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fore much below the average, being in fact the smallest number recorded in any
one year for over 50 years. Most of them occurred during the months of August
and September. The deaths from enteritis were also most numerous during these
months. Of infants under 1 year there were 31 deaths. Seven were of children
aged from 1 to 5 years, 1 of a person aged from 2.5 to 35 years, and 1 of a
person aged from 45 to 55 years. Of the deaths from enteritis, 42 were of infants
under 1 year, 14 of children aged between 1 and 5 years, and the remainder
of persons over 45 years of age. The diarrhoea death-rate was, excluding deaths
from enteritis, 0-37 per 1,000 population, as compared with 1.47 in 1911, 0.58 in
1910, 0.69 in 1909, 0.82 in 1908, 0.64 in 1907 and 1.68 in 1906. Taking the deaths
from diarrhoea and enteritis amongst children under 2 years, which together
numbered 94, the mortality was at the rate of 0.85 per 1,000 population, as compared
with 2.1 for 1911.
The deaths from diarrhoea amongst infants under one year in Shoreditch
during 1912 were at the rate of 8.8 per 1,000 births registered during the year, as
compared with 30.8 in 1911, 15.0 in 1910, 15.9 in 1909, 23.3 in 1908, 15.3 in 1907,
40.3 in 1906, and 30.6 in 1905.
In contrast with the summer of 1911, which was exceptionally hot and dry,
the summer of 1912 was cool and wet, which doubtless was the principal factor in
determining the comparatively small amount of diarrhoea prevalent during the
summer.
The usual steps were taken for checking the spread of infection. Enquiries
made by the Health Visitor show, as in previous years, that the mortality is much
greater in young infants amongst those who are not fed solely upon the breast.
The deaths from diarrhoea and enteritis amongst children under 2 years
in the Metropolis numbered 1,371, giving a death-rate of 0.30 per 1,000 population,
which is less than half of that for Shoreditch
MEASLES.
The deaths from measles numbered 126, as compared with 125 in 1911, 80 in
1910 and 127 in 1909. The cases coming under the treatment of the Poor Law
medical officers during 1912 were more numerous than in 1911, and there was also
a marked increase in the number of cases reported through the school authorities.
During the first eight months of the year only 3 deaths from this disease occurred.
In September there were 6, in October 21, in November 26 and in December 60
deaths. All the deaths were amongst children under 10 years of age; under 1
year 19 died, between 1 and 5 years 102, and from 5 to 10 years 5 died;
76 of the deaths were of females and 50 of males. The measles death-rate was
1.14 per 1,000 population, as compared with 1.13 in 1911, 0.70 in 1910, 1.11 in 1909,