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6
INFANTILE DEATHS.
The total number of deaths which occurred amongst infants
under 1 year, including 26 registered outside the District, and
deducting 5 of non-residents occurring in the District, was 62,
giving a death-rate of 59.21 per 1,000 births, as compared with a
death-rate of 74.00 for England and Wales, and 79.00 for the 107
great towns, including London. The corresponding figures for
Enfield for the last four years were:—1925, 51.66; 1926, 65.60;
1927, 59.89; and 1928, 58.53.
It will be seen that the infantile death-rate remains much the
same as it has for the past 2 years.
The number of deaths of illegitimate children was 1, which
gives a death-rate of 27.77 per 1,000 illegitimate infants.
When considering what steps should be taken to lessen infantile
mortality, one naturally turns to the chief causes of death, and
asks oneself how best they can be dealt with. In this respect 19
cases were due to premature birth, a cause that can only be dealt
with by better ante-natal care of the expectant mother. It is to
be hoped that the increased number of ante-natal clinics that are
now being held in Enfield will materially help in this direction.
Diarrhoea and Enteritis accounted for another 14 deaths. This
is a disease that occurs chiefly amongst children artificially fed.
At all our Centres breast feeding is strongly advocated on all
occasions, and every attempt made to prevent the too early weaning
of babies. Fourteen children died from Pneumonia, an increase
of 7 on the previous year.
I.—GENERAL STATISTICS.
Area (acres) 12,575
Population (Census, 1921) 60,743
,, (Estimated for 1929) 65,100
Number of inhabited houses (1921) 12,066