London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Woolwich 1938

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Woolwich]

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The following Table No. 16 shows the distribution of infant mortality throughout
the year, calculated on a varying year basis.

TABLE No. 16.

Births.Deaths under 1 year.Rate.
First Quarter5343669
Second Quarter5202038
Third Quarter4171938
Fourth Quarter4742349

Causes of Death.—The causes of infant mortality are set forth in Tables Nos.
18 and 19, which show the incidence of mortality from each cause for infants
classified by age, sex and wards. It will be noted from these Tables that the chief
causes of death were:—Premature birth, 23; Diarrhoea, 18; Pneumonia, 18;
Congenital Malformation, 14. The number of deaths occurring in the first week of
life was 34.
Deaths of Illegitimate Children.—Five illegitimate children died, compared with
8 in 1937 and 8 in 1936. The infant mortality rate figure for illegitimate children
was 69, compared with 49 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. 7.

TABLE No. 17.

Hospitals or Institutions.Number of Deaths.
Public General Hospitals39
Voluntary General Hospitals9
Special Hospitals10
Cottage Hospitals and Nursing Homes2
Infectious Diseases Hospitals16
76

Tables which classify in various ways the causes of infant deaths in 1938, are
set out on the following two pages.