HH62/1/DUMFRI/38

Transcription

[Page] 38

But some of the Zymotics are more directly due to insanitary
conditions than others, and it is well to distinguish these. Thus,
enteric or typhoid fever mortality has been greatly reduced in
many districts by the introduction of a pure water supply, while
diarrhœa, particularly as it affects young children, and depending,
as it does, so largely on excremental pollutions of soil and atmos-
phere, may be said to have been similarly influenced. Others,
again, such as measles, scarlatina, and whooping-cough, while
undoubtedly aggravated by unhealthy conditions, do not so directly
depend on them as on direct infection, so that a prevalence of such
diseases will indicate a failure on the part of Authorities to enforce
efficient isolation and disinfection. Table VIII. shows that while
the County Districts as a whole contrast favourably with the
Mainland Rural Districts so far as Measles, Scarlet Fever, and
Typhus are concerned, the same cannot be said of Diphtheria,
Whooping-cough, Typhoid Fever, and Diarrhœa. Diphtheria in
particular shows a high mean rate, and this is no doubt due in
large measure to the epidemics which have occurred, particularly
in Eaglesfield, Hutton and Corrie, and in Wamphray.

TABLE VIII.
Mean Death-Rates per 1000 living from certain Zymotic
Diseases during the Years 1881-9.

[Table inserted]

Table IX. shows the mean annual rates for each District for
1881-90.

The mortality for the present year is set forth in the Tables of
the Board of Supervision appended to the Report. These are con-
structed from returns made to me by the Registrars. In some
points they will be found, so far as the total numbers are concerned,
not to correspond with those which appear in the Quarterly and
Annual Reports of the Registrar-General. The Landward and
Burghal returns for Annan, Sanquhar, Lochmaben, Dryfesdale,

[Table not complete - corrected on next page]