View report page

6
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The number of deaths of children under 12 months was 19
which gives an Infantile Mortality Rate of 27.3 per 1,000 live
births. This is the lowest rate ever recorded in Wood Green, and
is appreciably less than that for the previous year, 31 per 1,000
live births, which was itself the lowest previously recorded. It is
remarkable that this very low Infantile Mortality Rate should be
recorded in the sixth year of war, and it seems to suggest that so
far at least as the mothers and children of the community are
concerned, war-time rationing had no ill-eflects. It is not too
much to attribute the good health which the infant population has
enjoyed, in part at least to the priorities allowed to nursing and
expectant mothers and young children in respect of milk, cod liver
oil, orange juice and special vitamin preparations.
Of the total of 19 Infantile Deaths. five occurred within 24
hours of birth, and 8 during the first month of life. Of the five
occurring during the first 24 hours, two were certified as premature,
and another premature infant died at 5 days. The special equipment
which was provided in 1944 for use by midwives in the case
of premature infants has been available for use in the case of
such infants nursed at home.
MATERNAL MORTALITY.
No deaths were certified as due to childbirth or any of its
complications, so that the Maternal Mortality Rate was nil.
MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE.
The number of live births registered as belonging to Wood
Green was 694, and the number notified under the Notification of
Births Act, 678 or 97.6 per cent. of the registered births.
Of the 694 births registered, only 219 actually occurred in
Wood Green, all the others occurring in hospitals or nursing homes
outside the district. The following table shows where the majority
of these confinements took place.
North Middlesex Hospital 88
City of London Hospital 80
Mothers' Hospital, Clapton 34
Royal Northern Hospital 37
Evacuated under L.C.C. Scheme 29