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36
GRAPH B. Infant and Early Neo-natal Mortality.
These rates over the years are completely comparable
since they are in all cases rates per 1000 births.
The graph shows that out of 1,000 babies born now,
100 are saved who would have died 60 years ago. The remarkable
feature of the graph is the contrast between the almost dramatic
fall in the total infant mortality rate, and the relatively small
reduction in loss of life during the first 7 days of life.
This "hard core" of deaths is accounted for by congenital
defects, birth injury and prematurity. Intensive research is
proceeding into factors, e.g. drugs, virus infections etc., which
could produce damage to the developing child, particularly during
the first three months of pregnancy. There is a clear case for
strict control of all drugs administered to women of child-bearing
age and for the giving of Gamma globulin to every expectant mother
exposed to a virus infection. In addition a great effort must be
made to obtain hospital admission for every mother starting in
premature labour so that the child so greatly at risk shall have
special skill immediately at hand, and means available to provide an
atmosphere of the right temperature and humidity.