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47
The distribution of cases as to Wards was as follows:—
Wards :—St. James St. High St. Hoe St. Wood St. Northern.
8 7 4 3 5
And removals to Hospital were—
6 5 3 1 4
And the deaths occurring were—
0 0 110
The death from Endocarditis is not given, so that the death-rate for
Typhoid was .01 per 1,000, similar to that of 1909 and compares very
favourably with .05 for the 77 "Great Towns."
SUMMER DIARRHŒA—EPIDEMIC OR
ZYMOTIC ENTERITIS.
During the year eight deaths were registered as due to Diarrhœa, two
from Zymotic Enteritis, 20 from Enteritis and one from Gastro-Enteritis,
or a total of 31 deaths from diseases whose prominent symptoms are
Diarrhœa.
All these deaths are grouped together as in previous years, and
compare favourably with 31 in 1909, 67 in 1908, 178 in 1906, and 73
in 1905.
The deaths from Summer Diarrhœa, or Zymotic Enteritis are of
Public Health interest, from the belief that, occurring mainly in handfed
children under one year of age, and under certain climatic
and sanitary conditions, they are largely preventable.
From the table of deaths, facing page 27, it will be noticed that 9 deaths
can strictly be reckoned as due to Summer Diarrhoea, and that 12 of
the deaths from Enteritis might also be due to preventable causes.
Enteritis is a disease which mainly affects infants, and though more
frequent in the summer months, is quite common at other periods of
the year, more especially as a sequel to such diseases as Measles.
It is quite likely then that seven of the deaths over one year of age
under opposite conditions may be really due to a cause not at all
mentioned in the death certificate, and thus the total possible preventable
deaths may not have exceeded 22 at most.
These numbers in a year with a cold and wet summer may readily
become augmented five or ten fold under the opposite conditions of
great heat and absence of rain, and all measures counteracting these
unfavourable factors are worthy of our attention.
I have so fully dealt with Summer Diarrhoea in young children in
previous reports that to most of you its causes and remedies are well
known.
The importance of the subject is my excuse for repeating that the
two main factors in its production are excessive summer heat and
the improper feeding of infants.
The first is unavoidable but the experience of Brighton and elsewhere
as to feeding, may again with advantage be reproduced.