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11
several Infant Welfare Centres in the Borough. The chief object
of public education is to encourage the acceptance of skilled
examination and treatment without delay. There is consequently
a need for the provision of cancer treatment centres staffed by
highly trained surgeons, fully competent and well equipped radiologists
working together, but there are obvious disadvantages of
establishing such clinics elsewhere than in general hospitals. A
radium centre for the treatment of carcinoma of the uterus has
recently been established at the North-Western Hospital, and
although no indication can be given as yet of the results, I understand
that 54 patients were admitted for treatment during the
first 6 months.
Infantile Mortality.
The infant death rate for Camberwell, which was 61 per 1,000
births in 1928, rose to 68 last year. The principal factor responsible
for this increase was the large number of deaths that occurred
during the extreme cold weather of last February and March,
when 89 deaths of children under 1 year of age were reported. The
severe weather in the early part of the year was expected to
influence the mortality rate, particularly in the poorer districts of
the Borough.
Environment plays an important part in the determination of
the infantile mortality rate. It is an elementary truth that a
child born in a family where suitable nutrition, warmth and
comfort is assured stands a far better chance of surviving the first
year of its life than an infant born in less fortunate circumstances.
But as important as environment is in this matter, there can be
little doubt that education of the mother in proper feeding and
attention to personal hygiene yields good results, even in cases
where the economic circumstances of the family are such that
every shilling counts. Such is the work of the Health Visitor.
"During the year, of a total of 268 infant deaths, no less than 94
occurred of infants under one month old.
Gastro-intestinal disorders were responsible for 85 deaths,
respiratory diseases for 40, injuries at birth 10, and certain illdefined
conditions, such as prematurity, malformation, atrophy
and debility, for 71 deaths.
Causes of Sickness or Invalidity.
With the exception of the prevalence of smallpox, which is
fullv dealt with in the appropriate Section of this Report, there
was no cause of sickness or invalidity during the year which calls
for any special comment.