Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-11-27
City Has Great
Infant Death Rate
Rate For State Generally Lower Than
Last Year-MOre Births
Are Recorded.

Richmond, Nov. 27-Dr. w. A.
Picker, State Registrar of Vital Sta
tistics, gives out the following i'm
POI tant information as to the infant
death rate in Virginia:
There were 1922 deaths of infants
under one year of age reported to the
Virginia Bureau of Vital Statistics
for 1921. This is eleven more than
for 1920, but as there We're 1929
more births reported in 1927 than in
1920, The rate per 900 iii really low
er, being 70 as compared with SO
Tor 1920.
Infant deaths thus constitute the
most important groSp from a stand
point OF NUMBERS, with tuberculosis
IrOm al causes coming second, with
5,II6 deaths. DR.. flecker believes
mat nearly halt OF the infant NOR
tally could be avoided II parents
would inform themselves by applying
tOr information TO his bareau, or TO
Local health boarcs. he bases this
estimate upon the death rate In New
Zealand, as island country, composed
or an English population somewhat
less than That OF Virginia. Ihe latest
INFANT death rate available In New
Zealand Is 10, with some towns much
oelOW this ligure, although 1T Is not
claimed that the best possible results
nave as get been reached.
Discussing the situation in Virginia
IL. decker says: Four cities nave
rates below the - State rate. These
arc Radtord, al; Koanake, 10; Buena
vista, IL; and Lynchburg, IS. Dan
Vile is Just beyond the State rate,
with Z rate Of 81. SIX cities range
from 30 to 80, as follows: Alexandra,
30: Norfolk, 81; Fredericksburg and
S.aunton, "; Richmond and Clifton
Forge, -. Cities with nigh rates
are Newport News, 101; BRISTOL and
Portsmouth, 1903; naTlotteSWlle, l23
Winchester, lZ9; and petersburg, l5l.
Petersburg ana Portsmouth have a
large percentage OF births attended
Oy miQwiveS, according to Dr.. Pleck-
er. Many infants so delivered died
soon after or at the time Of birth,
81 being whrte and 80 black in Peters
burg, with 10 white and 81 black IN
portsmouth. IN certain mountain
counties, whore midwives attend most
of the births, there is an unusually
ncavy infant mortality. in Buchanan
county, for example, one-third OF the
deaths are OF infants. For the State
II large the percentage is about one
htCh. Win regard TO the low rate
III kadford, Dr. Picker believes this
IS probably due, net so much to es-
peclaly favorable conditions there, as
10 pCOr infant death registration.
AS the INFANT death rate is not bas-
ed upon population, but upon the num-
olr OF births reported, when physl-
can COR mlCwlfe) tails to make such
report, distinct injustice IS done TO
he locality by making it appear to
have high infant mortality. New
( Zealand has gained a greater reputa-
tlOn from its low infant death rate
than from all Jther sources combln-
ed. Chile; on the other hand, has an
infant death rate of 500 per 1000
births, or nearly one out OF three:
Inc law places upon the heads OF
families the responsibility of seeing
mat the attendant reports the birth.
/ The State Bureau of Vital Salslcs
has sent birth card to the parents OF
eyery child born since June Ii, 1912
/ if born IN wedlock, correctly reported,
ana the mailing address IS given OF
/ the certificate.
The bureau desires to cooperate III
every manner in seeing that the birth
! and death lists are accurately kept II
all parts and UNITS of the State. 1t is
also exceedingly glad to supply citi-
zcus with free literature on the prop
er care Of infants, as well as literature
on prenatal care of child and mother