Possibly avoidable deaths in hospital in the age-group one week to two years.

Abstract

In a complete analysis of all infant deaths in hospital between the ages of 1 week and 2 years, over a two and a half year period in Sheffield 21 children (26%) were found to have died from treatable diseases. 15 (71%) of these children were admitted moribund but had shown no difference in preadmission clinical features from a group of children admitted with similar diseases but surviving. The essential difference between the infants who died and those who survived was in the adequacy of medical care before admission.