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Diarrhœa Prevention.—On the 20th July, 1898, when Diarrhoea was prevalent,
the Vestry approved of the following report, and notice for circulation. Diarrhoea
is not a notifiable disease, and therefore the cases are only known after a fatal
issue, as certified by the death returns. The course has been adopted of sending
half-a-dozen copies of the notice to the person in charge of the deceased patient
for distribution to other mothers and nurses in the house.
Health Department,
13th July, 1898
To the Health Committee of the Vestry of St. Pancras.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen,
Diarrhoea.
In accordance with the instructions of your Committee, I beg to submit
the appended draft notice in reference to Diarrhoea, based upon the following
facts.
In London about 3,000 persons die on an average, in the course of a year, from
Diarrhoea; in some years the number rises to over 4,000. in others it falls to
under 1,800.
Of every 100 of these persons about 72 are infants under 1 year of age, about
13 are children of 1 year, and about 3 are children of ages two, three, and four
years, and the remainder are of persons of various ages scattered through life
to seventy-five and upwards.
Diarrhoea is therefore especially fatal to infants under one year, and over
seven-tenths of these infantile deaths occur during the third quarter of the year,
and especially when the temperature, measured by a thermometer buried four feet
underground, rises above 56° Fahrenheit, this form of the disease being known as
"Summer Diarrhoea."
This form of Diarrhoea owes its origin to errors in food and feeding, and
therefore the means of prevention is by observing proper rules of diet, as
Diarrhoea once started in an infant in hot weather is difficult to arrest and rapidly
runs to a fatal termination.
I have, &c.,
John F. J. Sykes,
Medical Officer of Health.
NOTICE AS TO DIARRHŒA.
For distribution to Mothers, and others having charge of Infants and Children.
Saint Pancras, London.—Health Department.
DIARRHŒA.
Diarrhœa is rapidly fatal to infants and young children. The younger an
infant, the more liable it is to be attacked by diarrhoea, and the more liable to die