HH62/2/LANARK/66

Transcription

[Page] 65

74 per cent. of the notified cases are removed to the
hospital. When the hospitals already sanctioned by the
Committee are built and ready for use, advantage must be
taken of them to a much greater extent than at present is
the case. My experience, and that of other medical officers,
shows that not only are the cases better isolated in the
hospital, but that the mortality is very much less than
among cases treated at home.
In the accompanying chart the number of cases of scarlet
fever, diphtheria, and enteric fever is shown for each week.
Scarlet fever was most prevalent at the beginning of the
year, while, as is almost invariably the case, typhoid was
most prevalent in the autumn months.

Pollution of Rivers. - At page 23 I have referred to
the pollutions of the Almond and of the Clyde, so that
further reference is unnecessary beyond emphasising the
fact that it is in the Middle Ward the greatest pollution
takes place from coal-washing, ammoniacal liquors, and
sewage. Full details will be given in the report which
the District Committee have specially requested me to
make on the pollution of the Clyde and its tributaries.

Nuisances. - The chief inspector in his report states that
no fewer than 2,838 were brought under his notice and that
of the sanitary inspectors, mostly foul ashpits and privies.
In another part of this report (page 15), I have dealt at
some length with the class of ashpits and closets most
common in the district, and I have no hesitation in saying
that many of them, if not the majority, are simply abomina-
tions, and ought to be swept away.
That the District Committee are anxious to cope with
this depressing state of matters I am well aware, and I am
hopeful that the scavenging arrangements, which they are
considering, will, when put in operation, greatly tend to
diminish the evil.

[Page] 66

Returns of Births and Deaths. - I have already,
when dealing with the county generally, referred to the
great value of periodical returns of births and deaths
(page 20). It is unnecessary to say more here on that
subject. I am very glad to state that the registrars
in the Middle Ward are supplying me monthly with full
particulars of the mortality in the different parishes - par-
ticulars which enable me to furnish the District Committee
with monthly reports on vital statistics.

PART II.
Population and Area. - The Report on the Census of
1891 has not yet been published, and the following figures
are only approximately correct, although sufficiently so for
practical purposes.
The following Table shows the number of people living
at last Census in the Middle Ward, in the burghs, and in
the landward portion:-

Total Population of Middle Ward, --- 250,599

Population of Burgh of Airdrie, --- 19,135
Population of Burgh of Coatbridge, --- 29,996
Population of Burgh of Hamilton, --- 24,863
Population of Burgh of Motherwell, --- 18,727
Population of Burgh of Wishaw, --- 14,869
[Total] --- 107,590
Total Landward Population of Middle Ward, --- 143,009

It is on this number of 143,009 that the calculations in this
report for the Middle Ward District are based.
The area of the district, exclusive of burghs, is 186,780
acres, or an average of 0·76 persons to each acre, or, con-
versely, nearly 1 1/3 acres to each person.
A glance at Table IX., p. 77, shows that, of the fourteen
parishes into which the Middle Ward is divided, the
greatest density of population is in Cambuslang, viz., 2·97