View report page

44
Means for Preventing: Mortality in
Childbirth and Infancy.
Midwives Act.
The administration of this Act is carried out by the
Surrey County Council, and your Medical Officer has no
information on the subject.
Infantile Mortality.
By the term "Infantile Mortality" is meant the proportion
of infants who die before reaching the age of twelve
months to the total number born during the year.
The total number of deaths under one year of age was 51,
giving a rate of 82 per thousand registered births. This shows
an increase over the preceding year of 12, when the deaths
under one year totalled 42, giving a rate of 70 per thousand.
The infantile mortality rate throughout England and Wales
was 109 per thousand.
Of the 51 deaths of infants under one year, 10 infants
failed to survive the first week of life. The following table
shows the periods in which 51 deaths took place :—
Under one month 15
One month and under three months 11
Three months „ six „ 12
Six „ „ nine „ 9
Nine „ „ twelve ,, 4
Total 51
An important report was issued in July, 1913, by the
Medical Officer of the Local Government Board, relative to
Infantile Mortality.
The report sets out similar facts as to 241 Urban areas
whose populations vary between 20,000 and three quarters of
a million, and whose aggregate population comprises nearly
three-fifths of the total population of the country.
For the first time, the Sanitary Authorities and Medical
Officers of Health of the 241 Urban areas comprised within
the scope of this report are able to ascertain the exact relative