HH62/45/323

Transcription

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Health Acts, nor was any action taken in connection with the sanitary condition of
Factories or Workshops.
4. Retail Bakehouses. - These were inspected during the year, and the pro-
vision of the Acts enforced. The Deanston Bakehouse is still vacant, and there are
only four others in the landward District.
The Hospitals belonging to the Western District have been closed during the
past year. As, in such circumstances, they are simply shut up, no expense is incurred
for management. Only two patients required Hospital treatment during the year;
both of these were removed to Perth Infirmary, as the District Committee decided that
where that course was possible it would be best to follow it. The Hospital for the
Killin District was, at the request of the inhabitants, removed from its former site at
Glenoglehead to one much lower down, and more suitable in every way. A water
supply by gravitation was brought within the Hospital enclosure, and a system for
dealing with slop water constructed. When the new arrangement between the
Directors of the Perth Royal Infirmary, and the other four District Committees, for
the reception of their infectious cases was made, it was thought advantageous that the
Western District should join with them in so far as to secure the admission of any
patients which were considered able to bear the removal, at the same time having con-
sideration of the expense of providing Hospitals at Dunblane and Killin, in which
some of the patients would still be treated, it was thought that, instead of paying an
annual sum, like the other districts, the Western District should only pay so much
per head for patients sent to Perth. This proposal was favourably received by the
Infirmary Directors and the other Districts, and it was agreed that a sum of £5 per
patient should be paid by the District, any sums so received to be deducted from
that payable to the Infirmary by the other four Districts.
6. To check the spread of Infectious Diseases, and to prevent their occurrence,
the usual precautions have been taken in securing the removal of conditions likely to
cause or aggravate them. That these measures have been fairly successful is
evidenced by the small number of cases and consequent deaths from such diseases as
Enteric Fever, Diphtheria, and Diarrhoea. One house reported as unfit for human
habitation in 1895, has been replaced by a very superior building. When infectious
disease has been reported, its origin has been the subject of enquiry, strict isolation
has been enforced, and disinfectants freely supplied.
Diseases of the Respiratory System caused 14 deaths, or 10.1 per cent. of the
total, during 1896, as compared with 16 in 1895. In 5 of these deaths, the age at
death was over 60 years, and in 4, the age was under 1 year. Sickness returns show
that 28.5 per cent. of the total was due to Respiratory Diseases.
Diseases of Circulatory System caused 25 deaths, or 18.1 per cent. of the
total, during 1896, as compared with 16 in 1895. Of these 25 deaths, the age at
death was over 60 years in 14 instances. Sickness returns show that 9.6 per cent. of
the total during 1896 was due to these diseases.
Tubercular Disease caused 17 deaths, or 12.3 per cent. of the total, during
1896, as compared with 15 in 1895. Of these 17 deaths, 9 were attributed to Pul-
monary Consumption. Sickness returns show that 4.8 per cent. of the total was due
to Tubercular Diseases.
Diseases of the Nervous System caused 16 deaths, or 11.5 per cent. of the
total, during 1896, as compared with 14 in 1895. Of these 16 deaths, 11 occurred in
persons over 60 years of age. Sickness returns show that 13.0 per cent. of the total
was due to Nervous Diseases.
Diseases of the Digestive System caused 6 deaths, or 4.3 per cent. of the total,

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during 1896, as compared with 11 in 1895. Sickness returns show that 34.8 per
cent. of the total was due to Digestive Diseases.
Cancer and Malignant Diseases caused 8 deaths during 1896, as compared
with 4 in 1895.
Old Age. - To this cause were attributed 21 deaths during 1896, as compared
with the same number in 1895.
Developmental Disease caused 6 deaths during 1896. Three of these were
attributed to Premature Birth, in 1895 the number was 5.
Violence caused 5 deaths during 1896, the same number as in 1895.
Zymotic Diseases caused 6 deaths during 1896, as compared with 19 in 1895.
The number of Infectious cases reported to the Department during the year was 35,
as compared with 100 in 1895. The Zymotic Death-rate was .601, as compared
with 1.91 in 1895.
Scarlet Fever caused no deaths during 1896, and only 15 cases of the disease
were reported to the Department. In 1895 the number reported was 40. Most of
the cases occurred in the Port of Monteith district, and were of such a mild character
as to make their recognition difficult, some of the patients had only sore throats,
others only had a slight rash, and no throat affection, but the occasional occurrence
of a well-marked case of Scarlet Fever showed the true nature of the disease. In
very many of the patients no desquamation followed the attack. Only one case from
near Dunblane was removed to Hospital, as he was an inmate of a bothy in which
several others were living, no more cases followed his removal.
Enteric Fever. - Of this disease, there were only two cases reported during the
year. Both patients made good recoveries. The cases were well isolated, and no
spread of the disease resulted. These cases occurred in widely separated parts of the
District, and had no connection with each other.
Diphtheria caused 2 deaths during 1896, as compared with 8 in 1895. Sixteen
cases of the disease were reported during the year, as compared with 39 in 1895, thus
showing a very marked improvement. One of the fatal cases occurred in a child who
had only recently come to the District, and had doubtless brought the disease in its
system. In another family where several were affected, the cause of the disease
was evidently faulty drainage and damp sub-soil. Killin has been quite free from
the disease during the past year.
Whooping Cough caused 3 deaths during 1896, as compared with 1 in 1895.
These deaths occurred in the Dunblane and Aberfoyle districts, in which the disease
was very prevalent.
Diarrhoea caused only 1 death during 1896, as compared with 6 in 1895.
This also is satisfactory.
Erysipelas. - Two cases were notified, and one, a domestic servant, was removed
to Hospital.
Deaths in which the cause of death was uncertified, or insufficiently stated, were
8, as compared with 9 in 1895.

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