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38
2.—Non-Notifiable Diseases.
Chicken pox.
1,021 cases of chickenpox were notified voluntarily, in addition
to the 307 cases notified compulsorily under the Act, during the
period from March 27th to June 30th, 1918, inclusive.
Diarrhœa.
There has been a marked decrease in the number of corrected
deaths registered from diarrhoea—60, as compared with yearly
averages of 191.6, 219.4, 208.6, 140.2 and 178.2 during the five
quinquennia 1891-1895, 1896-1900, 1901-1905, 1906-1910 and 19111915,
respectively. Of the 60 deaths registered during 1918, 48,
i.e., 80 per cent., occurred amongst children under 5 years of age
and 35, i.e., 58.3 per cent., amongst infants under 1 year of age.
The 4 ft. earth thermometer first registered 56° F. on June 14th,
rising to a maximum of 61° F. on August 23rd and remaining at
such maximum until September 3rd, and sinking to 56° F. again
on October 4th. The readings of the 4 ft. earth thermometer
were taken in Regent's Park, and the information was obtained
through the courtesy of the Secretary of the Royal Botanical
Society.
46 corrected deaths (18 infants under 1 year of age) were registered
from enteritis.
Practical measures were again taken to prevent epidemic
diarrhoea (and other diseases) in infants and to promote hygienic
conditions in their feeding and environment, as follows:—
(a) Visiting of houses wherein births were notified under the
Notification of Births Act, 1907, or wherein deaths were
registered as having occurred from epidemic diarrhoea ;
(b) Teaching of proper feeding and care and management of
infants at the Infants Consultations Centre held at
66, York Road, and at the various other Welfare Centres,
which form the Lambeth Maternity and Child Welfare
Scheme;