HH62/45/245

Transcription

[Page] 10

Meteorological Tables. - Again thanks are due to Mr. Croucher for kindly
supplying data from observations at the Ochtertyre Station, from which these have
been compiled. The temperature records are of exceptional interest as showing the
protracted cold spell at the commencement of 1895, and the readings of the under-
ground thermometers show the penetration of the cold. The severe weather caused
a large increase of deaths to be recorded during the months of February, March, and
April.
During 1896 there is a prospect of Scotland receiving what is only her due of
legislation in connection with Public Health, and it is to be hoped that we shall soon
be in possession of a Public Health Act which, whilst retaining the good parts of the
1867 Act, and amending those portions which have been found, by practical
experience, to be defective, will at the same time embody all the Public
Health provisions which are at present dealt with under separate statutes. The
passing of such an Act would greatly facilitate the administration of Public Health,
and would be warmly welcomed by all engaged in this important work.

DISTRIBUTION OF DISEASES.

Respiratory Diseases caused 124 Deaths, or 11.7 per cent. of the total during
1895, as compared with 122 in 1894. Of these 124 Deaths, 62 occurred in persons
over 60 years of age, and 22 in childen under one year. While there is a very
slight increase in these Deaths over those recorded in 1894, the Infant Death-rate
from the same shows an improvement of over 35 per cent. The following Table
shows the percentage of Deaths throughout the County from Respiratory Diseases,
and also the percentage of Sickness from them in the Central and Western Districts,
which latter are compiled from returns furnished by the Local Medical Officers in
the Districts.

Percentage of Deaths.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- 10.8
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 12.6
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, -- 13.0
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 11.1
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- 10.8

Percentage of Sickness.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- No Returns.
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 29.7
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, --No Returns.
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 19.1
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- No Returns.

Circulatory Diseases caused 132 Deaths, or 12.5 per cent. of the total during
1895, as compared with 128 in 1894. Of these 132 Deaths, the age was over 60 in
98 instances. The distrbution of these diseases throughout the County was as
follows:-

Percentage of Deaths.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- 12.2
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 12.6
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, -- 9.0
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 11.1
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- 21.6

Percentage of Sickness.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- No Returns.
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 5.4
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, --No Returns.
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 4.1
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- No Returns.

Tubercular Diseases caused 119 Deaths, or 10.3 per cent. of the total during
1895, as compared with 135 in 1894. Of these 119 Deaths, 79 were attributed to
Pulmonary Consumption, the remaining 40 being due to other forms of Tubercular
Disease, thus showing a decrease in the number of Deaths from Phthisis of 25, but
an increase in the number of Deaths from other Tubercular Disease of 9 as compared
with 1894. The large mortality from this class of diseases, which are now believed

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to be preventible, is alarming, and it is to be hoped that the public will demand that
some effectual measures be taken to check their ravages. In so far as infection derived
from diseased milk-cows is concerned, there is no doubt that in tuberculin a most
valuable diagnostic agent exists, and that by its use it would be an easy matter to
separate the sick from the healthy cows in dairies. The distribution of Tubercular
Disease throughout the County was as follows:-

Percentage of Deaths.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- 14.1
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 12.6
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, -- 9.3
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 10.4
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- 7.6

Percentage of Sickness.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- No Returns.
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 2.1
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, --No Returns.
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 1.6
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- No Returns.

Diseases of the Nervous System caused 97 Deaths, or 9.2 per cent. of the
total during 1895, as compared with 109 in 1894. Of these 97 Deaths, 66 occurred
in persons over 60 years of age. The distribution of Nervous Diseases throughout
the County was as follows:-

Percentage of Deaths.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- 7.5
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 12.1
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, -- 8.1
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 9.7
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- 9.5

Percentage of Sickness.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- No Returns.
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 1.6
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, --No Returns.
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 9.2
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- No Returns.

Diseases of the Digestive System caused 63 Deaths, or 5.9 per cent. of the
total during 1895, as compared with 59 in 1894. From the Sickness Returns in the
Central and Western Districts it will be observed that a large amount of the total is
attributed to this class of diseases. The distribution of these diseases throughout
the County was as follows:-

Percentage of Deaths.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- 5.9
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 6.3
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, -- 4.0
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 7.6
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- 7.0

Percentage of Sickness.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- No Returns.
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 22.9
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, --No Returns.
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 21.5
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- No Returns.

Cancer and Malignant Diseases caused 52 Deaths, or 4.9 per cent. of the
total during 1895, as compared with 56 in 1894. The distribution of these Deaths
throughout the County was as follows:- Perth District, 17; Central District, 7;
Highland District, 14; Western District, 4; Eastern District, 10.
Violence caused 36 Deaths during 1895, as compared with 40 in 1894. These
Deaths were distributed throughout the County as follows:- Perth District, 4;
Central District, 9; Highland District, 12; Western District, 5; Eastern District, 7.
Developmental Diseases caused 42 Deaths during 1895. Of these 27 were
attributed to Premature Birth.
Old Age caused 139 Deaths or 13.1 per cent. of the total during 1895, as com-
pared with 137 in 1894.
Zymotic Diseases. - 77 Deaths were attributed to these during 1895, as com-
pared with 65 during 1894. The increase in number was due to Diarrhoea. The
total number of cases of Infectious Disease reported during 1895 was 565, as com-


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