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87
It is the high Rate in the East, Ward which caused some
discussion in the Council when the extract was under consideration,
and the report of this in the local Press, which
was the cause of letters on the subject addressed by the
Women's Municipal Association and the School for Mothers
to the Chairman of the Council, and referred to you for
consideration.
That our Infant Mortality Rate is the 3rd lowest of 111
"small towns" (population 20,000 to 50,000); that it is
actually the lowest as regards deaths attributable to
"premature birth, congenital defects, injury at birth, want
of breast milk, or debility"; that our comparative position
on all other points is wonderfully good, were facts not dealt
with by the writers of letters, and the comparatively high but
not "appallingly high" rate in East Finchley, the only item
referred to, is somewhat unfortunate, as it is calculated to
give quite the opposite impression to the one I wished to
convey, viz.:- That, although we must not abate any of our
energy in attempting to reduce still further the Infant
Mortality Rate, yet, where we stand at present is a position
of which we might be justly proud.
It will be well if I here indicate the main factors which
operate in the production of a high Infant Mortality, and I
do not think it is possible to improve upon the concise
summary which the Medical Officer gives in that part of the
Report- which deals with the Special Conditions associated with
high Infant Mortality.
1. The relative importance of the many factors concerned
in causing excessive infant and child mortality is
difficult to assess; these factors are not identical for all
districts. In this part of the present report special stress has
been laid upon the factors of defective sanitation and housing,
the removal of which is within the control of Sanitary
Authorities.
2. The industrial employment of married women must
necessarily involve some neglect of the home, and especially
of any young children.