asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state what steps his Department have taken to combat the recent increase in the prevalence of gastro-enteritis in children.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gastro-Enteritis in Children.
From 1943 onwards, as the incidence of, and the mortality amongst infants from, gastro-enteritis began to increase abnormally, and particularly in Dublin County Borough, I have had every special measure that could be devised taken to combat the disease and to investigate the causes of its spread. Special investigations have been made in consultation with medical and scientific experts, bacteriologists and paediatricians. A special hospital to treat cases of the disease was opened by the Dublin Board of Assistance on my recommendation and much useful work has been accomplished in that institution.
At the same time, according as it became apparent that the Maternity and Child Welfare Section of the Dublin Corporation was not adequate to cope with this abnormal epidemic, my Department had repeated contacts with the corporation with a view to their taking the initiative in the institution of preventive measures in pursuance of their functions as the responsible public health authority. Eventually, in March of this year, I recommended the corporation to adopt a scheme of liaison between the corporation's administration and the lying-in hospitals which, amongst other things, would include provision for better attention to sick infants. I reported the position as regards this scheme to the Dáil in introducing the Estimate for my Department last June. I regret to say that it has not yet been found possible to put that scheme into operation and that further time must elapse before the necessary accommodation required for it can be provided.
I also recommended the corporation to institute an extended investigation of the effect of the use of dried milk for the feeding of infants. This scheme also had not been undertaken by the time that I again intervened on the 21st August last to suggest the establishment of a special section in the corporation to review all aspects of the prevention and treatment of gastro-enteritis and associated conditions in infants. On the 25th September I received a very representative deputation from the corporation and we discussed the general problem and the details of this latest scheme. The corporation has now agreed to act on my recommendations and I have approved proposals for the appointment of a medical director, two senior medical officers, a bacteriologist and a staff of ten nurses.
Furthermore, I propose to appoint a special advisory body, composed of experts in infant welfare and children's diseases, to maintain close contact with the work to be performed by the corporation and all other agencies, to advise me thereon and to promote and co-ordinate research.
In view of the valuable properties of blood serum in the treatment of gastro-enteritis and for special midwifery and other cases I have invited the authorities of the Rotunda Hospital to undertake a service for the supply of serum for these purposes, pending the establishment of a more comprehensive and permanent general blood transfusion service.
Special attention is being paid to this problem in Dublin County Borough because the incidence of the disease is so much worse there than in any other part of the country. The benefits of any progress which will be made in combating the disease in Dublin, or arising out of research, will immediately be made available to the county medical officers of health in other areas.
asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health if he will state the number of children who have died as a result of gastro-enteritis in each of the years from 1st January, 1940 to 1945, and the period 1st January to September 30th, 1946.
The numbers of children under two years of age who died from gastro-enteritis in each of the years from 1st January, 1940, to the 31st December, 1945, and during the six months from the 1st January to the 30th June, 1946, are as follows:—
|
Year |
Number |
|
1940 |
598 |
|
1941 |
875 |
|
1942 |
1,000 |
|
1943 |
1,233 |
|
1944 |
1,088 |
|
1945 |
1,062 |
|
1946 |
423 |
|
(to 30/6/46) |
Statistics for the quarter ended 30th September, 1946, are not yet available.
Are the Minister's experts satisfied that the diagnosis of gastro-enteritis in all these cases described on the death certificate as having died therefrom is satisfactory, or have they reason to believe that certain physicians, noticing the symptoms of diarrhoea in dying children, lump all such cases under the general heading of gastro-enteritis, where more competent physicians would distinguish between what might be described as idiopathic gastro-enteritis and the symptom of diarrhoea which is manifested in many other infantile ills, especially in the last stages?
I can only say that, in general, my advisers are satisfied that the diagnoses are correct.