HH62/1/INVERN/21

Transcription

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but as my information is far from complete I cannot report with
any certainty on the condition of this district. Dr Millar, Fort-
William, writing on the state of the Parish of Kilmallie, says that
in the spring of the year there was an epidemic of enteritis, due,
he thinks, to some atmospheric influence. Towards the end of
November he states, "an outbreak of influenza occurred at Kin-
lochiel. This affected practically the whole of the inhabitants in
the township, and it was found necessary to close the school for a
period of several weeks. One death, in a delicate subject, resulted
from influenza. There seemed good reason for supposing that the
disease was directly imported from Fifeshire. The infection did
not appear to spread from the centre of Kinlocheil, notwithstand-
ing the mail and trading connection with Corpach and Fort-
William." Measles and scarlet fever were also present in this
parish. Dr Nicoll, Arisaig, writes that "during the months of
February, March, and April influenza was very prevalent through
the district;" he also reports on a fatal outbreak of typhoid fever
at Meoble. Dr Winchester, writing on the state of Glengarry,
says - "The sanitary condition of the district is very good, and
the spirit of emulation kept up among the cottagers by the inspec-
tion and awarding of prizes to tenants of the most tidy and best
kept houses and gardens, has, in my opinion, a great deal to do
with this happy state of affairs."

SKYE DISTRICT.
Dr Dewar, Chief Medical Officer for Skye District, reports as
follows:- "Having visited the different localities in the district,
I beg to report that the sanitary state of these is very unsatisfac-
tory. The ordinary laws of sanitation have hitherto been totally
neglected, as shown by the wretched state of the dwelling-houses
occupied by the crofting population. There is no attempt at
drainage. The manure and house refuse, when removed, are
heaped within a few yards of the dwelling-house.... The
state of the water supply is very unsatisfactory, the water being
taken from shallow wells in close proximity to the dwelling-house,
where it is liable to be polluted with sewerage from the dunghill
and liquid filth percolating from manured fields." The result of
these insanitary conditions described by Dr Dewar is seen both
in the number of deaths from infectious diseases and from the
variety of these diseases. In this district there were fatal cases
of diphtheria, typhus fever, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, measles,
whooping cough, and also from other undefined fevers.

NORTH UIST DISTRICT.
The sanitary condition of this district compares favourably
with the adjoining districts of Harris and South Uist. Dr
Mackenzie writes - "The sanitary state of the district is fairly
satisfactory within the last year. Many houses have been built,
rebuilt, or otherwise repaired and made more comfortable, and

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the advice and instruction given as to the keeping of cattle in the
dwelling-houses and allowing manure heaps to accumulate about
the doors are bearing good fruit." Referring to the water supply
he states - "The water supply generally has always been and is
very inferior. The sources of supply are shallow wells, surface
water, and lake water, which are all more or less contaminated
with organic and other objectionable matter, and in summer some
of these resources run dry. Much might be done to remedy this
state of things by filtration, and, in the case of some of the town-
ships, by the introduction of a water supply from the adjacent
lakes." I, in a former report, described the dreadfully insanitary
condition of the township of Hougharry, where the water supply
is frightfully contaminated. Dr Mackenzie says - "This water is
the common supply of cattle and human beings, and is frightfully
contaminated with organic matter, a fruitful source of the enteric
fever from which the township is scarcely ever free."

SOUTH UIST AND BARRA.
Within the last year there has been a distinct improvement
on many of the crofters' houses. This is especially observable in
the Island of Barra, where now better houses are to be seen than
in any part of the Long Island. In South Uist there are still many
insanitary houses, but there is a tendency on the part of the
crofters to build separate byres for their cattle. The township of
Howmore is in a most insanitary condition; there the houses are
all huddled together, and are not placed on the crofts. If arrange-
ments could be made whereby each crofter would build on his
own croft, this state of matters would be remedied. The district
has at present no hospital, but I understand arrangements are
being made, the result of which will be that there will soon be a
fully equipped hospital in this district. This will be an immense
boon to the inhabitants of the district. It is interesting to note
that in Barra there were no deaths from infectious diseases, and
that although measles were so fatal in the northern part of the
Long Island there were no fatal cases in the districts of South
Uist and Barra.

HARRIS DISTRICT.
In a report, dated 30th April 1891, I drew attention to the
disgraceful condition of the graveyard at Luskintyre. I described
the shocking state of matters I saw on my visit to it on the 13th
April. My report has been of no avail, nothing has been done.
Dr Stewart, Tarbert, Harris, Medical Officer of North Harris,
writing on date of 11th of this month, says - "From recent
information, which is thoroughly reliable, I believe that the con-
dition of this burial place is, if possible, much worse than it was
on the 26th of January 1889, the date on which I made a careful
inspection, and gave a detailed report to the then sanitary
authority. The result of this report was a sworn enquiry, held
by Sheriff Webster at Tarbert, on the 7th of May 1889, for the