HH62/1/FIFE/3

Transcription

[page] 2

objects and aims of the Public Health Department, and what benefits
have accrued from this during the past year, and what may be expected
in future years.

PRELIMINARY REMARKS
The County for administrative purposes is divided into the Districts
of Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, Cupar, and St Andrews, and these again
are subdivided into their respective parishes; but for health purposes
the district is the unit to be dealt with, not the parish; and is is well that
this idea should, especially for sanitary administration, be kept steadily
in view. The County forms a peninsula, bounded on the east by the
North Sea, on the north by the Firth of Tay, on the South by the Firth
of Forth, on the west and north-west by the counties of Clackmannan
and Kinross. The northern boundaries of Auchtermuchty, Strath-
miglo, and Newburgh, touch Perthshire. From the most easterly point.
- Fife Ness - to the most westerly point, the distance is about 46 1/2
miles. The greatest breadth is about 23 miles, and the average is
about 18 miles. With the inclusion of the parishes of Culross and
Tulliallan the County contains, as far as I can make out, not having
the figures from the changes of the Boundaries Commission, 322,195
acres, equal to 503.4 square miles, and a total population of 190,185
by the last census.
At the census of 1881 the population was 172,131.
In order to show those figures more clearly, and the bearing they
have on this Report, they are abridged in tabular form:-

[table inserted]

In a furture Report these figures may have to be altered, owing to
changes in the boundaries of parishes, but they are correct, as far as I
know, in relation to the population, the census returns being founded
on the old areas.
From the above table, it is seen that Kirkcaldy District has the
largest population, and hence the smallest proportion of acre to person.
Next in order is Dunfermline, next St Andrews, and last Cupar.
The arrangement of greatest population and greatest number of
persons to acre is in the following order:

[table inserted]

The connection of these figures to the present Report will be

[page] 3

referred to when dealing with the sanitary administration in the various
districts, and with the death-rate of the County and Districts.

CHANGES IN THE POPULATION.
As this Report falls to be made in a census year, it behoves that
some reference be made to this subject: not only from the general
interest attached to the enumeration of the population, but especially
as, to obtain correct vital statistics, it is necessary to have the correct
numbers of the population of the various Districts and County. The
subject of vital statistics having been a matter which I have had fre-
quently to bring before the notice of the County Council, I shall in the
section devoted to that subject deal with it specially. The first census
taken in this country was in the year 1801, and then decennially, the
last being the tenth.
The populations given at the various census reports are as
follows:-

[table inserted]
(*Including Culross and Tulliallan.)

In the following tables certain details are given, showing the
growth of the population from census periods, the relative
numbers of males and females, and increase from previous census periods.

COUNTY OF FIFE CENSUS RETURNS.
TABLE SHOWING GROWTH OF MALE AND FEMALE POPULATION.
(1.)
[table inserted]

(2.)
TOTAL POPULATION.
[table inserted]

(3.)
INCREASE FROM PREVIOUS CENSUS.
[table inserted]