[Report 1903] / Medical Officer of Health, Glamorgan County Council.

  • Glamorgan (Wales). County Council. nb2014013905.
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1903] / Medical Officer of Health, Glamorgan County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    “4 SWANSEA (Llandilo-Talybont Division). Medical Officer of Health—Trafford Mitchell, M.D., D.P.H. Population Area in acres, 21,313. 1891. 1901. 1903. i7>645 ig>782 20,370. Birth-rate, 31-1. Death-rate, i3'8. Zymotic death-rate, 177. Infant mortality-rate, 145. Phthisis death-rate, 0-59. Respiratory diseases death-rate, 2-i. Other Tubercular diseases, o-g3. The Zymotic death-rate and the Infant mortality-rate are above the average for England and Wales, and this was in great part due to an epidemic of Measles of a severe type. The lowness of the general death- rate is the more remarkable on this account. One-tenth of the total deaths of the year were due to this epidemic. Deaths among children under 1 year amounted to one-third of the total number of deaths, and 467 per cent, occurred under the age of five. INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 308 cases of infectious disease were notified, as compared with 217 in 1902, and 341 in 1901. These included Diphtheria and Membranous Croup (13 cases, 2 deaths); Scarlet Fever (273 cases, 2 deaths); Erysipelas (10 cases, 3 deaths); Enteric Fever (9 cases, 1 death); and Puerperal Fever (3 cases, 1 death). 27 deaths were attributed to Measles, 3 to Whooping Cough, and 1 to Diarrhoea. The epidemic of Scarlet Fever was of a very mild type, and this made it very difficult to cope with its spread, as many unrecognised cases continued to attend school. It was found necessary to close Penllergaer, Penyrheol, Gowerton, Loughor, and Waunarlwydd Schools. Diphtheria antitoxin is supplied by the Council, and in every case where it was used early in the course of the disease, the patient recovered. Four of the cases of Enteric Fever occurred in one house, which was found to be in a very insanitary state. The epidemic of Measles spread over the whole District, and was attended by formidable complications of the respiratory system. It was found necessary to close Gorseinon, Penyrheol, Loughor, Gowerton, Waunarlwydd, Dunvant, Tirdeunaw, and Penllergaer Schools. An epidemic of Whooping Cough followed in the wake of the outbreak of Measles. The compulsory notification of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, and of all cases of tubercle associated with discharges, is advocated. The erection of the Isolation Hospital on the site which has been purchased is expected to be shortly begun.