HH62/45/383

Transcription

[Page] 34

Acts, and as a result all of the workshops in the District have been visited and
registered, as well as a number of factories. Some factories were visited in conjunction
with H.M. Inspector of Factories, with a view to having improvements carried out.
4. Retail Bakehouses. - These have been visited during the year, and found to
be in good order. Lime-washing has been attended to, though at Burrelton some
difficulty was experienced in connection with this.
5. The new arrangement whereby the Eastern District Committee are entitled
to send infectious cases to the Perth Royal Infirmary was freely used
during the past year; 27 patients were removed. The Medical Officer has no
supervision of the management of Perth Infirmary. The portable Hospital belonging
to the District Committee has not been required during the year; it is ready for use
when wanted, and costs nothing for upkeep when not in use.
6. Much anxious work was entailed during the past year in connection with
endeavouring to check the spread of infectious disease in some parts of the District.
The main difficulties arose from scarlet fever cases which had not been recognized,
and which by the time they were discovered had done much mischief. It was only
by house-to-house visitation that effectual steps could be taken to stamp out the
infection. Disinfectants were freely supplied, with directions as to use. Insanitary
conditions have been steadily removed when found, and the decreasing number of
diphtheria cases shows that considerable improvements have been effected.
Respiratory Diseases caused 18 deaths during 1897, as compared with 10 in
1896. Of these, 4 occurred in persons over 60 years of age, and 7 in children under 1
year.
Circulatory Diseases caused 18 deaths during 1897, as compared with the
same number in 1896. Of these, 14 occurred in persons over 60 years of age.
Tubercular Diseases caused 20 deaths during 1897, as against 23 in 1896. Of
these 20 deaths, 16 were due to Pulmonary Consumption.
Nervous Diseases caused 15 deaths during 1897, as compared with 12 in 1896.
Of these, the age at death was over 60 years in twelve instances.
Digestive Diseases caused 7 deaths during 1897, as compared with 11 in 1896.
Cancer and Malignant Diseases caused 11 deaths during 1897, as against 4
in 1896.
Old Age. - To this cause were attributed 23 deaths during 1897, as compared
with 26 in 1896.
Developmental Diseases caused 8 deaths, of which 6 were attributed to pre-
mature birth during 1897; in 1896 the number was the same.
Violence caused 9 deaths during 1897, as compared with 4 in 1896.
Zymotic Diseases caused 6 deaths during 1897, the same number as in 1896.
The Zymotic Death-rate was .640, as compared with .633 in 1896. During the past
year 71 cases of Infectious Diseases were notified, as compared with 35 in 1896, the
increase being chiefly due to Scarlet Fever cases, which were 23 in excess of the
number in 1896.
Scarlet Fever. - No deaths were due to Scarlet Fever during 1897, the number
of cases reported during the year being 35, as against 12 in 1896. Of these cases,
23 were removed to Hospital. Most of the cases of this disease occurred in the
Parish of Cargill, or were connected therewith. The type of the disease was for a
time exceedingly mild, and no medical man having been called in, convalescent
patients soon mixed with the healthy, and the disease rapidly spread in every direc-

[Note] 382

[Page] 35

tion, especially as the School Board became very exacting as to school attendance
about this time, and nothing could be better calculated to spread Scarlet Fever than
the presence, in a classroom, of convalescents from the disease. So soon as the nature
of the disease became recognised, the people gave every assistance in helping to
stamp it out.
Enteric Fever caused 1 death during 1897, as compared with 2 in 1896.
There were 9 cases of the disease notified during the year, the number being the
same as in 1896. In connection with 2 of the cases there was presumptive evidence
that the infection had been contracted without the District, and in relation to some
of the others, insanitary conditions were discovered, which were rectified as soon as
possible, as a matter of routine.
Diphtheria caused 1 death during 1897. There were only 12 cases of the
disease notifed during the year, as against 20 in 1896. With the exception of one
family in which 5 cases occurred, the cases were isolated, and in different parts of the
District. There was distinct evidence that in one of the cases the disease was im-
ported. Insanitary conditions were associated with the majority of the outbreaks of
Diphtheria; these were removed as soon as possible. Three cases of Diphtheria
were removed to Hospital, and made good recoveries.
Whooping-Cough caused 1 death, which occurred in St. Martins. The disease
was prevalent, but its type was mild.
Diarrhoea caused 3 deaths during 1897, as compared with 2 in 1896.
There were no deaths during 1897 in which the cause of death was insufficiently
stated, or uncertified.

[Note] 383