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30
Diarrhœa and Enteritis.—Acute or infective Diarrhœa is usually
associated with hot weather but notwithstanding the prolonged warm
and dry weather which prevailed it was not until the middle of July that
any increase occurred in the number of deaths, and this increase tallied
with the observations of the late Dr. Ballard, that the rise in mortality
from infective diarrhoea does not commence until the temperature of
the earth, as recorded by the 4 ft. earth thermometer, has reached 56 deg.
Fahr., no matter how high the atmospheric temperature may be. In
1921 it was not until the week ending July 9th that the mean temperature
of the earth at a depth of 4 ft. at Greenwich was 55.9 deg., the next week
the deaths in London rose from 12 to 30, and gradually rose higher in
subsequent weeks. Why this should be so is not known, but as this
complaint is almost entirely confined to young children who are artificially
fed, it suggests that their food is more liable to be contaminated at that
time, through infected dust being blown on to it or being conveyed to
it through the agency of flies. Diarrhœa occurs as a cause of death at
other seasons of the year and is then due to the effects of chill or more often
to defects in the digestive functions from debility or improper feeding.
Of the 33 deaths ascribed to diarrhœa, 28 were of infants under 2 years
of age and of these 5 were not of the infective variety, 1 death was of a
child between 2 and 5, and the remaining 4 were adults. The rate of
deaths under 2 years of age was 14.5 per 1,000 births in Westminster,
21*3 for all London. It was expected that the death rate would have
been higher, as in 1911 when the proportion of deaths under 2 years of
age per 1,000 births was 47.5. It is not improbable that the extensive
use of dried milk has had an influence, and possibly also the altered conditions
of traffic now existing as compared with the year 1911.
Chichenpox and Mumps were prevalent throughout the year, 119
cases of the former and 278 of the latter being notified from schools.
Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—21 cases were notified, but 4 others came
to the knowledge of the Department through the Health Visitors. There
were also 10 cases of slight inflammation without discharge. No permanent
injury resulted, except in one case in which there was a slight
scar. Ten of the infants were born in Institutions, 5 were illegitimate,
and 4 eventually died, 2 from broncho-pneumonia at 2 months and
6 months, and 2 from syphilis at 1 month and 3 months. Thirteen
children were treated in Hospital.
Plague.—Intimation was received of 38 persons coming into Westminster
from places or ships where plague had occurred.