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21. Table IVc. gives full details as to tlie ages at death, and
cause of death, of all infants dying in 1905 under one year. It
shows that over one-third of those who died were under one
month, and about one-fourth under one week. 75 (65 in 1905)
or about half the deaths under one month, were from premature
birth, and of the remainder, 20 (23 in 1905) were attributed to
Atrophy, Debility, and Marasmus—indefinite terms often applied
to deaths from immaturity.
The death-rate from Premature Birth in Woolwich Borough
was 0"71 and in London 0.49.
This appears to be an increasing cause of infantile mortality,
and its increase is probably the chief reason why the death-rate
of infants has not diminished concurrently with the general
death-rate. There are reasons for thinking the increase to be
mainly due to growth of alcoholism among women.
There were 21 deaths of illegitimate infants. The death rate
of illegitimate infants under one was 270 per 1,000 births, and
that of legitimate infants 107.
22. Compared with 1905, the past year had among infants
many more deaths from diarrhoeal diseases, and more from
measles, whooping cough, convulsions, and premature births, but
fewer from bronchitis, pneumonia, wasting, erysipelas, and overlaying.
There was a loss of 32 lives by increase of diarrhoeal
diseases and a nett gain of 8 lives by diminution of other
diseases.
22a. Two years ago, for the first time, weekly returns of all
births occurring in the Borough were received from the local
registrars. £28 7s. 7d., was paid to the local registrars for the
returns received last year. The London County Council now
sends weekly lists of births attended by midwives. In this way
information of about half tlie births is obtained within two weeks.