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54
DIARRHŒA.
During the year 1897 there were registered in Lambeth
238 deaths from Diarrhoea, as compared with 152 during
1896, and an average of 179.1 for the last 10 years. Of
these 238 deaths, 224 (i.e., 941 per cent.), were in children
under five years, and 197 (i.e., 82.8 per cent.) in infants
under one year of age. July and August were the most
fatal months (see Table Q), though the disease was prevalent
also during June, September and October. In this connection,
it is interesting to note that the mean monthly air
temperature was in June, 61.1°; July, 64.5°; August, 62.9°;
September, 55.2°; and October, 51.0°; whilst the 4-ft. earth
thermometer registered 56° F. on June 16th, rising to a
maximum 62.2° F. on July 28th, and sinking to 56° F. again
on October 7th. 56° F. is the so-called "critical" earth
temperature for Diarrhœa, i.e., the temperature at which
the germs of this particular disease begin to multiply and
prove themselves dangerous.*
Age mortalities from Diarrhœa were as follows:—
Age
Total Deaths.
Percentage of
Total Deaths
from Diarrhœa
M.
F.
Total.
Under 1 year
109
88
197
82.8
1 to 5
14
13
27
11.3
5 to 20
—
1
1
0.4
20 to 40
1
—
1
0.4
40 to 60
1
1
2
0.9
Over 60
5
5
10
4.2
Total
130
108
238
100.0
* The 4-ft. earth temperatures were taken in Regent's Park, and I beg
to acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. Wm. Marriott, of the Royal
Meteorological Society, for the information in connection therewith.