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18
Illegitimate Births.
In all the annual reports since 1901 the number of illegitimate
births and the ratio of such births to the totals registered in the
district have been given, but beyond stating the facts and pointing
out that the proportion of illegitimate to legitimate births has
frequently been considerably above the average for the rest of the
country, no inferences have been drawn. It is often assumed that
this question is one of greater concern to the moral than the
physical condition of a community, but this assumption is probably
wrong, and there can be no doubt that the relative numbers of
legitimate and illegitimate births may have a very important, even
if somewhat indirect, bearing on the general public health.
During 1908, the total number of illegitimate births registered
in the district was 80, a decrease of 13 compared to the number
in the previous year, although the total number of births was
considerably higher.
Of the total of 80, 44 were the children of resident women
and 36 of unmarried women belonging to other districts in the
Brentford Union, but temporarily residing in the infirmary.
This total number forms 6.6 per cent. of the total births
registered. The similar percentages in the two previous years were
8.1 in 1907, and 6.4 in 1906.
If all non-resident births are deducted and the proportion
calculated only on the births amongst resident women, the ratio
of illegitimate to legitimate births for the year is 3.7 per cent., a
figure that compares favourably with the 5.5 per cent. in 1907.
36 of the 42 non-resident births in 1908 were illegitimate, a
proportion equal to 85.7 per cent. compared with 66.0 per cent.
in the previous year.
Birth-Rate.
The actual number of births registered is a definite fact about
which there can be no mistake. The birth-rate for the year is,
however, a much more uncertain figure as it is based on an unknown
quantity, that is the total population of the district.