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63
however, certain factors which it is necessary to note in order
to appreciate the true significance of the rise in this Mortality
Rate, and the extent to which it can be controlled.
In the first instance, it will be seen there is a decided
decline in the birth-rate of the district, and it is a fact that
the decline is most marked in those social grades where
infants have the best chance of surviving, and is not greatly
decreased in the classes who have a much greater struggle
for existence.
Of the 54 deaths, 19 occurred outside the district, and
six of these infants were born in other localities and died
before they could be brought home to Chiswick. Apart from
these 19 deaths, two newly-born infants were found dead on
the foreshore, and the parentage and place of birth were
unknown.
Six infants died from Congenital Malformations which
were incompatible with life—conditions which our present
knowledge of intra uterus life does not help to control.
It may be noted here that there is a very gratifying
absence (not only in this locality, but also throughout the
country) of marked mortality from epidemic diarrhoea—a
disease which a few years ago was responsible for many
infant deaths. There is a theory, well upheld by facts, that
this is partly due to the much diminished number of horses
in the streets, thereby reducing the danger of contamination
of food by organisms conveyed by flies from the horse manure,
and partly from the practice of tar-spraying roads and streets,
thus preventing the formation of dust.
Seven infants died from prematurity, and it is conceivable
that some of these children might have been saved
had the mother had Ante-Natal attention. Several mothers
attended the Ante-Natal Clinics during the year, who were
apt to give birth to premature infants and in every case they
went to full time, and gave birth to healthy children.
hung, Gastro-intestinal, and Teething complaints might
be saved from a fatal issue by the assistance of the Health
Visitors and the Welfare Clinics. It is a significant fact that
of the 54 infants in the above list, only six attended the
Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics, giving an Infantile
Mortality of 24 per 1,000 of infants under one year attending
the Clinics. Many of these infants were found to be suffering