[Report 1894] / Medical Officer of Health, Amble D.C.

  • Amble by the Sea (England). District Council.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Report 1894] / Medical Officer of Health, Amble D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1/2
    AMBLE DISTRICT COUNCIL. ANNUAL REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER. Gentlemen,—In presenting to you my annual report I feel disappointed at not being able to congratulate you on any sanitary achievement which has been accomplished by the late Board during the past year. The various matters to which I drew your attention in my report for 1893 still remain in statu quo. For my views on the sanitary matters requiring your imme- diate attention I beg t® refer you to that report. Water Supply.—The question of providing a water supply still seems to “ block the way ” of other necess- ary sanitary improvements. This subject has been under discussion at the Board for the past year but it seems as if we are not likely to arrive at a satisfactory understanding in this matter for some time to come. I may briefly state how this matter stands at present. There is before the Council a scheme to supply Amble from Hazon. Hazon: Gravitation scheme.—From this source there is an ample supply of good, wholesome, pure spring water. Its hardness is it chief objection for domestic use. The analysis for estimating the hardness is to my mind far from satisfactory. The analyst seems to have stopped short at giving the total hardness instead of proceeding a stage further in the process of estima- ting the temporary and permanent hardness as well. The temporary hardness is the difference between the total hardness and the hardness that remains after the water has been boiled, otherwise the difference be- tween the total and permanent hardness. The tem- porary hardness is due to carbonic acid (a gas) dis- solved in the water which can be dissipated on heating and can also be removed by chemical means, e.g., add- ing slaked limo to the water which gives a precipitate of calcium carbonate which should be deposited at the bottom ofi the reservoir. From the sparkling appear- ance of the water I am of opinion that the hardness is in a considerable degree owing to this carbonic acid dissolved in the water. The permanent hardness is that which remains after boiling and cannot be removed by any known chemical means. This hardness which is due to calcium carbonate alone is, from a health point of view, rather beneficial than otherwise. Cost.—The cost is estimated at over £6,000, which at 3* per cent, would together with l-30th of original capital and say, £20 for working expenses make an annual rental of £346 5s which would be paid off in 30 years, after which the rate would cease altogether. So much for ihe Hazon scheme. Coquet or Pumping Scheme.—Now the other scheme which commends itself to some members of the Council is that of taking the supply from the river Coquet. I may here briefly summarise the advantages and disadvantages of this proposed supply. From this scource there is a plentiful supply of impure water which is always liable to contamination owing to the towns and villages in its course discharging their sewage into it. I have noticed that just recently the County Medical Officer has had his attention drawn to the filthy state of its banks at Rothbury. I have no doubt, however, that by a process of careful filtration these impurities could be removed, thereby rendering ii suitable for drinking and other domestic purposes. It is soft in quality and therefore would be more suitable to general domestic purposes. The cost of this scheme on estimation would be about £4,500, which, at 3J per cent, would, together with one-thirtieth of original capital, make an annual rental of £244 13s 9d. Then, if we add to this £120 a year of a perpetual charge for working expenses, and depreciation of value of plant, we get a total rental per annum of £364 13s 9d, which is more than the cast of the Hazon Scheme, and in addition take the risk of imbibing typhoid and other germs from our friends living further up the river, as you know all mechanical appliances are liable at any time to faults in working. I think, gentlemen, that it is generally, if not unanimously, conceded by the community that a water supply is desirable, if not imperative, for the reasons stated in my report of 1893. I therefore feel it my duty to give an expert’s opinion on this most important subject with reasoned impartiality. I have done so. On you rests the onus of giving those opini ons and recommendations practical effect. Notification of Injections Diseases.—There exists the same needs for the adoption of the Notification of Infectious Diseases Act and the provision of a hospital for infectious diseases as existed last year, when I brought this matter clearly before the Board, yet no attempt has been made to remedy these sanitary omissions. I trust you will give these matters your consideration daring the ensuing year, so that I shall thereby be divested of my old stock-in-trade, and so be free to point out other, if less apparent, yet need- ful sanitary reforms. The Streets.—If my pen could improve these it would not be withholden. Last year I brought this matter before the Board, bul he that goeth to the harbour in a thaw will know with wlmt result. General Sanitation.—The Slaughterhouses.—These have been kept in a fairly sanitary condition, although in some instances a more plentiful supply of water would tend to render these more cleanly. A more frequent removal of the offal in some instances should be insisted on, as likewise the more frequent use of limewash. Every slaughterhouse should be lime- washed at least once every quarter. Cowsheds.—These have been kept in a fairly sanitary condition. A more frequent application of .limewash would be an improvement. The mode of milk distri- bution in some instances, in my opinion, is not alto- gether sanitary. In all cases the milk should be put up at the dairy in quantities according to the require- ments of customers. On no account should measuring out of cans from door to door be allowed on sanitary grounds. Balcehouses.—These have been kept in a sanitary condition. These, together with the yards and scaven- ging, have been fully reported on by your enei-getic Inspector, Mr Gibson, so I need not report more fully on them. I have, on the advice of your Inspector, visited several places where some insani- tary condition existed. Having always found the owner or occupier ready and willing to remedy any defect which existed, I do not deem it necessary to bring these matters before the Council. Population.—For the purpose of estimating the death and birth rates, I have calculated the population at 3,o00, which is rather under than over the actual number. Death-rate.—The number of deaths which have been registered during the year was 72, an increase of 25 over that of 1893, giving a death-rate on the above population of 20‘5 per thousand. This is an increase of 5 per thousand over the death-rate of the preceding year. On analysing the ages at which death occurred we find that 20 were infants under 4 year, 19 between the ages of 1 and 5 years. This gives a total of deaths under 5 years of 39, equal to a mortality amongst children of 11‘15 per thousand. At the other extreme we find 5 who have exceeded the age of 65 years. If we look for a moment for the causes which have produced this rather high mortality among chil- dren, we find that 9 (5 years and under) have been caused by the severe epidemic of measles and its sequelae which visited the district during the months of October and November. The epidemic was, as you remember, so severe and widespread as to necessitate the closing of the schools for a time. Fortunately the cause of morality ceased to exist towards the end of the year. On the waning of the epidemic of measles a sporadic outbreak of scarlet fever occurred in different parts of the town, resulting in one death in December. The outbreak was of a mild type except in a few cases. Three death are registered as caused by diphtheria or crupous laryngitis. Of these I had no notice until 1 got the monthly mortality returns from the registers, owing to the non-adoption of the Infectious Diseases Notification Act. One death in April was due to typhoid fever which was the continuation of the epidemic of this disease which we had last winter. A few cases of typhoid fever occurred during the months of September and October but fortunately no deaths resulted. The same eauses of the disease still exist which I pointed out last year but owing to the excessive rainfall in the autumn the sewers have been batter flushed and the germs carried away from causing their deadly mischief. The above, together with two deaths from puerperal fever, one of which was due to the unsanitary condition of the house previously reported on by me, gives a zymotic death-rate of 4 per thousand. In all cases of infectious diseases which came under my personal ob- servation, I ordered thorough disinfection, which was carried out under the direction of Mr Gibson. The schools also, when closed on account of measles, were thoroughly disinfected. There were two deaths caused by injuries, and three others of sudden death certified by the Coroner in which he did not deem it necessary to hold an inquest. There are also two deaths in- cluded in the death-rate of persons who did not belong to the district and which should therefore be elimin- ated from the total death-rate. The number of births registered during the year was 141 (which is an increase of 24 over that of 1893) of which 78 were males and 63 females, giving a birth- rate for the district of 40 per thousand, an increase of 1 per thousand of that of last year. Seeing that the birth-rate is just double the death-rate, we may fairly congratulate ourselves on the natural increase of popu- lation. Included in the foregoing are the urgent sanitary reforms which require your consideration in the ensu- ing year. I hope that next year I mey be able to con- gratulate you on having provided the community with a pure water supply, serjthat the subject may cea from tro>rfJ^ng the (Jy^dcil, ratepayers, ■ Reprinted from the “ Alnwick Guardian and County