HH62/1/DUMFRI/43

Transcription

[Page] 42

the prevalence of Influenza, of which I have already spoken at
some length. The mortality rate directly due to it was, for the six
Districts, 0·880. It was highest in Langholm, 1·236, and lowest in
Moffat, 0·328.

Age at Death. - Of the 830 deaths, 106, or 12·7 per cent.,
were under 1 year; 55, or 6·6 per cent., between the ages of 1 and
5; 50, or 6·02 per cent., between 5 and 15; 62, or 7·4 per cent., be-
tween 15 and 25; 174, or 20·9 per cent., between 25 and 60; and
383, or 46·1 per cent., above 60 years of age.

In addition to the Tables for the County Districts, I give two
for the Burghs. They will be useful for comparison with the
Districts, and, so far as the Police Burghs are concerned, the pre-
sentation of their statistics in tabulated form may partly, and with
least friction, fulfil the obligation under which, as County Medical
Officer, I am supposed to lie of exercising a general supervision
over their sanitary condition. I may, however, be permitted to
express my opinion that they, as well as the rural districts, would
be greatly benefited by a centralisation of their sanitary admini-
stration. County Councils and District Committees have given
evidence of a desire to take broader and more correct views than
obtained under the old parochial system of their responsibilities as
administrators of the various Public Health Acts. The change,
while it may have some attendant drawbacks, appears to be one
for the better, and I have every faith that in the years to come
"ancient landmarks of civic life" will see that it would have been
to their benefit to have participated more largely in the advantages
conferred upon rural districts by the Local Government Act.

J. MAXWELL ROSS,
County Medical Officer.

[Page] 43

IN THE FOLLOWING TABLES
Deaths of Persons belonging to a District occurring in Public
Institutions (as Lunatic Asylums, Poorhouses, Hospitals) out-
side of the District are included with the figures for that
District, and deaths of Persons not belonging to a District,
occurring in Public Institutions within the District, are
excluded.
"Diphtheria" includes "Membranous Croup," "Diphtheritic Croup,"
"Croupous Diphtheria."
All deaths from "Diarrhœa," "Dysentery," "Enteritis," "Gastro-
Enteritis," "Muco-Enteritis" - unless qualified by the designa-
tion "Chronic, or by an alleged primary cause, e.g., "Phthisis
Diarrhœa," "Bright's Disease - Diarrhœa," are entered under
the heading "Diarrhœa."
The designation "Other Tubercular Diseases" includes, inter alia,
"Tabes Mesenterica," "Tubercular Meningitis," "Hydro-
cephalus," "Struma," "Scrofula."
The diseases placed under the several headings "Septic,"
"Nervous," "Circulatory," and "Respiratory" are those so
classified by the Registrar-General.