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National Health Week.—As in 1912, during the celebration of the National
Health Week in 1913 (April 6th—13th), special attention was directed to the question
of infantile mortality and its prevention.
The Borough Council was as usual represented on the Committee organizing the
work, the representatives being the Mayor (Edward Penton, Esq., J.P.), the Chairman
of the Public Health Committee (Sir Horatio H. Shephard) and the Medical Officer
of Health.
A number of lectures were given throughout the Borough, and demonstrations
were arranged at the infant consultations, the Cleansing Station and elsewhere.
Great assistance was obtained from the clergy of the various denominations; and
all the organizations in the Borough, dealing in any way with Public Health, took an
active part.
The work done during the week had the effect of bringing more prominently into
evidence what is being done in the Borough in relation to health, not only of infants,
but generally, and it is certain that in future celebrations, a considerable part will be
played by St. Marylebone.
DEATHS IN RELATION TO DISEASE.
Under this heading it is proposed to consider somewhat fully some of the causes
which contributed most largely to the death rate during the year. A list of the causes,
with the ages at which death occurred will be found in Table III of the Local
Government Board Series on page 99. Table III(a) on the following page shows
the distribution of deaths according to cause in the various registration sub-districts.
Diarrhœal Diseases.
The deaths included in this group are those registered as due to diarrhoea and
enteritis (inflammation of the bowels). The total number of these was 33, equal to 2.2
per 1,000 of the total deaths, and 0.30 per 1,000 of the population.
In 1912, the deaths numbered 26 and it was taken that the smallness of the
figure was the result largely of climatic conditions, the summer being a particularly
cold and wet one.
The summer of 1913 was on the whole a pleasant one and in comparison with
1912, 1913 was a "diarrhœa" year. Had there been any marked increase in the
number of deaths from diarrhœa, as a matter of fact, there would have been no
hesitation in placing a large part of the increase to the credit of the weather.
The increase being trivial—only by 7—despite the favourableness of the weather,
there is every justification for arriving at the conclusion, already stated, that the
work which is being done in the Borough is having some effect.
Without hesitation, indeed, it may be said that the activity which has been shown
in the Borough during the last few years, in improving sanitation and educating the
inhabitants, is beginning to produce results.