[Report 1895] / Medical Officer of Health, Penzance U.D.C. / Borough.

  • Penzance (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1895] / Medical Officer of Health, Penzance U.D.C. / Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    THE HEALTH OP PENZANCE MEDICAL OFFICER’S ANNUAL REPORTS. The following ia the annual report of the Medical Officer (Mr G. B. Millett), presented at the meeting of the Town Council on Wednoaday The total number of births registered in Penzance (luring 1895 is 341. The actual number of deaths occnring in the district is 250, but the number registered is 259, included in which is one of a person who died suddenly in the train on bis way hither : ono of a sailor who died at sea, at least 60 miles a way, and the remaining case is that of a mutilated body in an advanced state of decomposition which was found lloating on the sea 22 miles oil the Land’s End, about which nothing is known. It was, however, brought to Pen¬ zance l’or inquest and burial. Both births and deaths are in excess of tho»e of the previous year, when they were 313 and 217, The average birth rate per thousand is 2-3.2, and the death rate, whether taken from the actual or registered number of deaths, would be 19.6 or 19.9 respectively, 13 deaths of persons not belonging to the district are included in the total, and allowing for these, the natural increase would be 95. Ages at death range from one hour to 93i years. Two doaths are recorded above the age of 90 years ; 19 above 80, and 60 above 70. Births were mo^t nnmeroas in February, September and October, when they were 38, 4f) and 40, and deaths in March, April, and September, when they were 29, 29, and 28 respectively. More than half of the total number of doaths are due to pulmonary diseases, and of these there are 34 from bronchitis and pneumonia, 16 from phthisis, whilst whooping cough amongst infants and Influenza amongst adults claim their victims to the number of 7 each. Deaths from all other diseases classified in the tables accompanying the report are comparatively few. The highest mortality is from infantile diarrhoea, there being eighteen deaths registered. In 1894 there were no deaths from this disease nor have there been so zaanv since 1880. With one exception, which was compli¬ cated with abscess and occurred in March, they all took place in August, September, and October. The general con¬ ditions affecting infant life would appear to have been much the same in 1895 as in 1894. The occurrence of notifi¬ able Infectious Diseases shows a marked decrease in 1895 as compared with 1894 the number of cases (including those from the Port Sanitary District) being 79 just half the total recorded in the previous year. Scarlet fever was the most numerously reported, but was mostly of a very mild type. In 41 cases two deaths occurred, in each instance from after effects, and in one of these the disease was neither suspected nor certified till death. Typhoid fever occurred in 15 cases (or including one from the port 16) from which one death resulted. There were also five cases of diphtheria, with one death. In addition to these there were notified 10 eases of erysipelas ; 2 of puerperal fever ; 4 of measles (besides a case of small pox belonging to the port which was treated out¬ side the borough) from neither of which was there a death. The total number of deaths from notifiable infectious diseases is therefore 4. Among the very poor this class of disease seems to be, as heretofore, almost entirely unknown, there being but one ease, out of a total of some 70 cases of sickness, recorded daring the year in the fortnightly Union returns. Once again it may be mentioned that the law with regard to vaccination is more or less ignored. A complete house to house inspection has been carrie 1 out during 1895, all the houses and premises in the district having been visited. Twenty were found to be defective, under the Public Health Act of 1875, 14 have been reno¬ vated ; one closed and five reported to be unfit for human habitation now await the decision of the magistrates on the subject. Overcrowding was found in five cases, and in each instance remedied as promptly as possible. In these and other cases relating to choka>l drains, the keeping of animals contrary to the bye-laws and dilapida¬ tions of various kinds, all coming under the head of nai-ances, action has been taken, usually with the ready co¬ operation of all concerned, and thus nuisances have been abated to the total number of 176. Some 650 sanitary notices were issued with regard to the repair of water fittings, and iu carrying out the objects of the Notification and Infectious Diseases Act, besides which 3,u00 hand-bills relative to sani¬ tation were distiibuted from house to house. There is hut one registered common lodging house in the town, and that is fai -iy well kept. The advisibility of getting some others placed ou the li'-t is now being considered, There are within the borough 18 slaughter houses, which are in as good con¬ dition as can be expected under the circumstances. Some of them are ill-constructed and also from their position more or less ansuited to the purpose for which they are used. The establishment of abattoirs apart from the vicinity of streets and dwelling houses or outside the borough if prae icable would be a very desirable improvement. There are 19 Bakehouses and 38 Milkshops, all well kept, and the latter registered. No samples of food stuffs, drugs or water have been subjected to analysis for some time past. The aoDointment of a Borough Analyst is still under con- sideravion and until that matter is satisfactorily settled, little can be done in this direction. Both fish and fruit have been seiz d and destroyed as being unfit for hnman consump¬ tion. Building still goes steadily on. 44 dwelling houses have been completed during the year, and were certified as as being fit for occupation, whilst 58 plans have been sub¬ mitted and passed besides 23 for various other buildings as -ii - c ~... wcu as. lor UiiTUliliulUuo tiuu cvuuitivuo. !lu(? mains have been proportionately extended. There has been a const ’ nt water supply at high pressure throughout the year except from 23rd September to 4th October ; when in antici¬ pation of continued drought it was turned off at night. The reservoirs have been lately cleaned and schemes for increased storage are now occupying the attention of the Council. Disinfection in various forms has been carried on wherever it has been thought necessary or expedient and with perfectly satisfactory results as heretofore. Further 146 poor persons were gratuitously supplied with three¬ penny-worth of lime each and were also lent brushes. The Isolation Hospital has been used for both typhoid and scarlet fever patients daring the year and would have been used oftener except for the fact that it as too small to allow of more than one kind of infectious disease being admitted at a time. In consequence of the recent Local Government Board Inquiry (re Port Sanitary Authority the procedure with regard to the proposed now Isolation Hospital has been sus¬ pended seeing that the result of that inquiry may very materially alter the position of affairs as far as Penzance is concerned. Mr Millett’s report as Medical Officer to the Port Sanitary Authority waa as follows : — In all about 930 vessels of all kinds have entered tho harbour and dock during 1895. about 500 and 430 in each rospoctively. Happily, there has been less danger of cholera, &c., and no vessels have como from infected ports. Foroign vessels form but a small proportion of those visiting tho harbour, and only 26 laden with ice, timber, and grain have put in here. 23 of these wero inspoctod and nothing requiring special notice from a sanitary point of viow was found. The coastwiso tralllo is steadily increasing, and is chiefly carriod on by steamships, but these are high-class bouts, and havo al ways boon found to bo in good condition saniturilv. Fishing boats taken altogether - foreign, Lowestoft, Brixham, Dartmouth, Ply¬ mouth, and local—in point of number aro far in excess of all other shipping. Thoso havo boon frequently inspected* and have on various occasions roquirod cleansing. Five Fronch fishing boats also visited Nowlyn which is within tho district of tho Fort of Penzance, which extends from Cuddan Point on tho east, to Lamorna Oove on the west, with a coast lino of not less than 12 miles. Tho customs Port of Penzance has a very much longer coast line of nearly 80 miles, extending from the Lizard Point round the Land’s End to Uhnpol - an - Gotha, in tho parish of Porranzabuloe, the limit extending three milos seaward from low water murk all along that lino. Thore aro about 160 first and second class fishing boats in Mount’s Bay, con¬ veying about 900 men. Seldom does a year pass without the occurrence of typhoid fever, amongst Lowestoft fishermen especially. Again a Lowestoft fisherman waa landed here and treated for that disease. A French fisher¬ man, suffering from influenza, as well as other fishermen from the port with various complaints not of an infectious nature were also received and treated at tho West Corn¬ wall Infirmary. The most important case for the year as affecting the Port Sanitary Authority was one of a French fisherman who upon being visited in his Lo^t ia ILouat’s Bav, about two miles from the shore, was found to be suffering from small-pox. He had come from Boulogne. The