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98
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
at that age, compared with 12 per cent. in 1910, 15 per cent. ir 1909,
19 per cent. in 1908, 13.8 per cent. in 1907, 33 per cent. in 1906,
21.1 per cent. in 1905, and 28.8 per cent. in 1904, so that the increase
of the mortality under one year was due to the ircrease in the
number of deaths of infants from the above causes.
In the Chart which is this year inserted, the number of deaths
and their relation to temperature and rainfall is graphically shown.
It will be seen from these that in 1909 and 1910, when the
temperature was below the average of the last 65 years in the
three months, July, August and September, and when the rainfall
was above the average, the number of deaths was small, whereas in
1911, when the temperature was much above the average and the
rainfall below the average, the number of deaths from Diarrhoea
and Enteritis was large. In the Registrar General's Report it
was stated that the heat of the month of August was without
precedent in the records of the country, that with a few exceptions
the rainfall was everywhere deficient, and that a great excess of
sunshine was noticeable practically everywhere.
In the month of September the Report states that the first
12 days of the month were marked by three touches of unusual
warmth, and this is well seen in the Chart.
The rainfall also in London was low, and bright sunshine was
in excess of the average.
The Chart shows that the greatest number of deaths occurred
in August, and that on only one day during that month no death
occurred.
It can also be seen that only three deaths from Diarrhoea
occurred in July 1909, three in July 1910, and 14 in July 1911;
15 in August 1909, eight in August 1910, and 130 in August 1911;
27 in September 1909, 14 in September 1910, and 53 in September
1911.
These climatic conditions were most favourable to fly-life,
and from inquiries made in August and September it was found
that the house fly was present in very great numbers in all the
sub-districts. During the three months frequent inspections