 1914
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Enfield]
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14
INFANTILE DEATHS.
The total number of deaths that occurred amongst infants under
one year, including 15 registered outside the District, was 107,
giving a death rate of 80.75 per thousand births, as compared with
a death-rate of 105 for England and Wales, and 113 for the 97
Great Towns, including London. The corresponding figures for
Enfield for the last three years were 1911, 140.79; 1912, 76.30,
and 1913, 87.15.
The number of deaths of illegitimate children was 8, which
gives a death-rate of 210.52 per thousand illegitimate infants.
This forms a striking contrast to the legitimate death-rate,
and shows what a very small fighting chance these unfortunate and
unwanted children get in their struggle for life.
The following table assigns the number of infantile deaths to each ward, and also gives the infantile death-rate per thousand population and per thousand births:—
| Ward. | Number of Deaths. | Death-rate per 1,000 population | Death-rate per 1,000 births. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town | 6 | 0.80 | 73.17 |
| Chase | 22 | 1.65 | 72.36 |
| Ordnance | 20 | 1.44 | 71.17 |
| Green Street & Ponders End | 38 | 2.87 | 109.82 |
| Bush Hill Park | 21 | 1.76 | 75.53 |
| Hadley and Cockfosters | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 107 | 1.76 | 80.75 |
The chief causes of death were Premature Birth (including
congenital defects), 50; Diarrhoea, 26; Respiratory Diseases, 12;
Whooping Cough, 4.