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only desirable but virtually a necessity. This, of course, will
presumably come within the scope either of the Hospital Service
or of the County Council, although the Public Health Department
will naturally be interested in projects which are at any time
suggested.
Infant Mortality.
There were 15 deaths of infants under 1 year of age, which
gives an infant death rate of 19.3 per 1,000 births, as compared
with 13 deaths and a rate of 16.20 in the preceeding year.

Once again the Infant Mortality Rate for Southgate is less
than 20 per thousand live births. This is satisfactory, and is, of
course, as already noted, in keeping with the national trend.
In this connection, I would refer once again to what is known
as the neo-natal mortality. That is the number of infants who
died during the first four weeks of life.
Of the 15 deaths recorded for this year, 11 occurred in the
first four weeks of life (neo-natal mortality) and of these, 9 died
within seven days of birth. The progressive fall in Infant
Mortality has been accomplished almost entirely by the prevention
and treatment of those diseases to which the young child is particularly
vulnerable. Quite other factors, however, come into play
in deaths occurring within seven days of birth—factors closely
related to those giving rise to still-births.
Perinatal Mortality.
The term Perinatal mortality is used to include still-births
and deaths within seven days of birth.
In order to reduce this perinatal mortality, every effort must
be directed to the careful and meticulous supervision of the
expectant mother from the earliest months of pregnancy.
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