Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, Metropolitan Borough of]
This page requires JavaScript
diarrhcea. 35
for the ten years 1892-1901 (0.72). The rates for the Borough and the Registration SubDistricts
are set out below:—
Death rates from Diarrhoea per 1 ,000 persons at all ages.
Mean Rates. | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Ten years. | Five years. | Five years. | ||
1902 | 1892-1901 | 1892-1896 | 1897-1901 | |
Borough | 0.36 | 0.72 | 0.57 | 0.86 |
St. Mary | 0.43 | 0.85 | 0.66 | 1.04 |
St. John | 0.22 | 0.20 | 0.23 | 0.29 |
North-West Paddington | 0.89 | 0.71 | 1.07 |
During the ten years 1,027 deaths were due to diarrhoea in the whole Borough, of which
82'! were deaths at ages under one year. The average numbers of deaths in the ten years
and each quinquennium are given below, both for diarrhoea and for enteritis*:—
Deaths at ages under One Year.
Diarrhoea. | Enteritis. | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Averages. | Averages. | |||||||
1902 | 1892-01 | 1892-90 | 1897-01 | 1902 | 1892-01 | 1892-90 | 1897-01 | |
Borough | 44 | 82 | 68 | 97 | 20 | 33 | 23 | |
St. Mary | 37 | 62 | 50 | 75 | 23 | 24 | 18 | 31 |
St. John | 3 | 7 | 6 | 8 | — | 2 | ||
North-West Paddington | 4 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 8 |
The deaths from these causes are always in excess during the third quarter of the year.
Thus of 70 deaths recorded at ages under one year in 1902, 50 occurred in the third quarter,
while in 1901, out of 124 deaths during the twelve months, 100 took place in the same
quarter. The great difference in the numbers for the two years suggested an inquiry as to
the cause of the disparity. The two factors, apart from artificial feeding, which are generally
held to be effective, are high temperatures of air and soil, and rainfall, an excess of the
latter favouring a decline, and of the former, an increase in the mortality. The figures for
the two years are contrasted below, but they cannot be said to do more than indicate a much
closer connection between high temperatures and mortality than between mortality and
rainfall. The matter is being inquired into more particularly.
Deaths from Diarrhœa and Enteritis* at Ages under One Year.
3rd Quarter. | Deaths recorded. | Temperature. | Rainfall inch. | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Air | Earth at 3ft. | ||||||
Mean. | Maximum. | ||||||
Weeks. | 1-4 | 1902 | 5 | 61.5 | 60.25 | 1.15 | |
1901 | 64.6 | 87.9 | 62.50 | 2.35 | |||
5-10 | 1902 | 59.3 | 79.0 | 59.80 | 2.57 | ||
1901 | 65 | 62.6 | 84.2 | 63.20 | |||
11-13 | 1902 | 29 | 56.5 | 75.1 | 58.97 | 2.19 | |
1901 | 17 | 56.3 | 76.9 | 60.21 | 1.36 | ||
Whole Quarter. | 1902 | 50 | 59.1 | 59.69 | 5.91 | ||
1901 | 100 | 87.9 | 62.06 | 6.02 | |||
* In this case no distinction is made between epidemic enteritis and enteritis. |