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62
Of the 82 deaths registered during 1912, in the Borough,
73 (i.e., 91.5 per cent, were in children under 5
years, and 64 (i.e., 78.05 per cent.) in infants, under
1 year of age. July, August, September and October
were the most fatal months, the numbers registered being
11, 21, 12 and 10 respectively, and, during this period of
4 months, the incidence of diarrhoea (deaths per 10,000
of the population) upon the Inner Districts was proportionally
greater than that upon the Outer Districts. In this connection,
it is interesting to note that the 4 ft. earth
thermometer first registered 56 deg. F. on June 19th, rising
to a maximum 61.2 deg. F. on July 23rd, remaining at that
temperature until August 2nd, and sinking to 56 deg. F.
again on September 29th. 56 deg. F. is the so-called
"critical" earth temperature for diarrhoea, i.e., the temperature
at which the germs of this disease begin to multiply,
and prove themselves dangerous.* Hence its importance,
statistically, in connection with diarrhœa, a disease which,
though it kills chiefly young children, attacks at times
persons of all ages—a fact not generally recognised.

*The 4-ft. earth temperatures were laken in Reeent's Park, and thanks
are due to the Secretary of the Royal Botanic Society for the information
in connection therewith.