Sanatory inquiry-towns in Scotland. Report on the sanatory condition and general economy of the town of Tranent, and the neighbouring district in Haddingtonshire / Made to the Poor Law Commissioners.

  • Alison, S. Scott (Somerville Scott), 1813-1877.
Date:
[1841]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sanatory inquiry-towns in Scotland. Report on the sanatory condition and general economy of the town of Tranent, and the neighbouring district in Haddingtonshire / Made to the Poor Law Commissioners. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1/40
    .A Blr* SANATORY INQUIRY—TOWNS IN SCOTLAND. REPORT jjLtj, ON THE SANATORY CONDITION AND GENERAL ECONOMY OF THE TOWN OF TRANENT, AND THE NEIGHBOURING DISTRICT IN HADDINGTONSHIRE. Made to the Poor Law Commissioners by S. Scott Alison, Esq., M.D. 0 3, Trelleck Terrace, Pimlico, London, 6th August, 1840. Gentlemen, I have received your citcular letter and queries requesting informa¬ tion as to the sanatory condition of the labouring population in the towns in Scotland, and have endeavoured in the following Report to 1 give all the information which. was required. The statistical account of Scotland has afforded some of the information contained in this Re¬ port. I trust the following details will enable those in authority to amend the condition of the labouring classes of Scotland, and more par¬ ticularly of those of Tranent, in whose welfare I am more especially in- ted. parish of Tranent is situated in the county of Haddington, ed on the north by the Frith of Forth; on the east by the ishes of Gladsmuir and Pencaitland; on the south by Ormiston Cranstoun; and on the west by Inveresk and Prestonpans. Its is about nine square miles. The valued rent of the parish in the ity books is 10,78ll. 9s. Id. Scots, and the present real rent is nearly 01., exclusive of minerals, which yield about 4000^. e town of Tranent stands upon the edge of a ravine. The ground a rapid descent to the north. The soil in some places is loamy, in rs very clayey, and is retentive. There is little or no wood in or the town. The population of the parish of Tranent was, in 1831, 3620, and is composed chiefly of colliers, fishermen, farm servants, and labourers. The various forms of continued fever prevailed to a very great extent for several months in each of the seven years I was in practice in Tranent. The total population over which my charge extended I compute, on the whole, at about 4000. During the six years, from the 1st of January, 1834, to the 1st of January, 1840, 536 cases of continued fever occurred in my district, and came under my charge. The proportion ot those thus affected each year is, to the entire population, as 1 to 44. In 1835, the whole number of fever cases for that year was 121, and the proportion of those so affected was to the entire population as 1 to 33. These cases of fever occurred in all parts of the parish of Tranent, and in some parts of several adjoining parishes. No part of the country over which my practice extended could be said to be exempt during the whole of that time from a visitation of fever. Fever prevailed, on the whole, in some parts more than in others, but it prevailed in no parti- ts, either of the country or of th$ town of Tranent constantly. Situation of parish of Tranent. Valued rent. Population. Amount of fe¬ brile diseases in the district of Tranent. Places in which fever prevailed.