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62
From this table it will be seen that :—
150 or 33.5 per cent, of the cases were fed on
breast milk (compared with 17 per cent, in
deaths due to epidemic diarrhoea.)
127 or 27.3 per cent, of the cases were fed wholly
or partly upon artificial milk.
182 or 39.1 per cent, of the cases were fed wholly
or partly on cows' milk.
It will therefore be seen that the manner of feeding in the
infants who died of epidemic diarrhœa is open to more criticism
than those dying of other diseases. The percentages as to
accommodation are much the same:140 deaths or 30.1 per cent
occurred in one-roomed dwellings, and 359 in all, or 77.2 per cent,
occurred in homes of two or less than two rooms.
(c) Relation to Housing and Poverty.
Of the 82 deaths of epidemic diarrhœa under consideration—
25 or 30.5 per cent, occurred in one-roomed dwellings.
34 or 41.4 ,, „ two-roomed „
11 or 13.4 ,, „ three-roomed ,,
12 or 14.6 „ „ four or more roomed
dwellings.
It is therefore evident that upwards of 70 per cent, of these
deaths occurred in dwellings of not more than two rooms.
Further it must be said that, broadly, the fatal cases have occurred
in houses characterised by poverty, uncleanliness, and more or less
overcrowding. In 17 cases the mother was constantly employed
away from home, and presumably the child may have suffered from
an increased degree of maternal neglect. But maternal neglect
and ignorance does not appear to be rare. Eight of the deaths
were of illegitimate children. There can be little doubt that the
fatality follows the actual occurrence of the disease, and, therefore,
presumably we must conclude as follows :—
That e/ridemic diarrhoea in Finshury mostly affects the children
of the very poor, who lire surrounded by uncleanliness, in overcrowded
conditions, and in houses overcrowded per acre.