HH62/1/ELGIN/9

Transcription

[page] 8

The rest of the district is at present without any hospital accom-
modation for the treatment of infectious diseases.

6. - Infectious Disease.
The annexed table shows the number of cases of infectious
disease which have been notified to me since the Infectious Disease
(Notification) Act came into force on the 1st of July last.
Each case notified was visited by the Sanitary Inspector or
myself, inquiry made as to its supposed origin, and printed instruc-
tions as to the means to be taken for preventing its spread and
carrying out disinfection were handed to the householder.

COUNTY OF ELGIN.
NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

[table inserted]

7. - Causes, Origin, and Distribution of Disease.
The table given at the end of this report shows the distribution
according to registration districts of the various diseases which have
proved fatal during the past year.
The most prevalent zymotic disease has been scarlatina. Shortly
after entering on my duties last spring, I became aware of the
existence of a few cases in the neighbourhood of Elgin, and traceable
to infection from there, where I believe it was very prevalent. Forty
cases in all were notified after the Notification Act came into force.

[page] 9

Next to scarlatina, diphtheria cases have been most numerous,
There was an outbreak in St Andrew's Parish in July. Five cases
occurred in four families, with one death. In December a more
localised outbreak affecting really only one family and dependents
occurred in the western part of Elgin Parish. The first patient
seemed to have contracted the disease in Elgin.
Typhoid fever cases come next in frequency. Of the four cases
notified from Knockando Parish, two occurred in the village of
Archiestown, where a system of drainage is much required. Two
cases were notified from Elgin and New Spynie respectively. These
cases occurred at Bruceland and Scroggiemill - the only water supply
in each case being from the Lossie.
It would be, I feel certain, of great benefit to the district were
the Infectious Disease (Notification) Act adopted by the urban
Local Authorities.

8. - Tabular Statements of Sickness and Mortality.
On a preceding page (8) I have given a table of the sickness
within the district for the latter half of 1891, so far as it has come to
my knowledge through the operation of the Infectious Disease
(Notification) Act, but this includes only some of the infectious
diseases.
The tables of mortality which follow show that eighty-two, or 20
per cent. of the deaths registered, were due to diseases which may be
termed communicable. The occurrence and spread of these might
be materially diminished, if not in time entirely removed, by proper
precautions and improved hygienic measures.
Of the 414 deaths registered, sixty-one, or nearly 15 per cent.,
were uncertified. Of these one-fourth were under five years of age.
Fifteen deaths were registered as due to violence.