HH62/45/211

Transcription

[Page] 28

been no return of the disease; but, until permanent measures are adopted to prevent
the risk of such a pollution again occurring, the use of the river water for domestic
purposes cannot be looked upon as safe.
2. General enquiries have been made from time to time to ascertain the sanitary
condition of the District, and many special enquiries have been necessitated in con-
nection with the isolation and accommodation of cases of Infectious Disease, as well as
in endeavouring to secure suitable sites for the Portable Hospital (no easy matter in
some parts of the District), and the examination of alleged nuisances with a view to
granting certificates.
3. Advice was given in connection with the Prevention of the Pollution of
Rivers and Nuisances, together with the selection of suitable sites for Hospitals. No
certificate was given under the Public Health Acts during the year, neither was any
action necessary in connection with the sanitary condition of Factories and Work-
shops within the District.
4. Retail Bakehouses within the Landward portion of the Western District have
been inspected and found to be kept in good order. Where young persons were
found to be employed, the fact was reported to the Inspector of Factories.
5. The Portable Hospitals belonging to the Western District Committee are
entirely under the supervision of the Medical Officer. When in use the services of a
local medical man are retained for the treatment of the patients who may be removed
to the Hospital. These Hospitals have been found to answer their purpose exceed-
ingly well, and those who have lived in them pronounce them very comfortable. It
has been decided to store the second Hospital on a site which has been secured near
Dunblane, but, instead of placing the dismembered building in a store-shed, to erect
it on concrete foundations in the same way as the other Hospital in the Killin
District. This was found to be advisable on account of the annoyance caused by threats
of legal action on the part of those interested in the ground on which the Hospital
has been erected when taken to the neighbourhood of infected houses. On the site
at Dunblane the Hospital will be ready to admit patients who can bear removal, or,
should that not be possible, it can be removed temporarily to where the patient is.
It is a strange fact that, in the localities where most of the infectious cases have
occurred, and where consequently the Hospital was most required, the greatest
difficulties have been met in securing a suitable site or even freedom from annoyance
when the Hospital has been in use.
6. The Infectious Disease Notification Act has been in operation in the Western
District since March, 1894, and has been of much use in assisting the Local Authority
to stamp out outbreaks of disease. In the Western District, as in the Central, no
difficulty was experienced in securing full notifications of the cases. The energies of
the Sanitary Department have been directed to the removal of causes likely to
engender disease, and when it has unfortunately broken out, every precaution has
been taken to prevent its spread. As it was considered advisable that the Western
District should have a share in the use of the County Ambulance Waggon, a
successful application was made for the same during the year on the advice of the
Medical Officer, and the Western District now enjoys the same facilities for
removal of cases of Infectious Diseases as the other Districts of Perthshire.
In connection with some of the cases of Enteric Fever, where it was impossible
to remove the patients, the District Committee took entire charge of the cases,
providing both for the medical attendance and nursing of the patients. The Western
DIstrict Committee have at all times shown a desire to carry out every suggestion
likely to prevent the origin and spread of Infectious Disease.

[Note] 210

[Page] 29

By the removal of Dr. Bryce, one of the assistant Medical Officers, from the
District, a vacancy occurred on the staff, and to this Dr. J. M. Kay, who had in the
previous year done such good work in connection with the stamping out of the
Smallpox amongst the navvies at Crianlarich, was appointed. It is sad to state that
a chill, caught soon after his appointment, terminated fatally, and by his death the
community lost a skilful and most self-sacrificing medical practitioner, and the Local
Authority a most capable and trustworthy coadjutor.
7. Respiratory Diseases caused 17, or 11.2 per cent. of the total deaths during
1894, as compared with 31 in 1893. In 6 of these the age at death was over 60
years, and in 2 the age was under 1 year. Sickness returns show that 28.6 per cent.
of the total was due to this class of diseases.
Circulatory Diseases caused 19 deaths, or 12.5 per cent. of the total during
1894, as compared with 15 in 1893. Of these 19 deaths, 12 occurred in persons over
60 years of age. Sickness returns show that 7.4 per cent. of the total was due to
these diseases.
Tubercular Diseases caused 21 deaths, or 13.9 per cent. of the total during
1894, as compared with 26 in 1893. Of these 21 deaths, 15 were attributed to
Pulmonary Phthisis. Sickness returns show that 2.4 per cent. of the total was due
to Tubercle.
Diseases of the Nervous System caused 18 deaths, or 11.9 per cent. of the
total, as compared with 8 in 1893. The age at death was over 60 years in 14 of
these 18 deaths. Sickness returns show that 13.4 per cent. of the total was due to
these diseases.
Diseases of the Digestive System caused 6 deaths, or 3.9 per cent. of the
total, as compared with 9 in 1893. Sickness returns show that 39.5 per cent. of the
total was due to these diseases.
Rheumatic Diseases caused no deaths during 1894. Sickness returns,
however, show that 7.5 per cent. of the total was due to these diseases.
Cancer and Malignant Diseases caused 6 deaths, or 3.9 per cent. of the total,
during 1894, as compared with 4 in 1893. Two of those who died were males, and
four were females.
Developmental Diseases caused 8 deaths during 1894. All of these were
attributed to premature birth. In 1893 the deaths from these diseases were also 8.
Old Age was returned as the causes of death in 20 cases, or 13.2 per cent. of the
total, as compared with 33 in 1893.
Violence caused 12 deaths in 1894, as compared with 14 in 1893.
Zymotic Diseases caused 8 deaths, or 5.2 per cent. of the total during 1894, as
compared with 8 in 1893. The Zymotic Death-rate was .809 during 1894.
Smallpox. - Happily there was not even a suspected case during 1894.
Scarlet Fever caused 2 deaths during 1894. In all 73 cases of the disease
were reported during the year, the majority occurring in the Aberfoyle and Gartmore
Districts. How the disease was introduced was not absolutely certain, but there
seemed to be a distinct connection between first cases and the arrivals of visitors from
large centres. Of the 73 cases, 9 were removed to the Hospital, 8 being
treated in the Portable Hospitals, and 1 in Perth Infirmary. All of the cases
removed did well. In connection with the Gartmore cases, proper isolation was
rendered impossible from the fact that the proprietor, on whose ground the building
had been erected (with the consent of the tenant), began to demand the removal of
the Hospital from his ground, just at the time when, by removing patients from
houses where proper isolation was impossible, the disease was almost checked. As

[Note] 211