[Report 1897] / Medical Officer of Health, Bilston U.D.C.

  • Bilston (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1897
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1897] / Medical Officer of Health, Bilston U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    at a given depth below the surface of the soil.” As a rule diarrhceal mortality sets in a few weeks after the hot period begins, and last year the heat was very great from the end of June until the beginning of August. Indeed at the commencement of the latter month it rose as high as 84’5 and it was in this month, as previously stated, that the great proportion of deaths occurred. It will be obvious how essential it is that saturation of the ground particularly near to human dwellings, from deficient or absent spouting, surface water, by leakages from ash- pits, cess-pools, &c., should be avoided. Further, there are other conditions intimately associated with a high death-rate from Diarrlioea that perhaps concern a Health Authority even more. Density of population and buildings ; want of cleanliness, light and ventilation ; foul emanations from ash-pits, drains and sewers, accumulations of filth, manure, Ac., have all a causal relation to Diarrhoea. For this, among other reasons, close over- crowded and dirty courts, and back-to-back houses, are evils that ought to be abolished. The safe and proper disposal of dry refuse is becoming an urgent matter, and I would suggest the possibility of combining a dust- destructor here with the production of power for Electric Lighting as in Shoreditch, St. Pancras and other places. Zymotic Diseases.—The deaths attributed to the seven principal Zymotic Diseases were 99, and were equal to a death-rate of 4‘2 per thousand. In the subjoined table the number of deaths from each of these diseases is given and it will be seen th.at if the excessive deaths from Diarrhoea are deducted, the result this year is rather below the average. Total Deathx from Aver. No. of deaths deaths 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1887-96. in 1897. Scarlet Fever Smallpox 1 2 3 3 1 6 9 s 1 1 1 10 4-0 8 Measles Whooiiing Couffh ... Fever (Typhoid) ... 4-2 11 7 5 2 5 14 4 12 3 9 6 1 13 23 6 15 7 4 12 1 51 3 8 12 7 17 7 15-4 10-1 4-0 11 6 1 Diplitheiia and ) MembranousCroup ] S 9 .5 5 4 3 8 11 6-5 4 Diarrhoea 16 7 18 25 15 13 35 10 42 29 21-0 09 85 28 49 41 36 65 73 40 118 81 61-6 99 Vaccination.—The returns of the Vaccination Officer are given for the seven yoar.-s 1890-6 and for the first half of last year. Births Reoistkred Successfully Vaccinated Insusceptible Died before Vaccination . Postponed Ileniovcd from District . Uefusals and not fit cases Half year to June 30 Year Year Year Year Year Year Year 1897 1896 1895 1894 1893 1892 1891 1890 488 864 955 926 939 929 946 891 319 613 070 731 734 730 755 744 3 4 6 4 6 9 2 5 69 118 133 114 145 117 119 93 5 12 29 10 19 41 40 20 17 29 53 34 35 26 30 29 75 88 04 33 488 864 955 926 939 929 946 891