HH62/45/373

Transcription

[Note] 372

Highland District.

The population of the Highland District, estimated to the middle of 1897, was
13,175. During 1897 there were 271 Births (148 males and 123 females) and 187
Deaths registered, giving a Birth-Rate of 21.8 and a Death-Rate of 15.2,
as compared with a Birth-Rate of 21.2 and a Death-Rate of 13.7 in 1896.
The Natural Increase of the population during 1897 was 84, as against 94 in 1896.
There were 129 deaths in persons over 60 years of age, as against 92 in 1896, and 8
in children under 1 year, of which 3 were attributed to Developmental Causes, giving
an Infant Mortality of 29.5, as compared with 67.6 in 1896. Deaths from Zymotic
Diseases only amounted to 4 in 1897, as against 7 in 1896, and the Zymotic
Death-Rate was .322.
The general health of the Highland District has been very good during the
past year, and there has been a marked reduction in the number of notified cases of
Infectious Diseases. This is especially noticeable in regard to Diphtheria and
Enteric Fever - no cases of the former, and only two of the latter having occurred.
The work of the Health Department during the past year was chiefly of a
routine character, excepting the consideration of the water supply for Dunkeld, and
the purification of the Aberfeldy sewage. There seems to be every indication that
during 1898 a large influx of workmen will take place, in connection with the work of
doubling the Highland Railway as it passes through the District, and the supervision
of the arrangements for housing them will entail much attention to protect the
inhabitants from Infectious Disease.
The purification of the sewage of Dunkeld, previous to its entering the Tay, is a
question now ripe for consideration, as the works formerly proposed were only delayed
until works suitable for the town could be shown in operation. One method of
solving the difficulty can be seen in successful operation at Killin, and so far from any
nuisance being caused by the works, these amply prove that nothing of the kind is
to be feared, and that the same system might be adopted at Dunkeld without danger
of the amenities of the place being injured. The Killin system is known as the
International. There is another system known as the Septic, which is rapidly coming
into favour. In it the sewage is conveyed into a large air-tight tank, which is also
devoid of light, and in this tank the processes of nature rapidly change the character
of the sewage. The effluent from the tank, which is non-offensive, after filtration
through coke is pure enough to be discharged into such a river as the Tay. The
District Committee will now be in a position to point out the efficiency of these
systems, and to insist that one or other, or some equally efficient purification works,
be adopted for Dunkeld, as after forcing Aberfeldy to purify its sewage it behoves
the District Committee to put its own house in order.
2. General enquiries have been made throughout the District to ascertain its
sanitary condition, and many special enquiries have been necessary in connection with
outbreaks of Infectious Disease.
3. Advice was given in connection with the water supply for Dunkeld, as well
as the arrangements for the reception of cases of Infectious Disease by the Perth

[Note] 373