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Of the total number of deaths under one year from diarrhoea 58
(i.e., 59 per cent.) were of infants between three and nine months
old.
The summer of 1911 will long be remembered as one of the
hottest and most prolonged summers in living memory. The
temperature reached over 90 deg. F. on several days, and a high
level of temperature was maintained during the months of July,
August and September. Very little rain fell during the whole
period. As is well known, a hot dry summer is invariably associated
with a high incidence and mortality from diarrhoea, especially
amongst infants and very young children, and the high mortality
from diarrhoeal diseases during 1911 as compared with the two
preceding years is to be ascribed mainly to the unfavourable
meteorological conditions prevailing during that year.
Notwithstanding the remarkable climatic conditions prevailing
during the summer of 1911, it is satisfactory to note that
the mortality as compared with previous years, cannot be considered
unduly abnormal. Taking the 5 years 1901-5, the average
number of deaths from diarrhoea was 137-8. While in the next
quinquennium 1906-10 the average number of deaths from the
disease was 77-4. The year 1906 which is included in this quinquennium
was also a very hot dry summer, but not so prolonged
as that of the year 1911. In 1906, 149 deaths were recorded in
Battersea from diarrhoea, a figure only slightly lower than that for
1911. It is apparent therefore that notwithstanding the occurrence
of unfavourable climatic conditions, there has been a marked
decrease in the death rate from this scourge of infant life due
cheifly to the persistent efforts of the Council.
In addition to the 159 deaths registered, as belonging to the
Borough, from summer diarrhoea or zymotic enteritis, there were
also registered 99 deaths from enteritis. A large proportion of
these 99 deaths were in all probability cases of epidemic or infective
diarrhoea. No less than 59 occurring in the third quarter of the
year when infective diarrhoea is most prevalent. Of the 99 deaths,
73 were of children under one year old.