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55
Infantile Mortality.
946 infants died under one year of age, which corresponds to a death rate of 110
per 1,000 births. This number is 315 less than in the previous year.
233 belonged to the Limehouse District, or at the rate of 126 per 1,000
births ;
202 belonged to St. George-in-the-East, or at the rate of 128 per 1,000
births ;
348 belonged to Mile End Old Town, or at the rate of 100 per 1,000 births ;
163 belonged to the Whitechapel District, or at the rate of 96 per 1,000
births.
The infantile mortality for the whole of London was 91 per 1,000 births.
Deaths of Illegitimate Children.
There were 36 deaths of illegitimate children under one year of age during the
year, or at the rate of 200 per 1,000 illegitimate births.
5 belonged to the Limehouse District, or at the rate of 178 per 1,000
illegitimate births;
12 belonged to St. George-in-the-East, or at the rate of 300 per 1,000
illegitimate births ;
13 belonged to Mile End Old Town, or at the rate of 260 per 1,000
mate births ;
6 belonged to the Whitechapel District, or at the rate of 96 per 1,000
illegitimate births.
In spite of the fact that there was a large number of deaths of infants from
measles, the infantile mortality is low. This is due to a great extent to the cool and
wet summer which we experienced.
As I have pointed out in previous reports, there has been a gradual improvement
in this direction, which is not due to favourable meteorological conditions, but to
improved sanitary conditions and to the realisation of the fact that innumerable and
unnecessary deaths were occurring from year to year. This improvement, as is seen
in the following table, is most marked in the Limehouse District, where a Health
Visitor has been concentrating her efforts for several years.