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
Hackney 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Hackney]
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12
Infant mortality. There were 53 deaths of children under one year, giving an
infant mortality rate of 20,27 per thousand live births as compared with a rate
of 21.9 for the County of London and 23.1 for England and Wales. The rate for
England and Wales is the lowest ever recorded, being 0.7 per 1,000 below that
for 1956, the previous lowest.
Comparable infant mortality figures for Hackney, London and England and Wales for the
last five years:-
| 1957 | 1956 | 1955 | 1954 | 1953 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hackney | 20.27 | 17.81 | 23.18 | 19.21 | 19.57 |
| London | 21.9 | 21.4 | 23.20 | 20.68 | 24.80 |
| England and Wales | 23.1 | 23.8 | 24.90 | 25.50 | 26.80 |
From the following table it will be seen that of the 53 infant deaths, 38
occurred in the first four weeks of life, and twenty of these occurred in the
first 24 hours. Some 17 deaths were associated with prematurity, and congenital
malformations accounted for eleven:-
CAUSES OF DEATH IN CHILDREN UNDER ONE YEAR
| Under 24 hours | 1 day to 1 week | 1-2 weeks | 2 - 3 weeks | 3 - 4 weeks | Total under 4 weeks | 1-3 months | 3-6 months | 6-9 months | 9- 12 months | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asphyxia. Placental insufficiency | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Asphyxia. Respiratory embarrassment due to posture on soft flock mattress at home (Accident) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 |
| Asphyxia. Atelectasis. Tentorial tear. | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Atelectasis. Neonatal Jaundice. Prematurity | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Atelectasis. Hyaline Membrane. Prematurity | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Atelectasis. Prematurity | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bronchitis | - | - | _ | _ | _ | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 4 |
| Cerebral contusion and haemorrhage. Fell from cot to floor (Accident) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Cerebral Haemorrhage | . | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Cerebral Haemorrhage. Status sub-epilepticus. Gastro enteritis | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Congenita] Malformations | 2 | 4 | - | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2 | - | 1 | - | 11 |
| Erythroblastosis Foetalis | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | _ | 1 |
| Haemolytic disease of the newborn | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Haemorrhagic Pneumonia and Tentorial tear with sub-dura] haemorrhage. Tracheo-oesophageal fistula | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Intracranial Haemorrhage. Prematurity | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Intestinal obstruction due to peritoneal adhesions following ruptured exomphalos | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Kernicterus. A.B.O. Incompatibility. Mongolism | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Meningitis | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Neonatal asphyxia due to pulmonary atelectasis. Post maturity | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Pneumonia | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| Prematurity | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | 7 | - | - | - | - | 7 |
| Prematurity. Premature rupture of Membranes | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Prematurity. Premature labour. Toxaemia of Pregnancy. Pre-eclamptic | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Rt. Tentorial tear with Intra-cranial Haemorrhage. Rapid labour. Preeclamptic toxaemia of pregnancy in mother. | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Sub-dural haemorrhage | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Totals | 20 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 53 |