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It must be admitted that comparison with
other areas or parts of the country are of very
doubtful value. It does not really matter how
good or bad the rates were elsewhere; what does
matter is the number of children who died in
Southgate, and it is with this figure only that
we should be concerned. If, as is generally
agreed, an infantile mortality rate of less than
40 is considered good, then we have at least the
satisfaction of knowing that our own rate falls
within that limit. Theoretically, it should be
quite possible to reduce the rate to 20 or below,
and until we are satisfied that all steps are
being taken to effect this reduction, we have no
reason to sit back in complacent satisfaction.
We have not, in fact, done so. The lowering of
the Infant Mortality Rate has always received
the closest attention in this area; every death
is investigated, in an effort to find out whether
the tragedy might have been averted, a practice
which we shall, of course, continue. Conditions
being what they are to-day, we do not have to go
out and search for difficulties, We know what
the problems are, and must cope with them as best
we can, striving always towards the early removal
of environmental stigmata which prejudice both the
future and the immediate lives of our infant
populat ion.
STILLBIRTHS.- Twenty-four stillbirths,
(1 illegitimate) were accredited to the district
for 1945. This is equal to a death rate of 24.00
per 1,000 (live and still) births, the corresponding
figures for 1944 being 26 stillbirths, with a rate
of 23.17.
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