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3
Deaths.
There were 108 deaths (see Tables 1, 2 and 4) registered
in the District, excluding the Asylum, giving a death rate
of 10.5, an improvement of .5 on 1906, and with the exception
of 1905 the lowest rate since 1899.
10 deaths occurred outside the District of persons
belonging to it and one death took place inside the District
of a person not belonging to it, giving a net total of 118—
1 = 117, showing a net death rate of 11.4, and producing a
corrected death rate of 12.2.
Infantile Mortality.—The infantile mortality for the
year 1906 was 130. and was above the average for the
County of Middlesex, being almost equal to that of London
131, and England aud Wales 133. This year there has
been a notable improvement, the rate per 1000 births being
as low as 81.
On reference to Table V. it is interesting to note that
of the 24 deaths, premature births (3), congenital defects
(3), marasmus (4) convulsions (4), and overlying account
tor 15, the remaining 9 deaths being due to more general
causes, viz.—Tuberculous Meningitis 1, Bronchitis 2, Pneumonia
2, Whooping Cough 2, "other" causes 2. It will be
noticed that there is not a single death from Diarrhœa. In
former years diarrhœa has caused a large proportion of the
deaths under one year of age. It is remarkable that while
all the supposed factors in infantile mortality, viz.: occupiers
of three-roomed tenements, ignorance of the mother as to
proper care of the child, hand-feeding and the entrusting of
infants to the care of young children whilst the mothers
are out at work, were presumably present as usual, the
absence of conditions causing diarrhoea, whatever they are,
possibly a cool summer, should have made so striking a
difference.
During; a hot, dry summer, the condition of the food
taken by the mother and child must enter largely into the
question of the causes of diarrhoea, and here I would repeat
my opinion that it is desirable that there should be some
definite guide as to what is proper accommodation for the
storage of food in premises let out in 3 and 6 roomed tenements.