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30
DIARRHŒA.
The deaths numbered 79, not including 46 attributed to enteritis chiefly
in infants under one year, as compared with 112 in 1908, 74 in 1907 and 194
in 1906. During the first seven months of the year there were seven deaths
from diarrhœa. No deaths occurred during the months of February, June
and July. In August there were 13, in September 40, and in October 8 deaths.
Eleven deaths occurred during the last two months of the year. The disease
was most active and fatal from the third week in August until the end of
September. Amongst infants under one year there were 59 deaths, whilst
18 were of children between the ages of one and five years, one was of a
child aged between 5 and 10 years and one was of a person over 75 years
of age. The diarrhoea death-rate was 0.69 per 1,000, as compared with 0.82
in 1908, 0.64 in 1907 and 1.68 in 1906. The amount of diarrhoea was less
than usual in Shoreditch. In connection with this it may be noted that the
temperature during the summer months was not so high as it is sometimes,
and the summer on the whole was cool. Moreover, there were a good many
rainy days.
The mortality from diarrhoea amongst infants under one year in Shoreditch
during 1909 was at the rate of 15.9 per 1,000 births registered during the
year as compared with 23.3 in 1908, 15.3 in 1907, 40.3 in 1906, and 30.6 in
1905. Similar rates for the Metropolis were 9.9 in 1909, 14'4 in 1908, 9.2
in 1907, 27.3 in 1906, and 20.7 in 1905. The figures for previous years are
contained in the Annual Report for 1905.
The usual enquiries were made as regards a number of deaths from
diarrhœa of infants under eight months old. In nearly all of them the deaths
were of those being fed otherwise than naturally. Only two or three perished
from diarrhoea whilst they were at the breast, and it is not free from doubt
that these were solely breast fed.
The deaths in London from diarrhoea numbered 1,577, as compared with
2,592 in 1908, 1,563 in 1907, and 4,507 in 1906. Most of the deaths occurred
during September and October. The death-rate from diarrhœa for the
Metropolis was 0.32, as compared with 0.54 in 1908, 0.32 in 1907, 0.98 in
1906, 0.72 in 1905, 1.07 in 1904, 0.64 in 1903, and 0.53 in 1902.
MEASLES.
Measles was more prevalent during the year than for several years past
in Shoreditch. Most cases occurred during February, March, April, May and
June. The deaths were most numerous during those months, 105 of the 127
deaths for the year due to this disease occurring within the five months. The