View report page

31
Infant Mortality.
In the Report for 1907, a considerable space was devoted to
the subject of infant mortality, and the special measures taken
during the year in connection with it. It is a matter for very
deep regret that nothing was done during 1908 to continue the
work begun so efficiently and with such good results by Miss Hall.
Beyond occasional discussions as to the benefit likely to result
from the distribution of leaflets on the feeding of infants, no steps
whatever were taken officially to deal in a practical and commonsense
manner with one of the most important parts of public
health administration. Printed leaflets or pamphlets may or may
not be useful, but experience in other places has proved that their
main benefit results when they are left as reminders of previous
personal suggestion or teaching by a competent woman visitor.
Dr. Young, the County Medical Officer, in his Report on the
public health of Middlesex for 1907, referred to the experiment
carried out in this district, and expressed regret that it was not
continued. Details regarding infant mortality in the various
districts of the county are given in that report, and interesting
comparisons can therefore be made. It is sufficient here to say
that the infant-mortality-rate for the whole of Middlesex, excluding
the county of London, was 97 per 1000 births in 1907. The
similar rate for this district was 88. The infant-mortality-rate
everywhere was exceptionally low last year, and in most places
much below that of 1906. In few was the diminution so marked
as in Heston and Isleworth.
During 1908. 147 deaths of infants under the age of 12 months
were registered in the district. 17 of these infants were the
children of non-residents, and must be deducted from the total.
The actual number of infant deaths during the year was
therefore 130 compared with 100 in 1907. This number is less
than the average for the last ten years, and lower than any one
of the ten years except 1900, 1903 and 1907. The details for
all these previous years can be found on reference to Table I.