HH62/2/SUTHER/15

Transcription

[Page] 14

LAIRG - Population, 1169; acres, 121,358.
Visits of inquiry and inspection made all over this Parish for
complaints about refuse nuisances, bad water supplies, which were
quite sufficient to have caused or aggravated some fevers that existed,
such as typhoid and diphtheria. Scarlet fever was also found and
investigated in one district.
Several matters cannot now be recorded as causing nuisance
which did do so previous to our visits.
Slop water and drainage from pig styes and byres still produce
offensive nuisance in some places, and certainly pollute water, the
purity of which all over this Parish is a most variable quantity.
Outlying parts of the Parish, such as Overscaig and Shinness, were
also visited, and filth nuisances discovered, as well as a little over-
crowding in a School.

LOTH - Population, 533; acres, 17,371.
The only important matter inquired into in this Parish was a case
of Typhoid Fever in a house whose chief supply of water was from an
agricultural drain or ditch into which sewage went. It could not be
said that this house (Railway Station House) had a proper supply of
water in terms of Section 89·(2). The case is still being looked into.
The other matters investigated into were much the same as in other
purely rural Parishes.

ROGART - Population, 1195; acres, 66,267.
General inspections were frequently made, and the usual quantity
of middens near roads and dwelling-houses were found. Diphtheria
cases were under observation, and the usual proceedings were insti-
tuted. On the whole, this Parish is noted for the substantial nature
of its houses, built mostly of granite, and the bulk of them slated.
The conditions conducing to health would be said to abound more
largely in this Parish than in others like it in position, though the
cultivable land is not great in amount, or capable in some parts of
producing early crops.

TONGUE - Population, 1946; acres, 81,036.
The sources of water for Tongue Village were investigated, and
they will need careful looking after lest they at any time become pol-
luted. Beyond some choked drains, no particular nuisance was
investigated; but all over the Parish there are large heaps of refuse
and middens abutting on public roads, and liable to pollute water
supplies. This is particularly the case in Melness and Portvasco
Districts, where Typhoid Fever existed for several successive years.
Many of the houses are damp because of the nature of the stones of
which they are largely built, as e.g., in Melness School and dwelling-
house, whose condition is referred to in School Report. Some houses
are placed on very undesirable sites for good drainage, and are not
exposed to sunshine sufficiently.

[Page] 15

THE DISTRIBUTION OF DISEASES.
Up till the time of the adoption of the Infectious Disease Noti-
fication Act, the existence of Infectious Disease could not be definitely
known, and it is not yet possible to know, except in a general fashion,
where cases of sickness (other than infections) exist in the County.
The Death Registers gave the only indication where disease had
been most rampant, and from the Registrar-General's Annual Reports
I have been able to give in several tables the general death rates in
each Parish during 1879-80-81, 1889, 1890, and 1891, and one can justifi-
ably infer that because there were so many recorded deaths there must
also have been a certain variable proportion more of cases of sickness,
not ending in death, but possibly maiming large numbers of the popu-
lation. The aggregate number of deaths returned to me by the
Parish Registrars in their Quarterly Schedules for 1891 was 345, and
their distribution as to Parishes can be best appreciated by the tables.
Some Parishes have almost invariably a high death rate, and others
nearly a constant low number signifying death rate.
The causes for such a state of matters must be carefully studied
when opportunity for longer observation offers.
In 1891 the largest number of deaths (192) were caused at the
ages of 60 years and upwards; 70 between 25 and 60 years; 31
under 1 year; 23 between 15 and 25; 15 between I and 5 years;
and 13 between 5 and 15. The number of deaths in children under
one year are considerable. The total death rate per 1000 people
living for 1891 is 15·756.
The Diseases which were the causes of the most fatal deaths are
as in Table, and arranged in their order, from highest to lowest.

TABLE VII. - Table of most Fatal Deaths and their Causes in 1891, arranged in their order.

[Table Inserted]

Tubercular Diseases (which term includes Phthisis or Consumption,
Tubercular Meningitis, Struma, Scrofula, Tabes Mesenterica, and