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14
By referring to the preceding table it will be seen that the births
have steadily increased since 1890, from 1,544 in that year to 3,426 in
1902. During the years 1891-1895, the Infantile Mortality Rate
fluctuated between 120 and 153, reached 170 in 1899 and steadily
declining in 1900 to 158; 1901 to 147, until this year the rate is the
lowest recorded. This favourable rate is no doubt due to the very wet
summer we had, and the consequent absence of Diarrhoea in hand-fed
children.
That the infantile mortality rate is excessive in all the large Urban
Districts of Essex is admitted when compared with the Rural Districts
of the county. Dr. Thresh, the County Medical Officer of Health for
Essex has interested himself greatly in this question, and a conference
was called in November to discuss the causes of the excessive mortality,
and men occupying public positions in the county, doctors and
clergymen, as well as the Medical Officers of Health and the Chief
Sanitary Inspectors of the county attended, presided over by T. F.
Victor Buxton, Esq., J P. The points suggested for discussion by
Dr. Thresh were (1) The relative importance of the following factors in
causing an excessive infantile mortality, (a) Insanitary condition, (b)
Season, (c) Ignorance of parents, (d) Artificial feeding. (2) Can any
uniform action be taken to prevent this excessive mortality, and (3) is it
desirable to establish depots for supplying fresh sterilized milk for
infant feeding.
No doubt Dr. Thresh enumerated the four main factors (a, b, cand
d) in the causation of infantile mortality, but there is another which
adds to it considerably in large Urban Districts—the early marriage of
immature boys and girls and the consequent ignorance of the latter
in dealing with children, as well as the number of premature children,
the outcome of such unions. In your district one tenth of the deaths
under one year of age are due to prematurity.
The question is of such vast importance and the prevention of such
mortality appeals to every humane person, that I cannot do better than
quote Dr. Thresh's remarks at the conference, and to say that in
pursuance of his action a subsequent conference has been held in
London, and the deputation of the M.O.H.'s and those interested
visited Battersea where humanized milk is prepared under the supervision
of the M.O.H. for the Borough.
There is every hope that your authority will receive material help
in this direction from some of the gentlemen who are engaged in the
milk industry in your district, and that before August is with us
humanized milk will be procurable for infant feeding and the prevention
of Infantile Diarrhoea.