HH62/45/195

Transcription

[Note] 194

[Page] 13

was severe, the absence of complications accounts for the small number of
deaths.
Diarrhoea caused 8 deaths during 1894, as compared with 20 in 1893. There
was no epidemic of the disease, a fact probably accounted for by the temperature
of the ground never reaching the height which is most favourable for the production
of the poisons producing these outbreaks.
Whooping-Cough caused 14 deaths during 1894, as compared with 5 in 1893.
Deaths Uncertified, or from causes insufficiently stated, were 68. The number
in 1893 was 85.
To the Registrars of the various Registration Districts, within the County,
thanks are due for supplying returns of Births and Deaths during the year, as well
as to many of them who took much trouble to secure certificates of the cause of
death, thus making the returns more valuable.
The arrangement made by the Perth, Central, Highland, and Eastern District
Committees with the Perth Royal Infirmary to provide accommodation for infectious
cases requiring Hospital treatment has again been found to suit exceedingly well.
It is now two and a half years since this arrangement has been made use of, and as it
was only made for a term of five years, it will fall to these District Committees by the
end of 1895 to consider what steps shall be taken to provide accommodation for their
fever cases when the present arrangement terminates. It has been abundantly
proved that, with the means of transporting patients as the disposal of the
Local Authorities of Perthshire, a central Hospital is quite available for all parts
of the County, so that should it be deemed advisable to build, one large central
Hospital would meet all requirements, and thus the expense of maintainence and the
difficulties of administration would be reduced to a minimum. In the past the
County Medical Officer has, from his position on the Medical Staff of the Infirmary,
been in a position to supervise the arrangements for the admission and treatment of
patients admitted from the County, but by the time this Report is in the hands of
the public, he will cease to have any official connection with the Institution, and
as a consequence, his power of supervision will also be at an end. In the Western
District two Portable Hospitals, capable of accommodating from eight to ten patients,
have been in use during the year, and have proved eminently satisfactory in so far
as the treatment of patients is concerned; with one of them, however, considerable
annoyance was caused by those on whose ground it was erected. To obviate this
for the future the District Committee have now secured permanent sites to
which these Hospitals are to be removed when not in use in other parts of
the District. The Ambulance Waggon has done good service during the past
year, and thanks are due to the officials of the various Railway Companies
concerned, who have often, at great inconvenience, made arrangements which
materially shortened the time usually occupied in transit. In each of the five
Districts provision has now been made for the isolation and treatment of cases of
Smallpox.
The Infectious Disease Notification Act has, for the greater part of the past year,
been in operation throughout the Lowland County. In the Central and Western
Districts the operation of this Act has been very successful, but in the Perth,
Highland, and Eastern Districts, although the working of the Act has been fairly
satisfactory, there is still room for improvement, which will be enforced, if necessary,
during 1895. The difficulty referred to has not been due to wilful failure to notify,
for which the Act provides an effectual remedy, but from a failure on the part of
the householders to acquaint themselves of the nature of the disease in their houses
by calling in a Medical man.

[Note] 195