HH62/45/327

Transcription

[Page] 34

2. General enquiries have been made throughout the year in order to ascertain the
sanitary condition of the District, and several special enquiries were made in connection
with water supplies, drainage, and the investigation of outbreaks of Infectious
Disease.
3. Advice was given in connection with the Rosemount, and Woodside and
Burrelton Water Districts, the purification of the sewage of Rattray, and also the
new arrangement with the Perth Infirmary for the reception of infectious cases from
the District.
Retail Bakehouses. - These have been inspected during the year, and were found
in good order with the exception of one, the condition of which was not as required by
the Factory Acts; it was, however, improved after remonstrance.
5. The arrangement with the Directors of the Perth Infirmary by which cases
of Infectious Disease were admitted there for treatment during the past five years
terminates in May, 1897, but a new agreement has been entered into by which
patients will be received as formerly on payment of an annual sum. During the past
year 7 cases were removed to Hospital, and all made good recoveries. The Portable
Hospital belonging to the District Committee which is retained for treatment of cases
of Smallpox, should they occur, has not been in use during the year, but is ready
when wanted.
6. By the removal of insanitary conditions, the likely causes of filth diseases
have been eliminated in so far as possible, and when cases of Infectious Disease were
reported, prompt measures were taken to secure the isolation necessary for the protect-
ion of the public, disinfectants were freely supplied to infected houses, and directions
given as to the best means of minimizing the danger. Much valuable assistance was
received in dealing with Infectious Diseases from the Assistant Sanitary Inspector,
who, year by year, proves the wisdom of the District Committee in appointing one
man to attend to the entire District.
Diseases of the Respiratory System caused 10 deaths, or 7.6 per cent. of the
total during 1896, as compared with 17 in 1895. In 6 of these 10 deaths, the age at
death was over 60 years, and there were 2 deaths in children under 1 year.
Diseases of the Circulatory System caused 18 deaths, or 13.8 per cent. of the
total, during 1896, as compared with 34 in 1895. Of these 18 deaths, the age at
death was over 60 years in 15 instances. Under both Circulatory and Respiratory
Diseases there is shown a marked decrease in the number of deaths as compared with
the previous year; this was probably accounted for to some extent by the mild winter
and the absence of influenza.
Tubercular Diseases caused 23 deaths, or 17.6 per cent. of the total, during
1896, as compared with 12 in 1895. Of these 23 deaths, 15 were attributed to Pul-
monary Consumption. The number of deaths caused by Tubercular Diseases during
1896 is almost double that of either of the two previous years.
Diseases of the Nervous System caused 12 deaths, or 9.2 per cent. of the total,
during 1896, as compared with 15 in 1895. Of these 12 deaths, the age at death was
over 60 years in 6 instances.
Diseases of the Digestive System caused 11 deaths, or 8.4 per cent. of the
total, during 1896, as compared with the same number in 1895.
Cancer and Malignant Disease caused 4 deaths during 1896, as compared
with 10 in 1895.
Old Age was given as the cause of death in 26 instances, as compared with 22
in 1895.

[Note] 326

[Page] 35

Developmental Diseases caused 8 deaths during 1896, of these 5 were attributed
to premature birth; in 1895 the number of deaths due to Developmental Diseases
was 6.
Violence caused 4 deaths during 1896, as compared with 7 in 1895.
Zymotic Diseases caused 6 deaths during 1896, as compared with 5 in 1895.
The Zymotic Death-rate was .633, as compared with .522 in 1895. The total number
of infectious cases reported during 1896 was 48, as compared with 49 in 1895.
Scarlet Fever. - There were no fatal cases of this disease during 1896; the
number of cases reported was only 12, as compared with 22 in 1895. The type of
Scarlet Fever was mild, and, the cases having been promptly reported, little difficulty
was experienced in preventing infection from spreading in the District. Three cases
were removed to Hospital, and made good recoveries.
Enteric Fever caused 2 deaths during 1896, as compared with the same number
in 1895. There were 9 cases of the disease reported during the year, as compared
with 15 in 1895. Most of the cases were sporadic, but in some there was a strong
presumption that the infection had been contracted beyond the bounds of the District.
Two of these cases were removed to Hospital. The record of Ashgrove has somewhat
improved during the past year, but the occasional occurrence of cases of Enteric
Fever still points to the water supply as not being above suspicion.
Diphtheria. - There was no death from Diphtheria during the past year, but 20
cases of the disease were reported. The chief outbreaks of the disease were in
Glenshee and near Balbeggie; the cause of the former was probably insanitary
conditions, and infection was due to the non-recognition of one slight case; in the latter,
the disease seemed to have been brought by visitors, and infection was conveyed by
the Nurse to other members of the family, although the patient was well isolated
from them. One case which occurred in a Bothy was removed to Hospital. The
type of the disease was exceedingly mild.
Whooping Cough caused 2 deaths, both of which occurred in the Coupar-Angus
District.
Diarrhoea was the cause of 2 deaths during 1896, as compared with the same
number in 1895,
Erysipelas. - Seven cases of this disease were reported during the past year; one
of these was removed to Hospital. This patient was a Nurse who had been provided
by the District Committee to assist in nursing a severe case of Typhoid Fever, and
the over-fatigue of attending to the case seemed to have been the cause of the attack.
Deaths in which the cause of death was uncertified, or insufficiently stated, were
3, as compared with 9 in 1895.

[Note] 327