View report page

I may repeat here the comment I have made with slight variations
in every annual report, viz. : —That there is a very close connection
between infantile mortality and summer heat. Although
infants suffer considerably from pulmonary diseases in winter,
there is no doubt that the warm season is much the most dangerous,
and it is during this time of year that hundreds are swept away
by diarrhœal diseases. If it were not for these the infantile mortality
would soon fall to a minimum with little variation from year to
year. An examination of the above table in conjunction with table
H will illustrate my remarks. In the summer of 1912, the weekly
average temperature of the air was 55.23 and in 1913 it was 58.2
and the weekly number of deaths from diarrhœa during the same
period was double in 1913 to what it was in 1912. Diarrhœa
is a disease which is liable to be conveyed from child to child,
and is no doubt due to contamination of food. The opinion is
now becoming prevalent that this contamination which is mostly
in the shape of micro-organisms is bourne by flies. At the time of
writing, the Council have issued a handbill which will be distributed
to every house in the Borough on the importance of the destruction
of flies and a detailed report will be given on the subject in the next
annual report.