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29
Infantile Mortality.
The number of deaths of infants under one year of age was 123, compared
with 128 in 1931, and 91 in 1930. The rate of infant mortality resulting from these
deaths (deaths under 1 year per 1,000 births) was 60, compared with 59 in 1931, and
42 in 1930. The rates for the different Wards in the Borough are shown in Table
No. 11.
According to a return of the Registrar General for the year 1932, lower rates
were recorded in ten of the Metropolitan Cities and Boroughs as follows:—The City,
46; Chelsea, 52; Hackney, Hampstead and Stoke Newington, 54; Lewisham, 55;
Lambeth, 56; Bermondsey, 57, and Battersea and Fulham, 58. The rate for the
Administrative County of London was 67, and for England and Wales, 65.
The following Table, No. 24, shows the distribution of infantile mortality
throughout the year, calculated on a varying year basis:—

Causes of Death.— The causes of infantile mortality are set forth in Tables Nos.
26 and 27, which show the incidence of mortality from each cause for infants,
distinguished by age, sex and wards. It will be noted from these Tables that the
chief causes of death were:—Premature Birth, 38; Pneumonia, 25; Congenital
Malformation, 13; Debility, 4; Diarrhœal Diseases, 7, and Measles, 5. The neonatal
mortality rate (deaths under 4 weeks) was 24.82, compared with 28.77 in 1931,
and 20.11 in 1930. Of the 51 neo-natal deaths, 36 were certified to be due to
Premature Birth, 5 to Congenital Malformation and 4 to Injury at Birth.
Deaths of Illegitimate Children.— Twelve illegitimate children died, compared
with 8 in 1931, and 1 in 1930. The infantile mortality rate figure for illegitimate
children was 162, compared with 56 for legitimate children.
Institutional Deaths.— In tabular form is shown below the number of deaths of
Woolwich infants which took place in various institutions during the year. These
figures are included in those shown in Table No. 14:—

Tables are set out in the following pages which classify in various ways the
causes of infant death in 1932.