Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]
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19
insufficiently cooled milk from dirty farms were the main cause of
the disease. It is also apparent that the connection between
diarrhoeal prevalence and the temperature of the soil is not so close
as Dr. Ballard supposed. Inverse relation of diarrhoea in wet
weather is also manifest from the following figures. In the third
quarter of 1903 there were 49 days on which rain fell, with only 22
deaths under one year from diarrhoeal diseases; in 1904 there were
28 wet days and 96 deaths under one year from diarrhoeal diseases,
while 1905, with 41 wet days, occupies an intermediate position with
55 deaths.
It will be seen from Table V. that diarrhoeal deaths were more
numerous at ages 0-3 months and 6-9 months than at other periods
under one year of age. This is contrary to previous experience, and
is perhaps the accidental result of dealing with a limited number of
observations.
During the year investigations were made by the three health
visitors into the method of feeding employed during the first six
months of life in respect to 1,383 infants who survived this length
of time.
The following is a summary of the figures :-
Entirely breast fed | 864 | 62 per cent. |
Breast and cow's milk | 116 | 8 per cent. |
Breast and other foods | 246 | 18 per cent. |
Cow's milk | 70 | 5 per cent. |
Condensed Milk | 40 | 3 per cent. |
Other prepared foods | 47 | 4 per cent. |
1383
Similar enquiries were made in respect to no deaths from all
causes and 18 deaths from "diarrhoeal" diseases occurring among
infants who survived for at least one week and died before reaching
six months.
The following is a summary of the figures
Deaths from all causes. | Diarrhoeal and Enteritis deaths. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Entirely breast fed | 69 | 63 per cent. | 6 | 33 per cent. |
Breast and cow's milk | 10 | 9 per cent. | 2 | 11 per cent. |
Breast and other foods | 9 | 8 per cent. | 0 | 0 per cent. |
Cow's milk | 9 | 8 per cent. | 3 | 17 per cent. |
Condensed milk | 8 | 7 per cent. | 7 | 39 per cent. |
Other prepared foods | 5 | 5 per cent. | 0 | 0 per cent. |
110 | 18 |