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safety on our own roads and thus contribute our share towards
National Safety.
MATERNAL MORTALITY.
One death in a woman directly associated with childbirth occurred
during the year, giving a maternal mortality rate of 2.53 per 1,000 live
and stillbirths as compared with 2.97 for England and Wales.
The patient, who died in King's College Hospital, was under the
observation of a consultant obstetrician, both for ante-natal care and
management of labour.
Death took place at the Hospital under anaesthesia during labour,
the Coroner's verdict being "cardiac failure and pulmonary oedema
due to exhaustion during labour."
Although only 1 death is recorded, because of the small number
of figures dealt with, the rate appears at 2.53 per 1,000 total births,
the rate thus not being a true picture of the facts.
No deaths were recorded among patients delivered in the district
during the year (including private cases and those entering Carshalton
Hospital under the Council's Scheme).
INFANTILE MORTALITY.
The number of deaths registered during the year in infants under
one year of age was 12 (6 males and 6 females), all but one being in
legitimate children. This gives an infantile mortality rate of 30.85 per
1,000 live births, as compared with 58.23 in 1937 and 53.0 for England
and Wales.
The rate is abnormally low and reflects great credit on those services
dealing with the preservation of infant life.
Only 12 deaths of infants under one year were registered out of
a total of 387 live births.
This rate is often taken as an index of the general health and
prosperity of the district as a whole.
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