HH62/45/259

Transcription

[Page] 22

5. The arrangement by which the Central District has been entitled to send persons
suffering from Infectious Diseases to the Perth Royal Infirmary has again been found
to work well. During the year 27 patients were removed to Hospital, all of whom
recovered, excepting one woman, who suffered from Erysipelas. Since February, 1895,
the Chief District Medical Officer, having ceased to be on the staff of the Perth
Royal Infirmary, has not been in a position to supervise the treatment of patients
when removed to that Hospital. The Smallpox Hospital belonging to the Central
District has not been required for the treatment of any cases within the
jurisdiction of the Local Authority, but, on the occurrence of a case of the disease
in the newly-formed Burgh of Auchterarder, an application was made for the use of
the Central District Hospital. This was most readily granted, the only conditions
being that the Burgh was to bear the whole expense of removing, erecting, and
returning the Hospital to its shed, after it had been disinfected to the satisfaction of
the District Medical Officer. By the energetic action of the Burgh Authorities the
spread of the disease was effectually checked; the expense was, however, heavy, and
was a severe lesson to the Local Authority as to the responsibilities it had incurred
by the separation of the town from the Central District.
6. The Infectious Disease (Notification) Act has on the whole been found to
work efficiently during the past year. Some difficulty was, however, experienced in
the Village of Dunning in securing full notifications, and, owing to this, an outbreak
of Scarlet Fever there threatened to assume serious proportions. Much valuable
assistance was received in dealing with Infectious Diseases from the Local Medical
Officers. To prevent the outbreak and spread of Infectious Disease much was done
in removing insanitary conditions; and when cases of Infectious Disease were reported,
removal or the proper isolation of the patients was insisted upon. Infected houses
were supplied with disinfectants during the course of the illness, and at its close
thorough disinfection was carried out.
Respiratory Diseases caused 26 Deaths, or 12.6 per cent. of the total, during
1895, as compared with the same number in 1894. Of these 26 Deaths, 17 were in
persons over 60 years of age, and 2 in children under one year. Sickness returns
show that 29.7 per cent. of the total was due to this class of diseases.
Circulatory Diseases caused 22 deaths, or 10.6 per cent. of the total, during
1895, as compared with 31 in 1894. Of these 22 deaths, 22 occurred in persons over
sixty years of age. Sickness returns show that this class of diseases caused 5.4 per
cent. of the total.
Tubercular Diseases caused 26 deaths, or 12.6 per cent. of the total, during
1895, as compared with 36 in 1894. Of these 26 deaths, 16 were certified as due to
Pulmonary Consumption. Sickness returns show that 2.1 per cent. of the total was
due to this class of diseases.
Diseases of the Nervous System caused 25 deaths, or 12.1 per cent. of the
total, during 1895, as compared with 34 in 1894. Of these 25 deaths, 20 occurred in
persons over 60 years of age. Sickness returns show that 6.3 per cent. of the total
was due to this class of diseases.
Diseases of the Digestive System caused 13 deaths, or 6.3 per cent. of the
total, during 1895, as compared with the same number in 1894. Sickness returns
show that 22.9 per cent. of the total was due to this class of diseases.
Rheumatic Diseases caused 7 deaths, or 3.3 per cent. of the total,
during 1895, as compared with 14 in 1894.
Cancer and Malignant Diseases caused 7 deaths, or 3.3 per cent. of the total,
during 1895, as compared with 14 in 1894.
Developmental Diseases caused 6 deaths during 1895, of which 4 were ascribed
to Premature Birth.

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Old Age caused 21, or 10.1 per cent. of the total, during 1895, as compared
with 27 in 1894.
Violence caused 9 deaths during 1895, as compared with 7 in 1894.
Zymotic Diseases caused 17 deaths in 1895, as compared with 15 in 1894,
thus giving a Zymotic Death-rate of 1.50, as compared with 1.07 in 1894.
Scarlet Fever caused 2 deaths during 1895, as compared with the same number
in 1894. During the year 69 cases of the disease were reported to the Chief Medical
Officer, and 24 were removed to Hospital. The only serious outbreak of the disease
was at Dunning, where an unrecognized case was allowed to go about for almost three
weeks before he was isolated. The disease was thus widely distributed, and it taxed
the energies of the Department to stamp out the infection. The type of the disease
was very mild, indeed, it was owing to this very fact that so many cases were overlooked
by the parents.
Enteric Fever caused 2 deaths during 1895, as compared with the same number
in 1894. There were 5 cases reported during the year, and of these two were
removed to Hospital. In 1894 there were 15 cases of this disease reported, so that
in comparison the record for the past year comes out well.
Diphtheria caused 2 deaths during 1895, as compared with 5 in 1894. There
were 22 cases of the disease reported during 1895, as compared with 21 in 1894. In
the majority of the outbreaks the cases were of an isolated character, and were due
to local causes, but in one group of cases the infection had evidently been carried by
one member of a large family to the country from a large town in which she had been
visiting; the true nature of the illness was not recognized until this patient had
infected several members of her family.
Measles caused one death. The disease was prevalent, but its type was mild.
Whooping-Cough caused one death during 1895, as compared with two in 1894.
Diarrhoea caused 9 deaths during 1895, as compared with 4 in 1894. The
disease was most prevalent during August and September.
Influenza caused 5 deaths during 1895, as compared with one in 1894.
Deaths in which the cause of death was uncertified, or insufficiently stated, were
15, as compared with 14 in 1894.

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