London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Shoreditch 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch]
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The actual age incidence of the Shoreditch infants who died from prematurity are shown in the following table:-
| Year. | Births in year. | Under 1 week. | Under 1 month. | 1 and under 3 months. | 3 and under 6 months. | 6 and under 9 months. | Between 9 months and 1 year. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 | 2,528 | 26 | 33 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 1925 | 2,627 | 19 | 27 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| 1926 | 2,516 | 27 | 34 | 4 | - | - | - |
| 1927 | 2,188 | 20 | 25 | - | 1 | - | - |
| 1928 | 2,091 | 23 | 28 | 7 | - | - | - |
| 1929 | 2,005 | 20 | 31 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 1930 | 1,988 | 20 | 24 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 1931 | 1,684 | 11 | 12 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 1932 | 1,674 | 18 | 24 | 2 | 1 | - | - |
| 1933 | 1,494 | 14 | 18 | 2 | - | - | - |
| 1934 | 1,456 | 20 | 23 | 3 | - | - | - |
| 1935 | 1,290 | 12 | 15 | 1 | - | - | - |
| 1936 | 1,274 | 11 | 11 | 2 | - | - | - |
The first of these tables shows that there has been no substantial change in the
death rate for these premature infants either in Shoreditch or in England and Wales
as a whole. The rates for Shoreditch—being calculated from a smaller number of
deaths—show more fluctuation than the rates for the country as a whole, but it is
obvious that in this short period there has been no substantial decrease in the rate.
The second table shows that of the 337 infants who died of prematurity during the
thirteen years 1924 to 1936, 241 (or 71.5 per cent.) died within the first week, and
305 (or 90.5 per cent.) died within the first month.
The second table shows that there was a slight reduction in the number of
premature infants who died later than the first week and before the end of the first
month.
Deaths in Age Groups.
The table opposite page 31 gives particulars of the deaths at different ages under
one year. Of the total of 95, 14 (14.78 per cent.) occurred on the first day of life;
19 (20.00 per cent.) within the first week; 23 (24.21 per cent.) in the first month;
11 (11.58 per cent.) between 1 and 3 months; 25 (26.32 per cent.) between 3 and
6 months; 17 (17.90 per cent.) between 6 and 9 months, and 19 (20.00 per cent.)
between nine months and one year.