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12. Have any addresses or courses Lectures and Health Talks are given at
ot instruction been given Mothers' Meetings. Also courses of
bearing on child hygiene ? instruction at the Mothers' Clubs by
official and voluntary visitors.
CHARLES PORTER,
Medical Officer of Health.
Public Health Office, 12th February, 1913.
St. Marylebone, W.
DEATHS IN RELATION TO DISEASE.
As usual under this heading consideration is given to some of the causes which
have contributed most largely to the death rate during the year. A list of these will
be found in Table III of the Local Government Board series which will be found at
page 106. This gives also the ages at which deaths occurred. Table 111(a) shows
the distribution of deaths according to cause in the various registration sub-districts.
Diarrhceal Diseases.
The total number of deaths from these diseases, which include diarrhoea and
enteritis (inflammation of the bowel), was 26, 1'5 per 1,000 of the total deaths. The
death rate per 1,000 of the population from these causes was 0"22.
In 1911, which was noted as a "diarrhoea" year, the total number of deaths was
92, and the death rate 0"82 per 1,000.
The marked improvement in 1912 was to a great extent due to the fact that the
weather was much more favourable. The summer was notably cool and wet, and
when such conditions exist they are always associated with a comparatively small
number of deaths from diarrhceal diseases and a low diarrhoea death rate.
Of the 26 deaths, 25 occurred amongst children less than two years old. This
unfortunately, is a common experience, the diarroehal diseases being notoriously
common amongst infants and unfortunately too often the cause of death amongst
them.
Much of the work which is done by the Women Inspectors and The Health
Society and its workers has for its object the prevention of diarrhoea amongst infants.
All the year round, but more especially in the early summer months, the disease
occurring most commonly in summer, efforts are put forth to impress upon mothers the
fact that the disease is an infectious one, that babies are very liable to infection, that
infection is carried by dirt of all kinds, and that the best way to protect their babies is
by being scrupulously clean themselves, by keeping their babies clean and giving
them nothing that is not clean.
That the disease is a highly dangerous one, liable to come on suddenly, and not
unlikely to cause death in a comparatively short time after it commences, is also
impressed upon the mothers.