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16
BIRTHS.
The number of births registered by the Edmonton Registrar, Mr. W. H.
Miller, was 1,708 (882 boys and 826 girls), which includes 12 births that took
place in the Edmonton Workhouse born of mothers belonging to Edmonton,
and 19 of Belgian Refugees. The figures for 1915, 1914 and 1913 were
1,725, 1,946 and 1,912. Sixty-three births born of mothers who are not
Edmonton residents, are excluded from our statistics, just as foreign deaths
are; of these, 55 occurred in the Workhouse. The Registrar-General has
not reported this year any births which had taken place when Edmonton
mothers were residing temporarily out of their district, but from other Medical
Officers of Health I received notification of 9 births—3 boys and 6 girls; of
these, one, at least, was illegitimate, and three still-born; one boy and one
girl were Belgians born in Whitechapel Workhouse. Thus the nett total of births
was 1,633, excluding 21 Belgians. Of these 1,633 births, 43 (or 2.6 per cent.)
were illegitimate; there were six illegitimate Belgian births. With reference
to the cry of " war-babies galore," it is a refutation of the rumour, as
regards Edmonton, to find that the illegitimate birth-rate is 1.1 less than
last year. The birth-rate per 1,000 inhabitants is therefore 22.87, compared
with 23.88 last year; including 21 Belgian births, the rate would be
22.96.
Notification of Births Acts, 1907 & 1916. During this year
1790 births were entered in our register; of these, 941 were males and 846
females; in three cases the sex was not declared; 88 (4.9 per cent.) of the
whole number were born out of wedlock, and 13 more were of doubtful
legitimacy. Sixty-five children were declared "still-born." Mr. Clement
Bugg, Superintendent of the Cemetery, retired on July 10th, but the
Accountant informs me that there were 54 children styled " still-born " buried
during 1916, and for 1915, 1914 and 1913, the figures were 46, 62 and 63.
For work done in visiting infants and their mothers, see section " The Women
Inspectors and their Work." In a. previous paragraph, it is noted that 1,708
births were registered during 1916. The figures of notification and registration
will, of course, never coincide, but they show that few, if any, births
escape notification in accordance with the Act. Twenty-eight pairs of twins
arrived, and once triplets. Besides, there were 16 births, 8 males and 8
females, amongst Belgian women who were confined in Edmonton Workhouse;
of these, none were still-born, and four were illegitimate. The birth-rate,
based on refugees, excluding their staff, would be 35.53 per 1,000 refugees!
The birth-rate (22.87) for 1916 is 1.01 less than last year; but still it is
higher than 21.6, the Birth-rate of England and Wales for 1916. The birthrate
for the preceding ten years will be found in Column 5 of Table I.
DEATHS.
The gross total of deaths registered in the district during the year was
1,083; of these, 398 occurred among non-residents at Edmonton Workhouse
and Infirmary, and 7 temporarily resident, while 91 deaths of Edmonton