[Report 1909] / Medical Officer of Health, North Riding of Yorkshire County Council.

North Riding of Yorkshire (England). County Council.

Date:: 1909

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Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1909] / Medical Officer of Health, North Riding of Yorkshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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“ but I have many times traced the infection to the way the body is exposed and viewed “ by friends and neighbours after death.” Three cases in the Pickering Rural District, Marton School closed. One at Northallerton probably due to insanitary surroundings. Three in the Thirsk District, one death registered as due to “ Croup.” Two at Osmotherley and one at Ainderby Steeple in the Northallerton Rural District, one at Osmotherley proved fatal; it occurred in a house which was not clean, and near to which a number of poultry were kept. Thirty-nine cases in the Ormesby District, eight removed to hospital, six deaths, Dr. Jackson writes, “ Many of the children at the “ Derwent Street Schools were found to have sore throats, and some were excluded on “ this account. Bacteriological examinations proved one to be definitely diphtheritic. “ When this house was visited I found that all the family, including the parents, were “ suffering from sore throats.” Seven cases in the Stokesley District, three being at Ayton, one at Yarm, one at Nunthorpe, one at Ingleby Greenhow, and one at Ingleby Arncliffe, two deaths, Dr. Yeoman writes, Diphtheria is more frequent at Ayton than “ any other part of the district since they got their drainage scheme, and I cannot help “ thinking that it is partially due to that. Formerly all the sewerage was discharged into “ the open stream, which was shallow and often offensive, especially in hot weather, but “ the sewerage was disinfected by the sun and fresh air, now it is confined in drains “ which are badly ventilated, especially now the inhabitants have insisted upon most of “ the ventilating holes being closed in to prevent the smell from them. I should recom- “ mend all the holes to be re-opened, and arrangements made for the more frequent “flushing of the drains.” Four cases in the Malton Rural District, two at Barton-le- Willows and two at Wliitwell. Forty-four in the South Bank in Normanby District, six deaths, Dr. Glen writes, “ In the last three months of 1908 it was noted that there was “ a larger number than usual of cases of Diphtheria reported. This increase was “ continued during the first two months of 1909, then a sudden fall, only two being “ reported in March. There was only one case reported during the next four months. In “ August, two cases were reported, one of which was imported. Two cases in September, “then a rush of cases in October, and continued during November. In December, only “ two cases were reported.” One case in the Helmsley District, fatal. Twenty-four at Thornaby-on-Tees, six deaths. Four in the Scarborough Rural District, one death. Nine cases in the Easingwold District. Three in the Bedale District, and one in the Masham District. Thirteen in the Startforth District, three being in one house at Lartington, one at Barningham, one at Brignall, two in one house at Lunedale, five at Mickleton, three in one house, and one at Baldersdale, two removed to hospital. Three cases in the Pickering Urban District, one death. Four in the Kirbymoorside District, two being at Kirbymoorside, one at Great Edstone probably due to the village pond, which is con¬ taminated with sewage, and in a filthy condition, and one at Rookbarugh due to defective drainage. Five in the Whitby Rural District, one death. Four in the Richmond District, two deaths, one case occurred at Tunstall, one at Kirklands, and two in one house at North Cowton, writing of these cases at North Cowton, Dr. Williams says, “I should “ state that the whole of the premises had recently been re-drained and new out-door “ offices constructed, but whether that had in any way contributed to the outbreak I can- “ not say. At the same time I think it is worthy of note, that time after time I have “known cases of the disease to occur after polluted soil has been disturbed.” Four in the Hinderwell District. Measles were reported from 18 Districts, the number of deaths being 64, giving a death rate of 0-24 per thousand. Six deaths in the Loftus District, one at Redcar and three at Saltburn. Prevalent during January in the Reeth District, The Leyburn District was never free from Measles during the year; during March nearly every child in Middleham under thirteen years of age suffered; Middleham, Carlton, Hunton, and Constable Burton Schools were closed. A few cases in the Eston District. Epidemic at Kirbymisperton in the Pickering Rural District, Infant Department of the school closed. Prevalent during March, April, July, and August at Northallerton. One hundred and forty-four cases in the Thirsk District, six deaths; all the Schools at Thirsk and Sower by and those at Bagby, Kirby Wiske, and Pickhill closed. Two deaths in the Northallerton Rural District. Five deaths in the Ormesby District. Nine in the Stokesley District; schools at Worsall and Yarm closed; Dr. Yeoman writes, “ The most serious epidemic was the outbreak of Measles at Yarm, “ which was of a most virulent type, and caused nine deaths. In my report on the out- “ break 1 pointed out that in my opinion the only way to prevent a similar outbreak was “ the closing of several of the houses in the narrow yards, and suggested the County “ Medical Officer should be asked to inspect them, but he has not been over yet, I suppose “ because he has not been asked to come.” Three deaths in the South Bank in Normanby “ District, Dr. Glen writes, “ I sometimes think that a good many parents do not realize “ the infectiousness of these diseases (Measles and Whooping Cough) and allow free “ intercourse between the sick and the healthy. Others seem to be imbued with a kind of “ fatalism, and think that children must at some time or other have these diseases, and “ they reason ‘ the sooner the better,’ and deliberately place their children in the way of “ infection.” Thirteen deaths at Thornaby-on-Tees. Prevalent in the Bedale District, particularly at Tanfield, Hackforth, and Burneston. Prevalent at Bowes and Startforth in the Startforth District, schools closed, one death. Ten deaths in the Pickering Urban District. Prevalent in the Richmond District, five deaths, schools at Hipswell, Eppleby, Skeeby, Melsonby, Tunstall and Catterick closed.