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83
In the Inner Registration Sub-districts, the Diarrhœa deathrate
per 10,000 inhabitants was 13.5 as compared with 6.8 for
the Outer Districts i.e., 2 to 1—a condition of things which is
generally found to obtain, and which is readily understood when
the crowded state of the Inner Districts is remembered.
It will be noted that the 4-ft. earth temperature had a very
low register during 1903, and, as a natural consequence, the
Diarrhœa deaths were very few in number, exceptionally so.
During 1904, the 4-foot earth temperature was reached, at
a later date, but attained a higher maximum temperature, which
it maintained for a longer period, with the result that the
diarrhœa death-rate was increased from 5.2 to 8.7 per 10,000
population.
Under the heading of Diarrhœa have been classed the 4 deaths
of Cholera-Nostras registered, as there is no reason to regard
them otherwise than as deaths from "Summer Diarrhœa"; and
also the 89 deaths registered from "Enteritis," which represent a
decrease that is pro rata with the increase in the number of
"Diarrhœa" deaths, and is due to more exact nomenclature. The
yearly average number of deaths from Enteritis in the old Parish
of Lambeth for the 10 years 1891-1900 is 101.8. During recent
years there has been a marked improvement in the diagnosis
of deaths from diarrhœal diseases, so that, to obtain comparable
figures, attention should be paid not only to diarrhœa deaths
certified, but also to all deaths arising from diseases of an
enteritic nature, i.e., those in which the intestines are, more or
less, congested.
Comparison must be made with the corrected infantile
mortality rate for the Borough, which is 137.8 per 1,000 births
(vide p. 30).
The female Inspector has visited every house wherein a death
has taken place from Diarrhœa, with the result that valuable
statistics are being tabulated in connection therewith, and from
these statistics (when in sufficient numbers) important deductions
may be able, hereafter, to be drawn.