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46
1909]
Now, these diarrheal diseases are largely influenced by earth temperature
and rainfall, for it is noticed that when the earth temperature is low and the
rainfall high the diarrhad diseases are few, and vice versa. This effect may be
seen in the following statement, which has been prepared by grouping together
the years in which the mortality rates in the third quarters most closely
approximated each other. It may be added that after this statement had
been prepared by the Medical Officer of Health he grouped together the
mortality figures for London for the years which he had grouped for Islington,
with the result that a similar effect was obtained, and he therefore added them
to the table.
Average Deaths under I year
to 1,000 Births.
Observations at Greenwich.
London.
Islington.
Temperature of
Earth at 3ft. 2 in.
Rainfall
in inches.
No. of Days on
which Rain fell.
118 961 59.7 7.9 43
163 1482 6O.2 7.5 44
170 1693 61.3 6.0 35
216 1914 61.8 6.3 37
230 23 45 62.9 4.7 32
In the first group the four years 1903, 1907, 1908 and 1909 are combined. In the second group
the four years 1888, 1894, 1902 and 1905 are combined In the third group the eight years 1889
1890, 1891, 1892 1895, 1900, 1901 and 1906 are combined. In the fourth group the four years 1885,
1896, 1897 and 1904 are combined; and in the fifth group the five years 1886, 1887, 1893, 1898 and
1899 are combined.
There can be no doubt, therefore, that given a moderate temperature, with
occasional cooling showers, it is almost certain that a low infantile mortality
will result. These facts are particularly interesting in Islington, for it was
Dr. Edward Ballard, its first Medical Officer of Health, who first pointed this
out; and it is a pleasant memory for the present holder of that office to
recollect that in Sunderland he worked with him for many months at intervals
on this question, when he was making his classic enquiry into the causes of
summer diarrhoea on behalf of the Local Government Board.