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there were 32 neo-natal dsaths and the rate was 17.67. The neo-natal
mortality rate for England and Wales is 15.6.
The peri-natal mortality rate of infants (viz. still-births plus
deaths occurring in the first week of life) was 27.46 as compared with
35.17 last year. A graph showing infant mortality rates over the past
twenty-five years is given opposite page 10.
The Tables on page 56 show deaths from stated causes at various
ages under one year, together with comparative figures over the last
five years.
Maternal Mortality.
There were two maternal deaths during the year. The death of one
mother, aged 36, was due to acute and post partum haemorrhage associated
with a full term pregnancy and the birth of a living child. The patient
was a multi-para and attention appears to have been fully available both
before and after labour. The other death, of a woman aged 34, was
caused by rupture of the womb due to retained products of conception.
The patient recovered from a difficult labour and caesarian section and
returned home. She died four weeks later from cause as stated.
Accidental Deaths.
The number of deaths due to accidents was 47, or 15 more than last
year. These included 21 due to motor vehicles (13 more than in the
previous year and the highest number for 20 years); 13 in the home;
4 at work; 2 from drowning, and 7 due to various other causes.
(See Table on page 55 relating to Road Accidents).
It is interesting to note that fifty years ago 22 residents of the
Borough died as a result of road accidents.
Accidents in the Home.
Many more deaths now occur throughout the country from accidents
in the home than from road accidents or from lung tuberculosis, and the
public cannot be urged too strongly to see that all possible precautions
are taken in the home to minimise them. The powers and duties of the
Council under Section 32 of the London County Council (General Powers)
Act, 1957, relating to the dissemination of information and advice for
promoting safety in the home and encouraging proper precautions against
accidents are exercisable by the Public Health Committee and the means
taken to educate the public in this respect are referred to elsewhere
in this Report.
The County Medical Officer of Health supplies me with information
which he obtains from the London Ambulance Service relating to the
removal to hospital of home accident cases occurring in London and in
the London County Council Health Division 5, of which Stepney forms a
part. A Table summarising these figures over the past four years is
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