London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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West Ham 1904

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]

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Deaths from Diarrhœa during third quarters of 1901 and 1904:—

1901.1904.
Week endingNo. of Deaths.Week endingNo. of Deaths.
July 134July 94
„ 2024„ 166
„ 2745„ 2319
Aug. 366„ 3050
„ 1054Aug. 689
„ 1733„ 1393
„ 2433„ 2084
„ 3150„ 2754
Sept. 727Sept 336
„ 1419„ 1034
„ 2115„ 1718
„ 2814„ 2416
Oct. 510Oct. 18
394511

Enquiries made into the circumstances affecting the families
attacked with Diarrhoea always show that the disease is much more
fatal in babies not suckled by the mother, but in West Ham most
mothers, at least for a time, give their infants the breast. The great
majority, however, supplement the breast feeding with other articles
of diet, quite unsuitable for young infants, in the mistaken belief that
milk alone is insufficient. There is little doubt that such improper
feeding gives rise to gastric and intestinal disturbances which renders
the child unable to resist the poisonous germs which attach themselves
to articles of food and the utensils in which the food is prepared. In
no case, perhaps, is the main foundation of Hygiene—cleanliness-
more beneficial than in connection with food, and in this connection it
is regrettable when visiting to find what a large number of mothers
keep their food, cooked and uncooked, soiled linen and dirty vessels,