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Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health—
Chronic wasting disease, due to mal-nutrition from imuroner feeding, and
any in hand-fed infants, is the chief cause of these deaths. Untaught (in or
of school) and ignorant mothers commonly feed their offspring during the first
hs of life, without the advice of a doctor, upon farinaceous food, such as baked
arrowroot, cornflour, biscuits, tops and bottoms, or any so-called infante food,
they are totally unable to digest. This treatment is not infrequently varied
occasional dose of one of the numerous narcotic teething powders cordials,
othing syrups.
As a natural consequence the unfortunate infant dw indles, and sooner or later,
nuber, practically starved, and the death certificate often describes the cause of
under some such vague and high-sounding term as "Marasmus," "Tabes," or
rophy."
A large proportion of the deaths of children under five years of age are caused
iasmatic preventable diseases, and by affections of the respiratory system.
Surface-overcrowding, with its concomitant deficiency of light and pure air,
other evils, well seen in the numerous and lofty model dwellings, built on the
system, within this Parish, and the absence of parks and fewness of open spaces
sed as recreation grounds, have, I believe, a great deal to do with the high death
of young children, whose sensitive organisations are always the first to suffer
insanitary surroundings.
Open spaces—not necessarily large, and fitted up with gymnastic appliancetsrestricted
to the use of children, are urgently needed within the district of
rge, Southwark. Several insanitary areas cleared through the levelling and
tary agency of the Housing of the Working Classes, and Public Health (London)
situated in the most densely-populated portions of the Parish, and at present
idle, might usefully be devoted to this health-giving and money-saving purpose.
resent, the only open spaces within the parish and free to all-comers, are the
sed burial-grounds of the Parish Church of St. George the Martyr, and that
the "Lock," filled with plague and cholera bones, and situated in the Old
Road, in the vicinity of the site of the 13th century old Leper house, of the
name. An increase also in the number of self-supporting crechcs within the
would, I believe, tend to bring about a reduction in the sickness and mortality
the off-spring (legitimate and illegitimate) of a large class of mothers, w ho v. ;
dang the day in factories and workshops.