Our Climate and Infant Mortality, 



By S. J. Iagaeet, M.B. 



My apology for bringing the subject of infant mortality 

 before the notice of the Society so shortly after the recent 

 discussion on the subject is that I do not think that sufficient 

 attention has been directed to the climate as the cause of the 

 excess of mortality in this colony. I propose to consider the 

 question by means of the light supplied by statistics kindly 

 furnished me by Mr. Todd, the Government Astronomer, and 

 Mr. Cleland, of the General Registry Office. I propose to 

 compare the variations of the deathrate with the variations of 

 the temperature, rainfall, barometric pressure, evaporation, 

 and humidity during the years 1873-1877, both inclusive, these 

 being the only ones that afford the material for so critical an 

 examination. 



In connection with the subject of infant mortality several 

 questions have been propounded: — 



1. Is the deathrate of infants higher in South Australia 



than it is in the other colonies ? 



2. Granted that the rate is excessive, can any reason be 



assigned for this excess ? 



3. Is this excess peculiar to Adelaide, or does it extend to 



the colony generally ? 



4. What means can be adopted to reduce this waste of 



human life ? 

 Before proceeding to consider the several propositions set 

 forth, it is well first of all to observe that in 1874 and 1875 we 

 were visited with a severe epidemic of measles which carried 

 off 355 persons, 127 of whom were infants. This epidemic was 

 closely followed by a severe one of scarlatina, which destroyed 

 484 persons, 58 of whom were infants. On this account, and 

 remembering, too, that a period of five years is a short one 

 from which to draw reliable conclusions, I expect to find that 

 these conclusions will haA r e to be somewhat modified as the 

 data become more abundant and reliable ; but as these researches 

 seem to give us a clue as to the best means of combating the 

 more serious diseases of infant life, I submit my results without 

 hesitation, holding myself in. readiness to modify them if it 

 should seem to be necessary to do so. 



