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Among the preventible causes are—Diarrhoea, Premature Birth,
Wasting Diseases such as Atrophy, Debility, and Marasmus,
Suffocation in bed with parents, Measles, Hooping Cough,
Pneumonia and Bronchitis.
By this it is not meant that every child who is taken ill with
one of the foregoing ailments should necessarily recover, but, on
the contrary, that by well directed and well reasoned measures
the children should be prevented from having these affections, or
if they do eventually suffer, that the attack should be deferred
until a later period of life, when the children are stronger, more
resistant and more capable of withstanding the onslaught of
disease.
Measles caused 23 deaths—chiefly in the first three months of
life. This disease is very fatal to young children, especially in
June and December. The longer the attack is deferred, that is,
the older the child is when it has the measles, the less likely it is
to succumb.
Children over 5 years stand it very much better than children
under 5 years—indeed, 90 percent. of the deaths amongst children
occur under 5 years.
It is difficult to convince the average British householder that
measles is an affection that should be dealt with seriously.
It is quite common still to find when a household has been
attacked by measles that the other children, who have not had it
and even the children of neighbouring families, are brought into
the sick room so that they, too, may receive the formal baptism
of the complaint and have done with it once and for all.
The usual remedy, if any at all is adopted, is saffron and brandy.
It is uncommon to find a doctor in attendance.
The parents regard the disappearance of the rash as an index
that all danger is at an end, little knowing that this heralds the
most critical time of all. When the rash has gone, the child may
be taken out in all weathers and exposed to trying conditions—