Research data from the enquiry into Sudden Death in Infancy, primarily consisting of completed forms and medical reports. Includes sociological data, post-mortem and microbiology/bacteriology reports, completed survey data forms for the study, forms completed for coroner inquests and a small amount of correspondence relating to the study and report. Much of the data is name identified and relates to infants who died, and infants who lived that were included in the study for study control purposes, and their families. The study was carried out in the 1950s and early 1960s and the data was retained by Dr Robert Carpenter who was the epidemiologist working on the study. The collection includes three 3.5 inch floppy disks expected to contain data analysis dating from the 1990s using spreadsheet and social research data analysis software.



Comprises folders numbered as follows:


10380/1: Pathological Transcription Sheets, together with a note from Carpenter, ‘Transcription sheets of cot death cases removed for JH Roger [? Royce]’, 1969;


10380/2-5: Pathological Transcription Sheets, 1958-1963;


10380/6-10: Cot Death Sociological Transcription Sheets, N65-N152;


10380/11-14: Cot Death Sociological Transcription Sheets, S79-S153 [S134-S136 not present];


10380/15-18: Sudden Death in Infancy forms, N65-N140;


10380/19-21: Sudden Death in Infancy forms, N141-N194 [N144, N154, N162, N165, N170, N177, N179, N181-N182, N187, N193 not present];


10380/22-26: Sudden Death in Infancy forms, S79-S153 [S108, S121, S134-S136 not present];


10380/27-29: Sudden Death in Infancy forms, S156-S177 [S154-S155, S158, S160-S161, S164-S165, S169, S171, S175-S176 not present] and serial numbers 1-42 [15, 23-26, 33 not present].


103080/30 Typed reproduction of blank data collection form. Shows type and range of data collected.


10380/31 Post mortem and health visitor reports, 1954 and 1959. Description in note: 'Example of post mortem examination performed by Prof. Max Barrett'. Photocopy of document titled 'Investigations into the causes of sudden death in infancy', a list of cases known to various agencies taking part in the investigation - listed in order of date of death, starting in 1954.


10380/32 Duplicated copy of document titled 'Investigations into the causes of sudden death in infancy' (another copy in 10380/31). Post-mortem examination reports, microbiology reports, correspondence and data collection forms, 1954-1955.


10380/33 Completed post-mortem and social data forms, N35 and S3.


10380/34 Completed post-mortem and social data forms, S27-29, S33, S36 and S40.


10380/35 Completed post-mortem and social data forms, S32, S6, S25, S37, S23, N19, N18. Microbiology report N35.


10380/36 Completed post-mortem and social data forms, S23, N21, S32, and S34 (includes additional correspondence)


10380/37 3.5 inch floppy disks expected to store digital data/analysis including Excel and other format data, 1990s.


10380/39 Post mortem and social data forms N17, N20, N22, N25 and N27. Last page of a post-mortem examination report with no identifying data.


10380/40 Post mortem and social data forms N27-33 [N32 not present]
10308/41 Another version of document titled 'Investigations into the causes of sudden death in infancy' [see also 10380/31 and 10380/32] with annotations on the allocation of each case to histology and bacteriological group and other notes in pencil. Handwritten explanation of the groups on back of form, extending to further sheets. Probable draft/proposal for data collection form for study of 'control' infants, adaptation of form used in cases of infant death, last page attached to last page of completed post-mortem and social data form, N34. Typescript of draft form titled 'Enquiry into sudden death in infancy' annotated in pencil 'Control children'. Correspondence between researchers and lists covering disucssion of cases to be excluded from study.
10380/42 Data collection forms sent to Coroner's Office for inquest: N26, N1-7, N9 (includes request form for missing data). All except N26 include health visitor information on reverse. Post-mortem and bacteriological report data forms N8, S1 (includes request for missing data). Data collection form S2 sent to Coroner's Office re inquest, including correspondence from Coroner's Officer.


10380/43 Data collection forms sent to Coroner's Office re inquests: S4-11 [S6 not present]. Some inlcude post-mortem, bacteriological, pathology and health visitor reports and requests for further information.


10380/44 Data collection forms sent to Coroner's Office re inquests: S12-17. Include health visitor, post-mortem and bacteriological reports.


10380/45 Post-mortem and social data forms S21-26 [S23 not present]


10380/46 Bacteriological and post-mortem reports for cases not included in survey: 84/1954, 85/1954, 168/1954, 14/1955, 115/1955, 190/1955. Reports annotated 'not in survey' also correspondence from Barbara Heslop (Research Fellow).


10380/47 Correspondence from Barbara Heslop concerning cases at Great Ormond Street, Coventry, and bacteriological and post-mortem reoports: 31/1954, 32/1954, 53, 1954, 56/1954, 61/1954, 67/1954, 68/1954, 75/1954.