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46
most patient researches have been made by men of the
greatest skill, little is at present known of its cause, and
thus it is impossible to direct any special preventive measures
against it.
Diarrhoea.
Thirty-one deaths were due to diarrhœa—24 among
children under one year of age, and 28 among children under
two years of age. Last year the total number of deaths from
this cause was five. The mortality from diarrhoea varies very
considerably from year to year, being at its highest in hot and
dry summers, and the exceptionally hot and dry weather
experienced during the summer of 1911 exacted a heavy
toll on the child life of the whole country. Epidemic
diarrhoea makes its greatest ravages in crowded areas, and
especially where insanitary conditions prevail. There is
considerable evidence to show that infantile diarrhoea is a
form of food-poisoning, breast-fed infants being remarkably
exempt. Milk, the stanle food of the child, is rendilv contaminated
by flies, exoosure to dust or filth, not only before
being delivered, but by careless storing in the home, and
where the climatic conditions are favourable the rapidity
with which the organisms multiply in the fluid is astounding.
The greatest mortality from diarrhoea usually coincides
with the highest reading of the earth-thermometer placed
four feet below the surface. This is a less sensitive indicator
than the air-thermometer. The average temperature
recorded by this instrument in the London district during
July and August was 64.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
Early in August the Local Government Board addressed
a circular letter to all Sanitary Authorities urging upon them
the necessity of using every means to avert or minimise the
excessive child mortality that was occurring. All possible
zeal was shewn by the Inspectors in securing prompt removal
of manure and other refuse from the vicinity of dwellings,