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36
DIARRHŒA.
Deaths 173 (Decennial average, 90).
Diarrhoea was prevalent and very fatal during the
autumn; it was the cause of 173 deaths, a mortality
of 45.7 per thousand births, against 27.6 for the County
of London. The infantile deaths numbered 141, equal
to a mortality of 37.2 on the births.
MEASLES.
Deaths 70 (Decennial average, 80).
The mortality from Measles (though below the
average) advanced slightly during the year, rising from
59 to 70 deaths. All these, with the exception of three,
were amongst young children aged less than five years,
a mortality rate of 4.1 per thousand children under this
age. Simple Measles is rarely fatal; death, when it
occurs, is usually due to Broncho-pneumonia, and the
younger the sufferer the more serious is this complication,
as the diminutive bronchial tubes of an infant soon
become choked by the mucus secreted, thus practically
causing suffocation. During the year 703 cases of
Measles were reported to us by Head Teachers of
Elementary Schools; all were visited and such action
taken as was possible, but, as I have previously
remarked, this information comes too late to be of
practical use. Moreover, it is worthy of note that 86 of
these school reports proved to be inaccurate; either the
children reported were not suffering from Measles or
the address given was incorrect, so that many futile
visits were paid. All these troubles would disappear