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18
It follows then, that in our district, a lower gross death rate
should be expected than in a town equally healthy, in which
the ages and sex of the population were less favourable to
longevity. A comparison of rates is generally made with that for
England and Wales, and in order to this, the age and sex of the
population of the district must be approximate to that for England
and Wales. By means of a factor calculated from census dates,
the gross death rate for the district can be corrected to what it
would be if the age and sex distribution of the population were the
same as that for England and Wales.
The Corrected Death Rate.
In the County Report for 1905 the factor is given, viz.:
1.05131, so that 12.9 x 1.05131=13.5 is the corrected death rate
per 1,000.
Comparative Mortality Rate.
If the corrected death rate is compared with the death rate at
all ages for England and Wales taken at 1,000, it gives what is
known as the Comparative Mortality figure.
Corrected local Rate 13.5
Thus Corrected local Ratr 13.5
Rate for England and Wales 15.4 * 1,000=876
the figure of comparative mortality for Southall-Norwood.
This may be expressed by saying the same number of persons
that gave 1,000 deaths in England and Wales, gave 876 deaths in
Southall-Norwood.
Infant Mortality.
By Infant Mortality is meant the number of children per 1,000
registered births, who die before they complete their first year of
life.
For the present year the rate of mortality (154 per 1,000),
is considerably higher than for some years past: the increase
being due to deaths from respiratory diseases, diarrhoea, and
premature birth.
The causes of death are fully set out in the table at page 15,
and it will be there seen that out of the total of 96 deaths, 32 were
due to various forms of diarrhoea and 9 to atrophy, debility, &c.,
which arise as a consequence, 27 were due to premature birth,
and 8 to respiratory diseases. The deaths from the last named
cause are not excessive, but these from diarrhoea and premature
birth which constitute more than two thirds of the total is higher
than it ought to be, but this is the case for the country generally.
The total infantile mortality for the district for the year is
considerably higher than the average rate for the County and also
for that of London and England and Wales.