HH62/45/101

Transcription

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The Bye-Laws relating to Milk-sellers have come into force during the year,
and their provisions have been prominently brought before those interested, the
result being that the larger number of milk-sellers have at once taken steps to do
what was necessary. The greatest trouble has been to have the milk stores removed
from the centres of dwelling-houses to safer situations. This has in all cases been
insisted upon, and the placing upon the Register of every seller of milk is also found
to be advantageous.
The Scone Special Drainage District is beginning to show that it will not
do to lay down such a scheme and leave it afterwards to take care of itself, as the
results are frequent chokages and other evils, such as diphtheria. A man should
be appointed to take charge of this Special Drainage District, after it has been
thoroughly overhauled, and his appointment might well include the scavenging of
the village. In my opinion a village as large as Scone, having a drainage system,
should also have a gravitation water supply, which would ensure regular flushing of
the drains.
Recently an informal petition was lodged with the District Committee by some
of the inhabitants of Bankfoot, asking for advice in reference to the drainage of the
village. This should be followed up, and an opportunity offered to form a Special
Drainage District, as, from a careful examination of the place, I am certain that it
will never be right until a proper system of drainage is introduced. Depending as it
does for its water-supply on surface wells, most of which are sunk in a gravel bank,
the want of proper slop-sinks in the village is likely to lead to trouble, as was proved
by the occurrence of five cases of enteric fever during the year.
The Slaughter-Houses in the District have received a considerable amount of
attention. There is urgent need for the adoption of the Bye-Laws at present before
the Committee.
The local Sanitary Staff have done much to improve the general sanitary
condition of the District, and, when infectious diseases occurred, have been helpful in
preventing their further spread.
2. During the year General Inspections of localities in the District have
been made with a view to observing the sanitary condition, and the progess of
improvements previously recommended. Special Inspections have been called for
in connection with water-supplies or insanitary premises; and many visits have been
made in connection with infectious diseases.
3. Advice has been given regarding Dwelling-houses, and, where insanitary con-
ditions existed, these have been remedied by the proprietors without the necessity of
calling in the aid of the law. In many instances advice given regarding water-
supplies has also been accepted, and what was amiss has been remedied, although
in the Carse of Gowrie - where matters are most serious - no remedy has yet been
adopted.
No action has been called for regarding Factories and Workshops during the
year. It is intended that the latter should receive special attention during 1893.
Retail Bakehouses are sixteen in number, and eighteen visits have been paid
to them during the past year. The Bakehouses are much improved; indeed many
of them are now in very good order. One has ceased to be used as a Bakehouse.
Five young persons were reported to H. M. Inspector of Factories.
5. The arrangement by which the Perth District Committee is enabled to send
patients suffering from Infectious Disease to the Perth Royal Infirmary has been
completed. Full advantage has been taken of the facilities offered, twenty-two cases
having been removed, although it was the middle of October before the new

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Ambulance Wagon was available for the removal of cases. The Medical Officer
has ample opportunity for supervising the management of the infectious cases admitted
to the Royal Infirmary, and has every reason to be satisfied with the treatment and
isolation afforded them.
6. To prevent the Outbreak of Infectious Disease much has been done in the way
of removing insanitary conditions, and the dread of cholera in autumn enabled many
matters to be dealt with in a more summary manner than might otherwise have been
permitted. Where infectious disease has occurred, the patient has, in all cases where
it was expedient, been removed to hospital, and where such removal could not be
carried out, absolute isolation has been maintained during the infectious period.
The childen from infected houses have been prevented attending school, and, where
there was any evidence of the disease spreading by means of this channel, the school
has been closed. Disinfection or removal of infectious clothing has been carefully
carried out.
As no local Medical Officers have been appointed for the Perth District, I must
recommend that the Committee should, without delay, adopt the Infectious Diseases
(Notification) Act.
Thanks are due to the medical men in the District for the valuable service they
have rendered during the year in gratuitously notifying and assisting in the isolation
of infectious cases.
The corrected population of the Perth District for 1891 was 21,557, and estimated
to the middle of 1892 it is 21,400. During the year there were 495 Births, giving a
Birth-rate of 23.13, and there were 317 Deaths, giving a Death-rate of 14.81, and
showing a Natural Increase of the population of 178 during the year. The Mortality in
persons over 60 years of age was 159, or 50 per cent. of the total. Deaths under
one year 47, of which 25 were due to Birth-debility, giving an Infant Mortality
of 94.9 per 1000 Births. The Zymotic Deaths were 9, giving a rate of .420 per 1000,
against .923 in 1891.
7. Respiratory Diseases. - Diseases of this class have caused 57 deaths, as compared
with 56 in 1891. Of children under one year there were 13 deaths, as against 5 in
1891; of these, children under six months constituted 12. Of the deaths from
respiratory disease 42 occurred in the first six months of the year, against 26 in the
same period of 1891.
Tubercular Diseases. - Diseases of this class caused 34 deaths (of which 18 were
due to Phthisis), compared with 37 in 1891. There is thus a slight reduction of
the number of deaths caused by this scourge, although 10 per cent. of all the deaths
during the year are due to it.
Diseases of Circulatory System caused 42 deaths, of which 34 were in persons
over 60 years of age, against 46 in 1891, shewing also a slight improvement.
Diseases of Nervous System caused 24 deaths, against 40 in 1891, proving
clearly the baneful effects of the influenza epidemic last year.
Developmental Diseases caused 25 deaths, of which 18 were due to Birth-debility,
against 13 in 1891.
Diseases of the Digestive System caused 18 deaths, against 17 in 1891.
Cancer and Malignant Diseases caused 13 deaths, against 20 in 1891.
Zymotic Diseases. - Diphtheria caused 4 deaths. The same number occurred in
1891. Two were isolated cases, the other two were victims of an outbreak
in a school to which the infection was carried, and in which 5 children suffered
from it. In all there were 9 cases (the same number as last year) reported. Three
were removed to hospital.

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