HH62/1/ABERD/67

Transcription

[Page] 66

TABLE A.

[Table inserted]

The following Table shows the average death-rate in the
district during the ten years from 1881 to 1891:-

TABLE B.
DEATH-RATES DURING EACH OF THE TEN YEARS PREVIOUS TO 1891.

[Table inserted]

GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE SANITARY STATE OF THE
DISTRICT, AND MEASURES WHICH SHOULD BE ADOPTED FOR
ITS IMPROVEMENT. - The district is entirely an agricultural
one, and presents the usual sanitary features of such a district.
There is only one village in the district, viz., Rhynie. With
regard to it, improved drainage and a better water supply are
undoubtedly necessary. This applies especially to the upper
part of the village, where in summer the inhabitants are
very badly provided with water on account of the too low
level at which the supply is introduced. The drainage of
the whole village is capable of improvement, and the only
satisfactory plan will be its formation into a Special Water
and Drainage District.
Many of the ashpits here are badly constructed, and
badly kept, and will have to be dealt with.

[Page] 67

HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES. - As regards the
rest of the district, the same observations apply as I have
made at some length in my Report on the Alford District, to
which in its general character it bears a close resemblance.
Improvements are required in regard to the houses of the
labouring classes, and the sleeping apartments of the ser-
vants on farm steadings.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES NOTIFICATION ACT. - The Notifica-
tion Act is not yet in force. Its adoption will be of un-
doubted service. Early intimation of the cases and proper
isolation may help to lower the high zymotic death-rate
shown by last year's returns.
In order to complete the means for effectively dealing
with infectious disease, the District Committee, as Sanitary
Authority, should make provision for the isolation of such
cases of infectious disease as cannot be otherwise isolated.
There are at present two cottage hospitals in the district,
the Victoria Jubilee Cottage Hospital in Huntly, and a small
cottage hospital in the Parish of Forgue. Both these hos-
pitals have fever wards, and together they would have, I
think, sufficient accommodation to meet the requirements of
the district. It would be well for the Committee to secure
the right to send cases to these hospitals. It is of the
greatest importance for a Sanitary Authority to have means
of isolating cases of infectious disease, and it is essential for
efficient sanitary administration.

ZYMOTIC DISEASE. - The cases of infectious disease in
the district that have come to my knowledge since August
have been exclusively cases of diphtheria. Intimation was
received of seven cases in all. Two cases occurred in the
house adjoining the slaughter-house at Gartly Station. The
drainage was found, on inspection, to be in a condition that
could hardly have failed to cause disease.
The slaughter-house itself was not kept as it ought to
have been - the blood being frequently allowed to remain in
casks in the yard until it became exceedingly offensive - a
source of peculiar danger.
In most of the other cases the cause was clearly traceable
to insanitary conditions in connection with the dwellings.
Care was taken to have these insanitary conditions re-
moved, so as to prevent the recurrence of the disease. This
illustrates one of the advantages of notification. In all the
cases the isolation of the patients was seen to, and the
subsequent thorough disinfection of the houses and of any
articles likely to retain infection - a matter of especial con-
sequence in diphtheria, the germs of this disease being very
apt to adhere to articles of clothing and furniture, and retain
their vitality for an indefinite time.