HH62/2/ROXBUR/25

Transcription

[Page] 24

KELSO DISTRICT.
POPULATION. - The population of the District is 7329
(Census 1891), and the density is 49 persons to a square mile.
The most populous parishes are those of Morebattle (846),
Roxburgh (954), Sprouston (1006), and Yetholm (844).
BIRTHS. - No information furnished to me in this district.
DEATHS. - There were 48 deaths in the last five months of
the year 1891, 46 of which were deaths of persons over 60
years of age (54 per cent. of the deaths). The death-rate
calculated to an annual rate per 1000 persons living is 15·553,
placing the District third in the Districts of the County,
Jedburgh and Melrose Districts having higher rates. This
is partly accounted for by the deaths from diseases of the
respiratory system and influenza not being so numerous as in
those Districts. The rates from these two causes expressed
as a per centage on the total deaths are -
Jedburgh District, 34 per cent.; Kelso, 33 per cent.;
Melrose, 38 per cent.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES. - The only case of infectious disease
known to the sanitary authority was one of enteric fever in
Eckford parish. It was imported from a watering place, and
the house was found to be in a satisfactory condition as
regards drainage.
It is not surprising that under these circumstances the
question of the procedure to be followed when dealing with
infectious disease has not been discussed by the District
Committee. At the same time, in the event of an epidemic
visiting the neighbourhood, the only means of meeting it at
my command are those which have been used for long by
the medical practitioners in the country, and thorough dis-
infection of infected clothing by heat and isolation of patients
cannot be attempted.
BAKEHOUSES. - The greater part of the bread used in the
District is supplied from Kelso, and the only bakehouses are
those of Yetholm and Morebattle. The bakehouse in the
last-mentioned village appeared when inspected to be clean

[Page] 25

and well kept, and the only fault found with the premises
was an improperly-trapped drain near the door, which I
expect to see provided with a gully trap on my next visit.
The bakehouses in Yetholm are the best I have seen in the
County, well constructed and clean, with cement floors, and
I would be well satisfied if all the bakehouses were as well
managed.
SLAUGHTER-HOUSES. - Yetholm possesses three slaughter-
houses and Morebattle one; there are none in the other
villages of the District. One of the slaughter-houses in
Yetholm has hardly sufficient accommodation, and one end
of it is used as a byre or stable; but the business is well
conducted, and, with the exception of the byre, satisfactory.
Another is substantially and well constructed, the business
being conducted with care and cleanliness. The third
should not be used as a slaughter-house, being merely an
outhouse attached to a cottage, and undrained. The
slaughter-house in Morebattle is small and difficult of access,
cattle having to be driven through a passage in the dwelling-
house to enter it. It is, however, kept fairly clean. Hitherto
the butchers have had no bye-laws to guide them, and when
the proposed bye-laws are put in force there is no doubt that
the butchers will conform to them, and make what slight
alterations are required in their premises without experiencing
any difficulty.
GENERAL SANITATION. - More work, under this heading,
has been done in the Kelso District than in any other. The
remarks on general sanitation in the County report apply to
the District; but in addition to the general work of the
District, a detailed inquiry was made into the state of the
village of Yetholm, and a more general inspection made to
ascertain the sanitary condition of the other villages - viz.,
Morebattle, Heiton, Sprouston, and Smailholm. This work
was the first work the Inspector took in hand on his
appointment, and was done at the instance of the District
Committee.