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71
Age and Sex. The age and sex distribution of the fatal cases
follows that which is usually found in epidemics of the kind. The
high mortality among infants under one year of age, nearly 83 per
cent, of the total, and the large proportion of males (at this age the
more delicate sex) among these, are also features that are commonly
observed. That the age when infants are most dependent on their
mother's skill and care for protection from outside evil influence,
should be that in which they suffer most, is an observation of very
grave significance.
Employment of Women. The percentage of married or
widowed women occupied, to the total of married or widowed
women in the district, is only 9.4 per cent, quite a low figure, as is
also that of unmarried girls employed to the total living from 10
years old and upwards, viz. 42 per cent. Indeed, so far as the
number of employed women is concerned, the figures for Edmonton
compare very favourably with those of any other district in the
county. Among the 121 fatal cases under enquiry 19 were children
of mothers who were otherwise employed than in their own housewot
k. This gives, in the group of our population concerned with
these deaths, 15 per cent, of women employed, as against 9.4 per
cent, of such women in the general population. Of course the
figures with which I am dealing are much too small to justify conclusions
being drawn from them, but it is, perhaps, suggestive that
this increased percentage of employed women should be found
among mothers of children who have died from diarrhoea.