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influence, in so far as it washes the atmosphere,
prevents the dissemination of dust, and cleanses
and removes much of the dirt and filth that tends
to accumulate so readily around houses, especially
the smaller ones, and where built closely together.
There is also an indirect influence by preventing
probably the rise of the earth's temperature, as
it is an established fact that the "maximum mortality
of diarrhoea by no means coincides with the
highest reading of the air thermometer, as it is
found that the summer rise of infantile diarrhoeal
mortality does not commence until the mean temperature
of the earth, as recorded by a thermometer
four feet below the surface, reaches to
about 56 degrees Fahrenheit. Last year this temperature
was never above 56 degrees, for which,
as far as I can ascertain, the only precedent was
in 1902.
There seems to be, or rather there undoubtedly
is, some confusion in terms as to the proper designation
of diarrhoeal diseases in death certificates,
chiefly by the use of such names as gastroenteritis,
muco-enteritis, &c., and as it is important
for statistical purposes that all cases of
deaths from diarrhoea should be classified as
such, 1 desire to draw attention to the following
notice that has been issued under the authority
of the Registrar-General, viz.:—"Diarrhoea.
When this is due to improper feeding, or to any
kind of food infection, the fact should be
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