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Eight of the deaths of infants under 1 were of illegitimate children;
10 children had been delicate from birth; only 3 infants had been
entirely breast fed; 21 had been suckled at first for a week or two and
17 of these were subsequently fed on cow's milk (3 of the 17 were fed on
tinned milk after cow's milk had been tried), 3 on tinned milk, and 1 on
special diet; 8 had been put on to cow's milk at birth and two of these
eventually had tinned milk instead; 3 were put on tinned milk from
the first. Several mothers gave their children tinned milk instead of
cow's milk as the latter would not keep sweet; the quality of the tinned
milk was often unfit for the purpose of feeding an infant being condensed
separated milk, generally the tin was reserved for the baby until
finished so that it was liable to contamination by flies. In 3 instances
the child had been taken with its parents on their holiday and the
parents who in each case had been careful in preparing the milk at home,
were unable to take similar precautions while away.
In 5 instances the mother was out at work during the day and the
children did not get the necessary care. In many instances personal
infection is an important factor, and results from want of sufficient care
in attending to the cleanliness of those suffering from the complaint.
In 7 instances the general cleanliness of the home was found to be poor.
Of those dying between 1 and 3 years of age, 1 was born and
died in the infirmary, 1 was neglected by its mother, 4 had been
delicate from birth.
The presence of flies often in large numbers was noted by the
Visitors and Sanitary Inspectors towards the end of August, especially in
parts of Pimlico, in nearly every house in which there was diarrhoea.
Of the 5 adult persons who died from acute diarrhoea, 4 were
inmates of asylums or workhouses.
Deaths from other forms of enteritis were below the average; 12
were of infants; cold, improper feeding and defective powers of digestion
were the usual causes, whereas, in the form of diarrhcea which appears
in hot weather, it is the result of an infection.
Measles.—This disease was extremely prevalent in London from
November, 1910 to April, 1911. As a result of a conference between
the Medical Officer of the Local Government Board and the Metropolitan
Medical Officers of Health, the Board issued a memorandum in which
they stated that it had been arranged that early notification shall be given
by School Attendance Officers of all cases coming under their notice.
They point out that the information obtained must be followed up.
Probably many cases may prove not to be measles, and arrangements
should be made for obtaining a proper diagnosis, for securing proper
isolation and for urging on the parents the need of obtaining medical