London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Twickenham 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Twickenham]
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As will be seen from the following table, congenital debility, premature
birth, malformations, etc., caused 35 (or 54 per cent.) of the total infant
deaths. The death of. infants under one month is bound up very closely with
the question of ante-natal supervision, and it is by the 'added care of the
expectant mothers' health, together with adequate nutrition, that a reduction
in the mortality will be achieved.
Compiled from the official registrations.
| Under 1 week | 1—2 wks. | 2—3 wks. | 3—4 wks. | Total under 1 month | 1—3 mth. | 3—6 mths. | 6—9 mths. | 9—12 mths. | Total deaths under 1 year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smallpox | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chickenpox | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Measles | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Scarlet fever | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Diphtheria and croup | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Whooping cough | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Diarrhoea | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 |
| Enteritis | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | 10 |
| Tuberculous meningitis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Abdominal tuberculosis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Other tuberculous diseases | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Congenital malformations | 6 | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 9 |
| Premature forth | 20 | — | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | 20 |
| Atrophy, debility and marasmus | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 6 |
| Atelectasis | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Injury at birth | 3 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Erysipelas | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Syphilis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rickets | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Meningitis (not tuberculous) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Convulsions | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 3 |
| Gastritis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Laryngitis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Bronchitis | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Pneumonia (all forms) | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | 4 |
| Suffocation, overlying | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Other causes | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | — | 5 |
| Total | 31 | 1 | — | — | 32 | 11 | 14 | 7 | — | 64 |