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These figures indicate a marriage rate of 15.7 per
thousand, as against 17.8 in the County of London.
DEATHS OF INFANTS.
More than one-fourth (25.9 per cent.) of the total
deaths at all ages were those of infants under one year;
these numbered 599, giving an infantile death rate of
148.5 per thousand births, a very considerable increase
on the figure for 1910, which was 1226. The general
metropolitan rate has also risen to 129, as against 103
for the previous year.
A comparison of the causes of infantile mortality
in 1911 with those of the previous year, shows an
abnormal increase in one particular disease, namely,
Diarrhoea, the number of infantile deaths from which
nearly trebled those of the preceding year. As is well
known, there was during the autumn an epidemic of
this disease, due to the combination of heat and drought.
I think there can be no doubt that the disease was
spread by microbe-laden dust gaining access to the
vessels in which infants' food was prepared or stored.