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41
Infant mortality is usually recorded in comparison with the
number of births. The total number of infants who died before they
reached the age of one year during 1909 was 1,078, equal to an infant
death-rate of 123 per 1,000 births. The rate during the past 10
years was 159 per 1,000 births. Nearly one-fifth of these infants
died within a week of birth, and one-third died within a month.
Notification of Births Act, 1907.—The adoption of this
Act by the Council on 14th January, 1908, received the sanction of
the Local Government Board and came into operation in the Borough
on 9th March, 1908.
The Act provides for the notification in writing of every birth,
whether still-born or otherwise, to the Medical Officer of Health
within 36 hours of its occurrence by the father if he is actually
residing in the house or by any person in attendance upon the
mother at the time of or within 6 hours after the birth. The Act
also provides for the inspection by the Registrars of Births and
Deaths of the register kept or notifications received, and has been of
much assistance to the Registrars in enabling them to check false
information and false addresses.