London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Lambeth 1896
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Lambeth, The Vestry of the Parish of]
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59
DIARRHŒA.
During the year 1896 there were registered in Lambeth
152 deaths from Diarrhœa, as compared with 263 during
1895, and an average of 187.7 for the last 10 years Of these
152 deaths, 141 (i e., 928 per cent.) were in children under
five years, and 125 [i.e., 82.2 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, 63°.4; July, 65°.2; August, 59°.2; September,
56°.7; and October, 46°.5; whilst the 4-ft. earth
thermometer registered 56° F. on June 7th, rising to
63°.8 F. on July 25th, and sinking to 56° F. again on
October 3rd. 56° F. is the so-cailed "critical'' earth
temperature for Diarrhoea, i.e., the temperature at which
the germs of this particular disease begin to multiply and
prove themselves dangerous.*
Age mortalities from Diarrhoea were as follows : —
| Age. | Total Deaths. M. F. | Percentage of Total Deaths from Diarrhœa | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 66 | 59 | 125 | 82.2 |
| 1 to 5 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 10.5 |
| 5 to 20 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.7 |
| 20 to 40 | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 40 to 60 | — | 2 | 2 | 1.3 |
| Over 60 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 5.3 |
| Total | 76 | 76 | 152 | 100.0 |
* The 4-fcot 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.