View report page

28
DIARRHŒAL DISEASES.
(Deaths 103. Decennial average 113.)
I have always exercised care in the classification of diarrhœa
deaths for the purposes of these reports, but it must be borne in
mind that diarrhœa is merely a symptom and may be due to various
causes. Where, from the wording of the death certificate, it was
clear that one of these causes contributed, the word diarrhœa has
been disregarded and the death classified under the proper heading.
As the practice amongst medical officers has not been sufficiently
uniform to admit of comparison of diarrhœa mortalities, distinct
instructions have recently been received from the Local Government
Board. They are as follows:—
Under the heading of "Diarrhœa" are to be included
deaths certified as from diarrhoea alone or in combination with
some other cause of ill-defined nature, and also deaths certified
as from—
Epidemic enteritis.
Zymotic enteritis.
Epidemic diarrhœa (summer diarrhœa).
Dysentery and dysenteric diarrhœa.
Choleraic diarrhoea and English cholera.
Under the heading of "Enteritis" are to be included those
certified as from gastro-enteritis, muco-enteritis, and gastric
catarrh, unless from information obtained by enquiry from the
certifying practitioner, or otherwise, the Medical Officer of
Health should have reason for including such deaths, especially
those of infants, under the specific term "Diarrhœa" Deaths
from diarrhœa secondary to some other well-defined disease
should be included under the latter.
The deaths from diarrhœal disease, classified in accordance with
these instructions, numbered 103, and were slightly below the
average. All except eight were amongst young children, and formed
a mortality of 5.27 on the estimated population of young children
under five.