HH62/45/133

Transcription

[Page] 6

settling-tanks and screens clean, there must be a great improvement on the state
of matters which existed in the river before such treatment was adopted. Were the
effluent treated by broad irrigation after leaving the works, its purification would be
complete. In so far as Rattray is concerned, the attention of the Local Authority
of the Burgh was called to the pollution caused by its sewage, and various proposals
have been made as to the best available means for preventing the pollution. As yet
no works have been erected, but it is probable that progress will be made during
1894. In the Western District the pollution of the Forth by the sewage of
Aberfoyle has been the subject of much consideration, but nothing in the way of
erecting purification works has yet been done; but that these will be insisted upon by
the District Committee is certain. There are many cases of infringement of the
Rivers Pollution Act still to be dealt with in the County; but the above are the
most flagrant, and were they remedied a great improvement would be the result:
the water of our rivers would be made far safer as a beverage than has been the case in
the past, and future action would be simplified by its being possible to show purifica-
tion effectually executed at a small cost.
Sale of Food and Drugs Act. - Much good has been done by the administration
of the Act under the Chief Constable of the County.
Slaughter-Houses. - Since the Registration of these under the Bye-Laws in
connection with them, a considerable improvement has been effected, as many of the
occupiers saw that the only way to escape total demolition of the buildings was to
keep them so as to prevent complaints being lodged. Visits have been made from
time to time with a view to ascertain whether meat of diseased animals was sold, but
no evidence of this has been discovered.
Dairies have undergone a very great improvement, and it is now the exception
to find one which does not fairly well fulfil the conditions set forth in the Regulations.
The population of the County of Perth, according to the Census of 1891, was
122,109. Of these, only 69,700 (34,216 Males, and 35,484 Females) are within the
landward part of the County, to which this Report particularly refers. The landward
population, estimated to the middle of 1893, was 68,950. During 1893, there were 1,655
Births, and 1,333 Deaths (564 Males, and 269 Females), giving a Birth-Rate of 24.14,
and a Death-Rate of 16.43, per 1000, against a Birth-Rate of 21.52, and a Death-Rate
of 15.76 in 1892. The natural increase of the population during 1893 was 532, against
400 in 1892. There were 569 Deaths in persons over 60 years of age, or 52.2 per cent.
of the total, against 544 in 1892. Deaths under 1 year were 140, of which 56 were due
to Developmental causes, giving an Infant Mortality of 84.08 per 1000 Births, against
87.8 in 1892.
The distribution of diseases can still only be gathered from Death returns in three
out of the five Districts, so that it is only in the Central and Western Districts that
anything like complete information regarding the distribution of sickness can be given.
Respiratory Diseases caused 167 Deaths, or 14.7 per cent. of the total, against 169
in 1892. Of the 167 Deaths, 73 were in persons over 60 years of age, and 51 in those
under 5 years. The following table shows percentage of Death and Sickness due to
Respiratory Diseases throughout the County during the year:-

Percentage of Death.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- 15.1
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 15.1
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, -- 9.1
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 18.0
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- 15.8

Percentage of Sickness.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- No Returns.
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 26.4
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, --No Returns.
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 22.2
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- No Returns.

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Circulatory Diseases caused 122 Deaths or 10.7 per cent of the total, against 137
in 1892. Of the 122 Deaths, 92 were in persons over 60 years of age. The distribution
of Circulatory Diseases throughout the County is shewn in the following table:-

Percentage of Deaths.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- 9.9
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 16.3
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, -- 6.0
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 19.0
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- 10.7

Percentage of Sickness.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- No Returns.
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 6.4
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, --No Returns.
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 6.6
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- No Returns.

Tubercular Diseases caused 127 Deaths or 11.2 per cent. of the total, against 137
in 1892. Although there is a reduction in the number of Deaths caused by these
Diseases as a whole as compared with last year, still for a preventable class of Disease
like this the Sickness and Deaths attributed to it are excessive, and 84 of these Deaths
were due to Phthisis, against 85 in 1892. The following table shows the distribution
of Tubercular Diseases throughout the County during the year:-

Percentage of Deaths.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- 19.9
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 11.9
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, -- 8.1
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 15.7
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- 11.8

Percentage of Sickness.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- No Returns.
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 3.0
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, --No Returns.
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 2.8
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- No Returns.

Nervous Diseases caused 100 Deaths or 8.8 per cent. of the total, against 82 in
1892. In 63 of these Deaths the age at death was over 60 years, the following table
shews the distribution of these Diseases throughout the County during the year:-

Percentage of Deaths.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- 9.3
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 11.9
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, -- 8.6
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 4.8
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- 7.3

Percentage of Sickness.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- No Returns.
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 8.3
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, --No Returns.
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 9.3
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- No Returns.

Digestive Diseases caused 70 deaths, or 6.1 per cent. of the total, against 50 in
1892. The sickness returns from the Central and Western Districts show that a
very large proportion of the total sickness is attributable to this class of diseases.
The distribution of Digestive Diseases throughout the County is shown in the
following table:-

Percentage of Deaths.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- 5.5
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 7.1
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, -- 5.5
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 5.4
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- 7.3

Percentage of Sickness.
PERTH DISTRICT, -- No Returns.
CENTRAL DISTRICT, -- 22.7
HIGHLAND DISTRICT, --No Returns.
WESTERN DISTRICT, -- 30.5
EASTERN DISTRICT, -- No Returns.

Cancer and Malignant Diseases caused 49 deaths, or 4.3 per cent. of the total,
against 42 in 1892. The distribution of these diseases throughout the County was
as follows:- Perth District 16, Central District 13, Highland District 9, Western
District 4, Eastern District 7.

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