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61
Taking the statistics of the Parish and the Borough for
the 4 quinquennia 1891-1895, 1896-1900, 1901-1905, and
1906-1910 respectively, when the yearly averages for
diarrhœa (and cholera) were 191.6, 219.4, 208.6 and 140.2,
a comparison may be made of the variations in the
incidence of these diseases.
Of the 166 deaths registered, during 1913, in the Borough,
162 (i.e., 97.6 per cent.) were in children under 5 years,
and 131 (i.e., 78.9 per cent.) in infants under 1 year of
age. July, August, September and October were the most
fatal months, and, during this period of 4 months, the incidence
of diarrhœa (deaths per 10,000 of the population)
upon the Inner Districts was proportionately greater than
that upon the Outer Districts. In this connection, it is
interesting to note that the 4ft. earth thermometer first
registered 56 deg. F. on June 18th, rising to a maximum
60.3 deg. F. on September 4th, and sinking to 56 deg. F.
again on October 19th. 56 deg. F. is the so-called
“critical” earth temperature for diarrha, ie., the temperature
at which the germs of this disease begin to multiply,
and prove themselves dangerous.* Hence its importance,
statistically, in connection with diarrhœa, a disease which,
though it kills chiefly young children, attacks at times
persons of all ages—a fact not generally recognised.

*The 4-ft. earth temperatures were taken in Regent's Park, and thanks
are due to the Secretary of the Royal Botanic Society for the information
in connection therewith.