[Report 1894] / Medical Officer of Health, Glamorgan County Council.

  • Glamorgan (Wales). County Council. nb2014013905.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Report 1894] / Medical Officer of Health, Glamorgan County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    127/142 (page 109)
    SWANSEA (Llandilo-Talybont Division). Medical Officer of Health—Trafford Mitchell, M.D. Area in acres, 17,246. 1891. 1894. Population . . .. 13,449 . . .. 14,970 (estimated). Birth-rate, 33 7. Death-rate, 16-8. Zymotic-rate, 1'2. Infantile Mortality-rate, 160. Phthisis death-rate, l-6. Respiratory death-rate, 3‘9. These mortality rates compare favourably with those for 1893. The Zymotic death-rate is the lowest since 1885. Of the 252 deaths daring 1894, 81, or 32-1 per cent., took place under the age of one year; and 123, or 48 8 per cent., took place under the age of five years. INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 103 notifications were received, comprising 2 small pox, 79 scarlatina, 2 diphtheria, 1 croup, 14 typhoid oi enteric fever, 2 puerperal, and 3 erysipelas. Of these the 2 small pox and 3 enteric or typhoid fever cases were removed and treated in the Borough of Swansea Fever Hospital. The following table shows the number of cases, total deaths and death-rate from the principal zymotic diseases. Cases. Deaths. Death-rate. Small Pox 2 0 o-oo Measles ? 1 0-39 Scarlet Fever 79 2 0-79 Diphtheria 2 2 0-79 Whooping Cough ? 10 3-96 Typhus Fever 0 0 o-oo Enteric or Typhoid Fever 14 2 0-79 Simple or Continued Fever . . 0 0 o-oo Diarrhoea and Dysentry ? 1 0-39 addition to the notifiable diseases, a few cases of measles and influenza occun ed during the whooping cough appeared in every part of the division. Small Pox.—Dr. Mitchell gives the following account of the cases :—“ The patients, a grocer and his wife, living in High Street, Gorseinon, were removed as soon as possible to the Swansea Fever Hospital, the bedding was at the same time conveyed to Swansea for disinfection, the house and shop were thoroughly disinfected by the Inspector of Nuisances, and the disease was effectually stamped out. Most of the inmates of adjacent houses were re-vaccinated, and all unvaccinated children in Gorseinon were promptly vaccinated. It is gratifying to be able to state that both patients had been vaccinated in infancy, and that both made excellent recoveries. The infection was, beyond a doubt, imported to Gorseinon by a visitor, who had not herself been affected, but who had been in contact with a fatal case at Aberavon.” Scarlet Fever has not been absent from the Division for the last 20 years, but it is gratifying to be able to state that only 79 cases were notified in 1894, as compared with 130 in 1892, and 180 in 1893. There are many reasons (says Dr. Mitchell) accounting for the prolonged stay of the disease—amongst them are:— (a) The intercourse at market, chapels, and schools. (b) The very mild character of most of the cases. (c) Imperfect isolation.