1:08:02
to a disturbing phenomenon
that's been puzzling both
doctors and police this week.
1:08:07
The mysterious deaths of numbers of
babies in the kind of circumstances
1:08:11
that coroners are fond
of terming "misadventure".
1:08:14
At the turn of the century,
the infant mortality rate
stoodata staggering 34per cent.
1:08:20
In 1945 it dropped to 16 per cent.
1:08:23
And nowadays it's been cutback to under
two per cent. That is, until last week.
1:08:28
In Greater London, 17 babies
have died in the last seven days,
1:08:32
with a further 14 deaths reported
from Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester,
1:08:37
Leeds and Liverpool. These may
not sound unduly high figures,
1:08:41
but nationwide they represent
a chilling 15 to 20 per cent increase
1:08:46
-in the mortality rate.
-Harvey...
1:08:48
-Details are still
sketchy at the moment.
-It's just a coincidence, that's all.
1:08:53
..except one - in every case
the victim has been a baby boy.
1:08:58
To throw further light on the subject,
I have with me Dr Richard Philmore
1:09:02
from the Ministry of Health
and Social Security.
1:09:05
-Tell me, what explanation do you have?
-Barbara?
1:09:09
It's too soon for us
to make any statement,
1:09:12
but Id like to correct you
on a point that you just made.
1:09:15
It really is quite inaccurate
to speak of a 20 per centrise
1:09:19
in the infant mortality rate index.
1:09:22
Our statistics are based on annual
averages and not on weekly fluctuations.
1:09:28
But you admit there's been
an unexplained increase in
the deaths among baby boys?
1:09:33
A rise, but nothing compared
to the rise you'd expect to find
during, say, a flu epidemic.
1:09:38
Surely, Dr. Philmore,
we're not talking about a flu epidemic.
1:09:41
We're talking about
household burns, drownings,
1:09:45
car accidents, suffocation,
food poisonings, electrocution.
1:09:49
Scotland Yard has assured us
that in their opinion there
is no question of foul play
1:09:53
in any of the mortalities reported.
Forgive me if I speak bluntly,
1:09:57
but your kind of scaremonger reporting
is the kind of behaviour