HH62/45/265

Transcription

[Note] 264

Western District.

The population of the Western District, estimated to the middle of 1895, was
9928. During the year there were registered 197 Births and 143 Deaths, giving a
Birth-rate of 19.84, and a Death rate of 14.40, as compared with a Birth-rate of
24.38 and and a Death-rate of 15.27 in 1894. The Natural Increase of the population
during the past year was 54, as compared with 90 in 1894. Deaths in persons over
60 years of age were 68, or 47.5 per cent of the total, as compared with 64 in 1894;
and there were 13 deaths in childen under one year (of which 3 were due to Pre-
mature Birth), giving an Infant Mortality of 65.9, as compared with 62.2 in 1894.
The Zymotic Death-rate was 1.91 during 1895, as compared with .80 in 1894.
During the past year considerable improvements were effected on the sanitary
condition of the District. The outbreak of Diphtheria at Balquhidder and Killin
having necessitated that one house should be closed as uninhabitable, and that others
should be extensivley remodelled at the former place, and the expediting of the pro-
posed drainage scheme at the latter. The absence of any large contracts within the
District has relieved the Department during the past year of any undue strain of
work. The purification of the River Forth has occupied much attention during the
year, and in so far as the pollution of the river by the sewage of Aberfoyle is con-
cerned, it may be practically considered as settled, as it has been decided to erect
purification works at the outfalls of the drains. The attention of the Central District
of Stirlingshire having been called to the pollution of the Forth by sewage from
villages situated in that locality, a reply was elicited which in effect said that the
Forth was already so polluted that the sewage from the Stirlingshire villages tended
rather to dilute it than to make it worse. In connection with the village of Gartmore
a complaint was received that a ditch running near the village was rendered a nuisance
in consequence of sewage matter being allowed to find its way into it; that the ditch
might be offensive could well be believed, but as it was at a considerable distance from
any house, it could scarcely be certified as a nuisance. It was in consequence decided to
deal with the offensive ditch under Section 24 of the Public Health Act, but finally
those interested made up their minds that, as they would have the cost to pay, it
would be better to do the work of improvement themselves rather than to allow the District
Committee to carry it out at their expense.
2. General enquiries have been made from time to time to ascertain the sanitary
condition of the District, and special enquiries have been made in connection with the
detection and isolation of cases of Infectious Disease, as well as nuisances alleged or real.
3. Advice was given in connection with the best method of preventing the
pollution of rivers and the proposed Killin Special Drainage District. No certificates
were required under the Public Health Acts, nor was any action required in connec-
tion with the sanitary condition of Factories and Workshops during the past year.
4. Retail Bakehouses. - These have been inspected during the year, and were
found to be kept in good order. One of the five has been closed, thus only leaving
four now in operation in the Landward District.
5. The Hospitals belonging to the Western District are entirely under the
supervision of the Chief District Medical Officer. The Glenoglehead Hospital has

[Note] 265