HH62/45/109

Transcription

[Page] 17

4. Eleven visits were paid to the Retail Bakehouses. Eight of these are in
operation; two are not used as Bakehouses. There is a great improvement in most
of the Bakehouses. In one instance a new building has replaced an old and scarcely
creditable one, and in another instance it is to be hoped that the proprietor will be
induced to follow the same course. Considerable trouble was caused by the occupier
of one Bakehouse, whose premises were in anything but a satisfactory condition; in
fact, it was only when a certificate of unfitness was threatened that the matter was
put right. Three young persons were found employed, and were reported to H.M.
Inspector of Factories.
5. An arrangement has been made with the Directors of the Perth Royal
Infirmary whereby, for five years, cases of Infectious Disease will be treated in that
Institution. This has been found to work very satisfactorily, and it will be even
more readily available now that the Railway Companies have agreed to carry the
loaded Ambulance Wagon, hence a large saving of time will be effected. Eight
cases were removed to hospital during the past year. The Medical Officer has ample
opportunities for supervising the accommodation provided, and the treatment of
patients in the Royal Infirmary, and has every reason to be satisfied with the same.
6. To prevent the Outbreak of Infectious Disease, the local Sanitary Inspector
has devoted his time throughout the year to ascertaining and insisting upon the
removal of insanitary conditions. He has proved that the method adopted by the
Highland District Committee, of employing one man who could devote his whole
time to the work, is most satisfactory. Cases of Infectious Disease, when they
occurred, were promptly isolated by removal to hospital or otherwise. The result
has been highly satisfactory. When Infectious Disease has occurred in a family,
from which children attend school, notification of the existence of the disease has
been sent to the teacher, who has been at the same time advised to debar the
members of the family from coming to school. In two instances schools have been
closed, Whooping Cough being the cause in one case, and Scarlet Fever in the
other.
As no local Medical Officers have been appointed by the Highland District
Committee, I must recommend that the Infectious Diseases (Notification) Act be
adopted without delay.
7. The corrected population of the Highland District for 1891 was 13,175, and
estimated to the middle of 1892 it was 13,019.
Births registered were 226, giving a Birth-rate of 17.3 per 1000.
Deaths registered were 210, giving a Death-rate of 16.2, against 18.0 in 1891.
The Natural Increase of the population during the year was 16. Deaths in
persons over sixty years of age were 123, or 58.5 per cent. of the total, and Deaths
under one year were 21, of which 9 were due to Developmental Diseases, giving an
Infant Mortality of 92.9 per 1000 Births.
Zymotic Diseases caused 6 deaths, of which 4 were due to Whooping-Cough,
giving a Zymotic Death-rate of .460, against .759 in 1891.
Respiratory Diseases caused 28 deaths. In 20 cases the age of death was over
sixty years, and in 2 it was under one year. This class of disease caused 13.3 per
cent. of the total, against 18.4 per cent. in 1891.
Tubercular Disease caused 17 deaths (in 10 Phthisis was the cause of death).
This class of disease caused 8.0 per cent. of the total deaths, against 9.6 per cent.
in 1891.
Diseases of the Circulatory System caused 21 deaths; of these 15 occurred in
persons over sixty years of age. The per centage was 10.0, against 8.8 in 1891.

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Diseases of the Nervous System caused 11 deaths, or 5.2 per cent. of the total,
against 9.6 per cent. in 1891.
Diseases of the Digestive System caused 9 deaths, or 4.2 per cent. of the total,
against 7 per cent. in 1891.
Influenza caused 6 deaths in the early part of the year.
Cancer and Malignant Diseases caused 6 deaths, or 2.0 per cent.
Developmental Diseases caused 9 deaths, of which 6 were due to immaturity,
against 3 in 1891.
Old Age caused 45 deaths, or 21 per cent. of the total, against 17.2 per cent.
in 1891.
Scarlet Fever caused 1 death. There were reported 37 cases of the disease.
These occurred in small groups, and the cases being isolated or removed, infection
did not spread.
Only one case of Enteric Fever was reported. The patient could not be removed,
so the family were located in another house, and a nurse and doctor employed to look
after the patient, who, after a serious illness, recovered. The infection was traced to
excreta of former cases of the disease which had been buried in the garden of the
house. A flood occurred, the soil with its infection was washed into the house, and
in cleaning up after the flood, the infection had been received.
Whooping Cough caused 4 deaths, and was prevalent in a mild form in the early
part of the year.
No deaths was caused by Diarrhoea during the year; but, with a view to prevent
the occurrence of such disease, extra precautions were taken by insisting upon the
removal of insanitary conditions. In this the Authorities were much assisted by the
dread of an invasion of Cholera, which prevailed during the autumn.
Monthly Returns of Registered Births and Deaths have been received from the
District Registrars, to whom thanks are due for the valuable information they have
voluntarily given.

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