Full text of "[Report 1899]"

See other formats

seventh:

Annual Report

ON THE

'PTT'IDT IPTIP A T ^TT

tAj »AI) »A«Jl «Aj vi^ «X>tX* cA^ql «A* tXjtAf

OF THE

Sofou^?) of

For the Year 1899.

CONSTITUTING THE

Tliii^d ArxinjjLSLl

M.R.C.S, Eng., L.R.C.P. Ed., etc.

Medical Officer of Health to the Borough.

Medical Superintendent of the Brighouse Joint Hospital.
Fellow of the Incorporated Society of Medical Officers of Health.

|5r:0lj0use :

R. H.' ASHWORTH, LTD., PRINTERS, “FREE PRESS” OFFICE.

igoo.

Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2017 with funding from
Wellcome Library

https://archive.org/details/b28954117

BOROUGH OF BRIGHOUSE.

SANITARY COMMITTEE, 1898-9.

IVIayoi?:

Councillor JOHN WILLIAM CLAY, Esq., J.P.

Alderman WILLIAM PILLING, J.P.

Councillor THOMAS BUTTERWORTH.

lV[eml3ei?s of

Alderman ROBINSON,
Councillor ARMITAGE,

„ BARNETT,

„ CROSSLEY,

„ NETTLESHIP,

Councillor HARDAKER,

„ G. HEALEY,

„ INMAN,

„ HALL,

„ PICKERSGILL.

Councillors France and Hepworth served on this Committee in
place of Alderman Robinson and Councillor Plall from the ninth of
November, 1899.

MUNICIPAL OFFICES,

BRIGHOUSE,

March, 1900.

To the Chamnan^ Vice-Chairman, and Members of the Sanitary Committee,

Gentlemen,

In presenting to you my Third Annual Report on the Health of
Brighouse — a duty which gives me a great amount of pleasure — I beg
firstly to draw your attention to the marked smallness of the natality
returns. Less and less, year by year, have been the recorded numbers
of Births, and though it is a generally recognised fact that the Birth
Rate throughout England and Wales has for some time past been
steadily on the decrease, the knowledge that this rate for this Borough
is the lowest for many years is anything but pleasing, and the causes of
this state of affairs one does not care to go too fully, or particularly into,
even if one could be sure of solving the problem. Trade is good in all its
branches, at least I am given to understand such is the case, and although
I do not get official returns of the number of marriages, still judging by
the column devoted to this subject in the weekly papers, there seems to
be no marked diminution in this quarter. I have seen it mentioned that
in one portion of the Borough there are fewer children, by a great
number, at the present day, than was the case a few years ago, and when
one comes to reckon the actual number of births — legitimate or
illegitimate, matters not for the purpose — and then deducts the actual
total of Infantile deaths, the wonder seems to be that we get any actual
increase of population at all. Yet judging by the number of new houses
built during the year, there must be a steady increase, dependent pro-
bably on the number of adult new comers to the town.

On the other hand, the Death Rate has been very low, and whilst
not able to advertise the Borough as a health resort — I am afraid the
factory smoke will prevent Consumptives coming here for a change of
air — I still consider it very satisfactory. Though the past year was an
exceedingly busy one as far as the Sanitary department was concerned,
and a great amount of sickness prevailed throughout the whole twelve
months, still the number of deaths was small. The amount of sickness
did not seriously affect the death rate, and I take it that the condition of
the town is, from a sanitary point of view, very satisfactory indeed.

Id common with most other towns, we failed to escape the outbreak
of Scarlet Fever, which kept us very busily engaged during the greater
part of the year, but compared with many other localities, we got off very
lightly indeed.

For this result, I am sure we can appreciate the fact of having at our
resource a well equipped Hospital, which though at one time sheltering
over 50 patients was never the slightest crowded.

I have seen it stated that in some of the districts joined with this
Borough in the maintenance of the Hospital, the friends of patients
stricken with fever were very averse to their being removed from their
homes. Well, this is usually the case for a time in all country districts
when newly supplied with an institution of the kind, and it often takes a
little while to overcome the prejudices of some few people. Speaking,
however, of the inhabitants of my own district, I can say I have had
very little trouble in getting their consent to the removal of their sick
ones. I feel sure that the Medical Practitioners in this town give all the
encouragement they can for the use of the Hospital — especially is this the
case with Scarlet Fever — and I here take the opportunity of thanking
them for their support in this matter, of such service to me in clearing
avay the objections that occasionally have arisen.

Only twice in 217 cases of admissible Infectious diseases, notified
since the Hospitals opening, have I had to threaten the enforcement of
the power of removal, and consent was given without further proceed-
ings. One great point the friends or relatives seem to lose sight of is the
difference in the treatment of the patients in the convalescent stage when
isolated at hoiue, and when removed to Clifton. In the home case, the
patient must be confined to one room for many weary weeks, often eight,
until ail fear of infecting others is removed ; whilst in the case of the
Hospital patient, walking and playing about in the open air when the
weather is fine, can usually be indulged in in about two weeks after ad-
mission. There can be no two opinions as to which is the happier state
of existence, and at the same time the most beneficial for the patient.
These remarks apply principally to the Scarlet Fever cases, the majority
of sufferers from such ailment being children and young adults.

I sincerely hope for the sake of the public generally, and for the
benefit of those particularly in the outside districts, who are supporting
the Hospital by their cheques, that whatever aversion is felt towards the
Hospital may be speedily swept away. Personally, I think it more
economical to make every available use of such an institution when
occasion arises, than only to pay the allotted precept towards the main-
tenance of the buildings and the administration staff.

Smallpox, )l^orUmately, did not make its unwelcome presence in this
immediate district, though at one time of the year it was very prevalent
in the East Riding. Tlwe were, however, a few scattered cases notified
in the West Riding. Out County Medical Officer of Health introduced
a system of special weekly notification from each of the districts under
his jurisdiction by means of which every Medical Officer of Health was
kept well posted as to any fresh cases of this disease. Increased super-
vision was exercised by your Sanitary Inspector and myself on the canal
traffic ; especially was attention paid to the boats coming into this
district from Hull and Goole.

Telephone N°25 SANITARY DEPARTMENT.

,'■*>

‘V

On November 9th last, at your monthly Sanitary meeting, my report
contained the following paragraph: — “ It is my duty to call your attention
to the fact that Smallpox is slowly but surely extending in the West
Riding. I am having extra watchfulness exhibited with regard to the
canal boats plying through this Borough, especially those coming from
Hull and Goole, where the disease is most prevalent. I may mention
that we have no building in which we could isolate any such case occur-
ing in the Borough, and I would urge this Committee to take such steps
as would prevent the causation of a scare, such as was created a few
years back.” For some reason or other, it was unanimously decided by
your Committee, and very quickly decided too, that these remarks
should not be allowed to appear in the minutes, and accordingly they
were excised and not permitted to go forth to the public.

Well, we escaped the visitation of Smallpox last year, but I do not
suppose anyone thinks its appearance in our midst was prevented by the
shelving of the warning, for in adjacent districts in which the Medical
Officer’s remarks on the same subject, and practically to the same point,
were allowed to be published, the result was identical. So

in this matter we remain exactly as we were.

The Sewerage of this district has been progressing, if not rapidly,
yet steadily towards the treatment of the Sewage at the works now
almost completed at Cooper Bridge.

Many have been the scathing remarks about the extravagance
exhibited in the construction of these works, but if the works are
necessary to the Sanitary requirements of the district, and I presume the
ratepayers are satisfied that they are necessary, then I say the better
they are built and the more fully they are equipped, the more satisfactory
will be the ultimate result. It is understood that these works are pro-
vided not only for this year and next year, but also to suit the require-
ments of future generations of inhabitants of this part of the country.

I may here express the hope that in due time all the houses in the
Borough, wherever possible, will be placed on the Water Carriage
System of excreta removal — undoubtedly the most cleanly and sanitary
of all methods.

I wish I could state that equally satisfactory progress was being
made in the installation of a Refuse Destructor and Electric Light
Generator. To destroy with the least trouble and injury to health the
great mass of ashpit refuse which steadily increases m bulk year by year
is one of the great aims of sanitation. There are many Destructors in
different parts of England and Wales which do this work satisfactorily.
I have been informed that members of the Council — selected from the
Sanitary and Gas Committees — on occasions in the past year or so
officially visited some of the towns and inspected the Destructors at work,
and it is to be hoped as the result of their visits that soon a Refuse
Destructor may be a reality in Brighouse. If constructed so that at the
same time Electricity may be generated for the better and more cleanly
lighting of the Borough, so much the better ; but Electric Lighting or no,
let us have the Destructor. Get rid of the great nuisance now caused by
the present inadequate treatment of refuse at any cost ; if it can be
accomplished at a profit, as it indubitably is in some places, then so much
the better.

The question of Public Baths for this district is one which I am loth
to conclude must be left in abeyance until other schemes have developed.
I do not wish to draw down upon my head the wrath of the Ratepayers
in asking for too many improvements at one time. “ Example is better
than precept,” and when our neighbour Elland shows what it can do in
this respect, no doubt the residents of Brighouse will not rest content
until they are equally provided for.

As in previous reports various tables are appended, and to table II,
comparing Brighouse with other towns, I beg to refer you. It will
show how favourably this district stands, as regards its health statistics,
with other places of about the same general surroundings — especially is
this the case with the Zymotic Death Rate.

To the Medical Officers of Health of the towns enumerated I cor-
dially tender my thanks for their promptness in favouring me with the
particulars desired.

The Sanitary Congress at Southampton, which I attended last year,
has received a short notice at my hands ; it will be found immediately
preceding the Report for the year from your Inspector of Nuisances.

In conclusion. Gentlemen, I thank you for the courteous manner
which has characterised your dealings in the past, and I hope the future
may tend to further increase the support you have given me.

I remain.

Yours obediently,

FRED. W. MARTIN,

Medical Officer of Health.

STATISTICAL & SANITARY MEMORANDA, 1899,

Population. — Population of Borough, i88i ... 16,909

n M 1891 ... 20,666

Estimated Population

of Borough to 1899 (middle of) 24,000

Inhabited Houses at end of 1899 ... 5,160

Acreage of the Borough, 2,224 (Brighouse 403)

(Rastrick 1371)

(Hove Edge 450)

Average density of population, per acre 10*79

Mean Altitude. — Brighouse 276 feet above sea level.

Hove Edge 357
Rastrick 410 ,,

Birth Rate per 1,000 of the Population ... 25*12.

Death Rate. — General corrected ... 15*46

Other death rates- —

Zymotic ... ... 0*96

Respiratory (excluding
Phthisis) ... 3*07

Phthisis ... ... 1*41

Infantile Mortality 12 1 per 1,000 Births

Vital Statistics for the Year 1899.

67 other Eng. & Wales less
Eng. & Wales. 33 Great Towns. Large Towns. than 100 towns
Birth Rate ... 29*3

Death Rate ... 18*3 ... 20*2 ... i8*o ... 17*1

Zymotic Death

Rate ... 2*21 ... 2*8 i ... 2*45 ... 1*71

Infantile mortal-
ity per 1000 births 163. ... 181. ... 178. ... 121.

^tvxvuaV ^ei0Ot\ oj

0§\cev 0^ ^^ea\\\v.

STATISTICAL REPORT.

Births. — The number of Births registered during the past year was
503 ; of this total, Males preponderated in the proportion of 272, to 231
of Females.

Compared with any of the last five years, this return is the smallest
recorded, as a glance at the table for the past five years will show, the
falling off being most marked in the female sex, there having been 47
less births of this sex than was the case for the year i8g8. Taking the
totals of each sex born during the five years enumerated, the males
exceed the females by 55.

Males.

Females.

Total

1895

283 ..

290

••• 573

1896

274 ..

.... 273 ...

••• 547

1897

300 ..

.... 273 ...

••• 573

1898

271

.... 278 ...

••• 549

1890

272 ..

.... 231 ...

••• 503

1400

^ 3^5

2745

In the years 1895 ^-^d 1897 number of births reached the same
total, and were the highest of the series.

The yearly birth-rate, 1899, 25-12, compared with that of England
and Wales, viz., 29-3, is decidedly low ; in comparison with that of other

towns in the West Riding — a table of which appears in the Appendix

it is also lower than the majority.

Deaths which actually took place within the Borough amounted to
336, of which 180 were of males and 156 of females, equal to a death-
rate for the year of 14-0 per 1,000 per annum of the population, but the
deaths of persons belonging to the Borough, and happening at places
outside the district, such as M'akefield Asylum, Huddersfield Infirmary,
Halifax Infirmary, Halifax Workhouse, and the Brighouse Joint
Hospital situated at Clifton, have amounted to an additional 3s. Of
these extra deaths, 17 were of males and 18 of females, and the corrected
eath-rate now reads as 15*46 per 1,000 per annum of the population.

Comparing only the deaths of those actually registered in the Borough
with same list of the preceding four years the table reads as follows —

Males.

Females.

Total.

1895

182

167 ..

.... 349

1896

.. 185

161

.... 346

1897

146

153 ••

.... 299

1898

•• 195

205 ..

400

1899

180

156 ..

.... 336

Totals

.. 888

1730

The periods of the years in which the deaths took place are tabulated
below : —

First Quarter

Males

Females

Second ,,

3 3

... 5 j

Third ,,

3 3

... ,5

Fourth ,,

3 3

... 5 ,

i8o 156---336.

The death-rate for 1899 is very satisfactory.

The Infantile Death-rate was equal to 121 per 1,000 of the children
born, and I am pleased to be able to state that is the lowest rate recorded
in the past five years.

Still as it stands it means that out of every 17 children born, two
have died before they reached the age of 12 months. Compared with
the rate of the year 1898, it is a very great improvement, and I trust
this death-rate may still be lower in each succeeding year.

Of the 61 deaths during this age period, more than one-half are
attributed to causes which if not actually preventible are at all events
greatly accelerated in their ravages by want of attention on the part of
the mothers. Inflammation of the Lungs is accountable for 12 of these
deaths. Inflammation of the Bowels for 10, and Inflammation of the
Brain and Convulsions for ii. In the first list, want of proper attention
as regards suitable clothing, and exposure to the cold air, may in some
cases have determined the affection which proved fatal, whilst in the
tw^o latter classes, very probably improper feeding hurried on the end of
these little ones.

The Registrar of Births still continues to distribute “ Hints on
Feeding, &c., of Young Infants” ; a plan adopted in a great many towns
at the present time, with, I am given to understand, beneficial results.

Following the Table referring to Infantile Deaths is one of the
next age period — years 1-5, the deaths in which totalled 36 as against
52 in 1898.

Pneumonia here again tops the list with 12 deaths.

INFANTILE MORTALITY, Years 0-1.

CAUSES OF DEATH.

Pneumonia, or Inflammation of Lungs 12

Inflammation of Brain — Convulsions, &c ii

Enteritis, or Inflammation of Bowels 10

Premature Birth — Congenital Malformation, &c 9

Bronchitis 5

Tabes Mesenterica, or Consumption of the Bowels ... 2

Heart Disease 2, Scrofula i. Rickets i, Septicaem.ia i 5

Diarrhoea 2, Mal-Nutrition i. Dentition i 4

Accidental Suffocation 1, Ill-defined 2 3

Mortality, Years 1-5.

Pneumonia 12

Bronchitis 5

Inflammation of Brain and Convulsions 5

Whooping Cough 2, Scarlet Fever and Erysipelas i ea. 4

Inflammation of Bowels 2

Tabes Mesenterica, Rickets, and Dentition 2 each 6

Congenital Malformation i. Ill-defined i 2

Inquests have been held in eight instances during the year — exactly
the same number as in 1898. Of the eight deaths inquired into five were
recorded as having been caused by accident, two by suicide, whilst an
open verdict was returned in the remaining case.

Strangulated Hernia or Rupture i \

Suffocation i ■

Crane, Injury from, i

Drowning i 1

Skull, fracture of, 1

Accidental.

Shooting I )

Hanging i 1

Cut Throat i

Suicidal.

Uncertified deaths or those for which no Medical Certificate could
be obtained amounted to six as against eleven in the previous year.

CLASSIFICATION OF CAUSES OF DEATH.

A. — Defined and Specified Causes, comprising 7 Classes.

B. — Ill-defined and Causes Not Specified.

Class 1. Specific Febrile or Zymotic Diseases. — All Epidemi<
Endemic, Contagious, or Infectious.

Class II. Parasitic Diseases. — Or those caused by Animal c
Vegetable Parasites.

Class III. Dietic Diseases. — Including those caused by th
Want of Food, by Intemperance, &c.

Class IV. Constitutional Diseases. — Or those caused by a Ba
Habit of Body.

Class V. Developmental Diseases : e.g.^ Premature Birth, 01
Age, &c.

Class VI. Local Diseases. — Or those of the Nervous, Circulatory
and other Systems.

Class VII. Violence. — Comprisihg Accident, Homicid(
Suicides, &c.

Ill-defined, or Death arising from any cause not specified in abov
group.

ANNUAL SUMMARY OF CAUSES OF DEATH.

(Of those actually dying in the Borough).

I. — Specific Febrile, or Zymotic Diseases.

(a) Miasmatic — Scarlet Fever, i ; Enteric Fever, i ;

Whooping Cough, 3 ; Diphtheria, i ... ... 6

(b) Diavrhceal . — Diarrhoea ... ... ... ... 5

II. — Parasitic Diseases ... ... ... ... ... o

III. — Dietic Diseases ... ... ... ... ... i

IV. — Constitutional Diseases. —

Phthisis ...

Cancer

Rheumatism

Rickets, 2 ; Tabes, 2

Other Causes

— ... 64

Developmental Diseases. —

Old Age, ib ; Premature

Birth, 8;

Congenital

Malformations, 2

-Local Diseases. —

Nervous System

Circulatory System. . .

Respiratory System

Digestive System ...

Urinary System

Bones and Joints System

... 218

VII. — Violence. —

Accident, 5 ; Suicide, 2; Doubtful Cause, i ... ... 8

VIII. — Ill-Defined ... ... ... c

Total

• ♦ «

336

Mortality from Various Causes of all Brighouse Inhabitants
dying within or without the Borough precints :

I. Specific, Febrile, or Zymotic Diseases :

(a) — Miasmatic — , Scarlet Fever 9, Enteric Fever 2,

Whooping Cough 3, Diphtheria i

(b) — Diarrhoeal ... Diarrhoea 5

Zymotic Death Rate: 0-96 per 1,000 of population.

This is the lowest recorded rate of this class in this Borough during
the past five years. The rate per 1,000 of the population of England and
Wales being 2*21, and compared with the other towns referred to in the
appendix this is very favourable indeed.

2. Parasitic Diseases

Nil.

3. Dietic Diseases (Malnutrition) ... ... ... ... i

4. Constitutional Diseases

Phthisis (or Consumption of the Lungs) was answerable for 33
deaths within the Borough during the year, comparing very well with
the list in 1898, which amounted to 41. From returns received from
outside districts of deaths of persons belonging to this town, I have to
add 4 such, increasing the total to 37, and the Phthisical Death-rate to
1*54 per 1,000 of the population.

Of these deaths 28 were of males and 9 of females, the classification
of the death periods and occupations of such during life being as
follows : —

25-35 35-45

I 12

3 ^

65-75

Occupations of Above : —

Stoneworkers, 10; Labourers, 6; Cotton Operatives, 4; Engine
Tenters, 2 ; Silk Worker, i ; Carrier, i ; Teamster, i ; No
Occupation, 12.

Years 5-15 15-25

Male — 4

Eemale 2 —

Years 45-55 55-65

Male 8 3

Female i i

In continuing the practise of writing to the relatives of persons
dying, within my district of this affection, I am pleased to report that my
offers to disinfect the houses and rooms, in which such deaths have taken
place, have been met with much readier compliance than formerly. This
I trust is due to the greater publicity, which has generally been given
throughout the country to the dangers of this disease by means of the
press. Hardly a paper can now be taken up without there being some
reference to the onslaught of this affection, and I purpose with the
sanction of your Committee, framing and issuing a short pamphlet on
“ precautions against the communication of Consumption,” — such to be
forwarded to each householder in the Borough, in the same manner that
notices relating to Scarlet Fever, Measles, etc., have been distributed in
times of outbreaks.

By this means I feel assured a further diminution of the power
of this terrible scourge will be recorded in the near future.

Cancer during the year claimed 14 victims, which with one to be
added as having died at Halifax, still makes the total show a slight im-
provement on the return of the preceding twelve months. Of these 15
deaths, 13 were of females and two of males. — The age periods are
as below : —

Years 35-45 45-55 55-65 65-75

Males I — — I

Females 1264

Tabes Mesenterica (or Consumption of the Bowels) was accredited
with two deaths, as against seven in 1898.

5. Developmental Diseases have caused 26 deaths, e.g., old age 16,
as against 22 in the preceding year ; whilst to Premature Birth are
attributed eight, as compared with 16 in the year 1898. The tv\o
remaining deaths were due to Congenital Malformations.

6. Local Diseases (Deaths from) amounted to 218, as against
236 in the year 1898.

In this list the number of Nervous System cases is slightly lower
than in the preceding year, whilst those of the Circulatory System are
almost exactly equal m number to those recorded in that year.

Respiratory affections again are at the top of the list in this class,
there being very little numerical difference in the past year’s returns
with any of its predecessors.

I have included in this section the 6 deaths attributed to Influenza,
and though, of course, this is not a very startling return, still it behoves
us to remember that though the form of this affection at present in our
midst is not of the severe character of the true “ La Grippe,” still it is
sufficiently depressing in its effect as to expose those attacked by it to
very readily contract any other disease following in its wake.
Pneumonia, Bronchitis, &c., following on unguarded seemingly slight
attacks of this form of Influenza have caused deaths which would most
probably have been prevented if seasonable precautions had been
observed.

Of the 89 deaths under the heading of Respiratory Diseases Pneu-
monia comes first with a total 39, Bronchitis being very close up with 38,
whilst the six credited to Influenza leave six deaths to be accounted for
under the general heading of other respiratory diseases.

The Respiratory Death Rate was 3-07 per annum per 1,000 o
population.

The other causes of death under this section (Local diseases) do not
need special mention. To anyone particularly interested in such the
tables arranged as in each of the previous reports are recommended for
easy reference.

7. Violence. — Beyond mentioning that number of deaths under this
heading was exactly the same as in the year preceding, the only difference
being there was one suicide more in 1899, nothing need be said.

8. Ill-defined Deaths. — These numbered 5 as against 9 in 1898.

Mortality in relation to Season.

1. The General Death Rate was highest in March : i9’o, and
lowest in July ; 8*5 per 1,000 population.

2. The Zymotic Death Rate was highest in October and Decem-

ber, wTen it reached 1*50 in each month. It was lowest in February,
March, and July. No deaths under this heading having been recorded in
those months. ,

3. The Respiratory Death Rate (excluding Phthisis) was at its
maximum in December: 8-o per 1,000 per annum, whilst the minimum
records were in June and July, namely, 1-50 per 1,000 per annum in each
month.

4. Phthisis failed in one month only to be credited with a death,
this being the case in April, whilst the highest rates were registered in
the months of February and March, viz., 3*0 per 1,000 per annum of the
population.

DEATH RATES FROM VARIOUS CAUSES DURING THE

DIFFERENT MONTHS OF THE YEAR.

Month.

General
Death Rate

Zymotic.

Respiratory.

Phxthisis.

Infants] (per
! 1,000 Birthsi,

Jan.

H'o

I -0

3 A

1*5

253

Feb.

i i 3 'o

3-0

3*0

March

19-0

— -

7*5

3*0

200

April

i6‘o

0-50

6-0

May

17-0

i o’ 5 o

2*5

0-5

1 57

June

13-5

0-50

! 1*0

1 119

July

8-50

—

1*5

i-o

Aug.

1 1*66

0-50

2-0

I -o

205

Sept. .

12-50

0-50

2*3

1*5

166

Oct.

12-50

1-50

3*5

2*5

102

Nov.

14-0

0-50

3*0

1*5

55 ‘

Dec.

16-50

1-50

8-0

0*5

j 80

For Year
corrected

15-4^

0-96

3'07

1-41 ^

121

Eng. &
Wales.

2-21

—

163

33 Great
Towns

20-2

2 - 8 i

—

181

67 Other

1 Towns

18-0

2-45

—

1— 1

INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

243 Notifications of above have been received by me during the
year, exactly 96 more than in 1898. This increase was due to the out-
break of Scarlet Fever — general almost throughout the country — which
commenced in this district as far back as October, 1897, been

fairly well notified since with the exception of a few months in the year
1898, and February and December of the past year.

The following is a complete list of such Notifications : —

Scarlet Fever
Enteric Fever
Diphtheria
Erysipelas

• • •

195

—243

Of the 195 cases of Scarlet Fever, 55 occurred in children under five
years of age, the remaining 140 including a few patients well on towards
the middle age period. Of the whole number 158 were removed to
Hospital. Of the cases not admitted to Hospital, to which no objection
could be raised to their being kept at home on the ground of want of
room, etc., the majority of such were cases affecting the only child of the
family, and in these instances isolation could be thoroughly carried out
if — and this is a big if — the parents will endeavour to isolate. With
only one child to look after, and a room provided and kept purposely
apart from the rest of the house in which the patient can be nursed until
all signs and dangers of the disease have passed away, such isolation
should be easy. The danger of non-removal to Hospital, of Scarlet Fever
cases especially, is most manifest in the large houses of the better classes,
where spare bedrooms are plentiful, but unfortunately for the proper
carrying out of the usual precautionary measures, young children are
likewise plentiful. Unless at the outset two nurses are engaged, one for
day duty and the other for night, who can have entire control of the
room and patient during the whole illness, the attempt at preventing the
spread of the infection becomes a mere farce.

I have in my records, of all cases occurring in my district, notes of a
house in which five cases occurred within a period of six months. As soon
as one was convalescent and about to be discharged as free from infection,
another member of the family became ill, and so on through half the year
until the fifth patient recovered.

This was not the only house where others in the same family were
attacked through the non-removal of the first sufferer, but it will serve as
a good example.

I do not mean to infer from these remarks that first cases which have
been removed to Hospital have never been followed by other members
of the family becoming affected. This at times will occasionally
happen, especially in the class of dwellings in which the majority of the
patients reside ; where three or four children sleep in one room — often in
the one bed — the marvel is that in these houses every person in
them does not contract the disease.

In making up my death returns under the various sections I have
included in my Zymotic death list the number of those who have died in
the Clifton Hospital — belonging to this Borough — with the addition of
these the rate under such heading only reaches 0*96 per 1,000 of the
population per annum.

It may be of interest to some to compare the monthly notifications
of Scarlet Fever in the years 1898-1899 :

Jan.

Feb

Mar.

A.pr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sep.

Oct

Nov.

Dec

1898 5

1899 19

Distribution of Scarlet Fever cases as regards the number of houses
infected, arranged in Wards :

West, 37 Central, 26 Bonegate, 20

Hove Edge, 12 Calder, 14 North, 15

East, I] South, 5

The great number of Scarlet Fever cases occurring during the year,
as is easily to be understood, threw a great deal of extra work on the
Sanitary officials.

The Sanitary Inspector invariably made it his rule to be present
whenever possible at the removal of a patient to the Hospital, in order
that he might see that articles of clothing, curtains, and bed linen w^ere
promptly dispatched to the disinfecting apparatus at the Hospital.
Houses or rooms w^ere disinfected as soon as possible after such removal,
and I may here say that any day came alike to him when necessity arose.
When it was thought advisable to take a patient away from his home on
a Sunday, the disinfecting process was not put off until the Monday. In
this illness “ The better the day, the better the deed ” w^as well illustrated,
and I must add that great credit is due to your Inspector for carrying out
all this extra wmrk with such cheerfulness and alacrity.

Enteric, or Typhoid Fever, has only been brought to my notice
17 times, as compared with 21 in 1898, 21 also in 1897, 3^ in 1896, and
25 in 1895. The one disease more specially than any other, due to bad
drainage, impure water supply, or contaminated milk, is Enteric Fever, and
I am able to state that in none of the cases reported has the water or
milk been at fault, and in only one house did more than one case occur.
At this particular house, the drainage w^as very faulty, though the owner
had in years gone by been at great expense in having everything put into
proper order as he concluded. Some of the cases were very mild indeed,
and of the wdrole number, ii were removed to the Hospital, two of wdiich
died, but not from this disease. One had been suffering from Pneumonia
of both lungs previous to admission, and from this complaint he never
rallied, whilst the other w^as affected with an affection of the Kidneys of
previous long standing.

In all the cases in which I found unsatisfactory drainage, or other
imperfections, which undoubtly accelerated if they did not actuallv cause
these illnesses, the owners of the property in question were only too will-
ing to remedy such, according to my suggestions.

d here were two deaths from Enteric Fever in 1899.

Diphtheria Notifications. —

Received in 1899

„ 1898 ...

,, 1897 ...

,, 1896

,, 1895 ...

1 1

These figures show that we were not much troubled with this com-
plaint during the years quoted, although in the year just closed, the
number is very much larger than in any of its predecessors. This is
often noticed to be the case after a prolonged visitation of Scarlet Fever.
Damp and Insanitary surroundings of the dwellinghouses, are however,
the chief factors in determining the presence of Diphtheria, and of the
cases reported, each house infected had some defect in connection, either
with drainage, dampness, or contiguity to a midden privy. The ages of
the patients ranged from 2-| years to 65 years, and of the two very adult
patients, one was already suffering from blood poisoning of a severe form,
whilst the other was literally dying of Consumption, at the time he con-
tracted Diphtheria.

Only one case was removed to Hospital. The severity in some
cases, associated with other complications, as in the two persons above
referred, and the mildness of others, contra-indicating the advantages of
removal, with the exception of the two cases referred to, the remainder
made good recoveries.

One death from Diphtheria was registered during the past year.

Erysipelas notified, in all 20 times, was much less in evidence than
in former years, e.g., 1899 20, 1898 33, 1897 3^5 1896 24, 1895 being
the number of notifications during the past 5 years.

This disease, whilst undoubtedly intectious, cannot be looked upon
as being of a highly infective character, and it is ncrw generally recognised
by the profession that there must be some abrasion of the skin or mucous
membrane for the poison to be transmitted from one person to another.
Overcrowding, poor ventilation, general want of cleanliness, and faulty
drainage will originate the disease and help its spread.

There was one death registered from Erysipelas during 1899.

Puerperal Fever was not notified once during the past year, the
record of this disease in the last five years being :

1899, o 1898, I 1897, 5 1896, 2 1895, 2

Non -Notifiable Infections Diseases,

Or those not included in the Infectious Diseases Notification Act, 1889.

Measles. — Compared with the year 1898, the district is to be
congratulated on being very much less troubled with this complaint.
During the first six months of the past year very few cases indeed were
brought to my notice — perhaps Scarlet Fever was paying too much
attention to the neighbourhood — but in June we began to have a few
families affected, about 20. Then in July about 60 families had one or
more members down with the illness, and no doubt the month of August
was equally prolific in this respect. On account of the schools being
closed during the greater part of this month for the summer vacation,
few cases became known to me, but in September 12 families, in October
25, in November 21, and in December 41 families were more or less
suffering from Measles and its concurrent chest affections.

The districts mostly affected were, in the summer, the Rastrick
portion of the Borough, it being found necessary to order the closing of
the Church Infant School here a week before the summer holidays
commenced, and in the winter the Brighouse portion of the Borough
represented chiefly by the North and Calder Wards. The School of St.
Andrew’s was very seriously affected by the withdrawal for weeks of
children suffering from this ailment during the months of November and
December. In fact, at one part of the latter month so many families
had members suffering it was suggested this school should be closed for
the Christmas Holidays a week earlier than usual. However, the fall in
the number of cases became more marked, and this proceeding was not
entertained. There was no death attributed to Measles during the year,
a contrast to the year preceding, when 12 deaths from this affection
were recorded.

Whooping Cough was slightly prevalent in February, moie
markedly so in July and very prevalent in November. This affection
principally restricted its attention to the children of the Hove Edge
district, but St. Martin’s School in this Borough also suffered slightly
from non-attendance of children through its occurrence. No schools
were closed on account of it, and 3 deaths were attributed to it dm mg
the twelve months, as against one such death in 1898.

Diarrhoea was not very prevalent in the district during the year.
The notices relating to this disease were as usual circulated in the
Borough previous to the setting in of the hot weather. No doubt to a
very great extent the inroads of this disease were checked by means of
this warning, and there were only 5 deaths placed to its account as against
twelve in the year 1898. Of these five deaths the ages of the victims
were as under :

o — I

25—35 45—55 65—75

I I I

Chicken Pox was only noticed on a very few occasions, the cases
being of a very mild character and not restricted to any particular locality.
Only about 20 families had children affected.

Influenza has already been discussed, and it remains only to mention
that during the past year about thirty cases of Ringworm, forty cases of
Skin affection of Scalp and Face, and about half-a-dozen cases of Mumps
were brought to by notice, in addition to those affections already
mentioned.

The majority, if not all, these cases referred to occurred in children
attending school, or living in houses where other children were day
scholars. In very many instances domiciliary visits had to be made by
me to verify or refute the truth of the notices, but in all cases a
certificate for non-attendance at school had to be given. As many
children from one house divided their attendance to as many as three
schools, I found it necessary to acquaint only Mr. Hepworth, the
school attendance officer, that I thought it expedient to prevent the
school attendance of such children for a period of time, commensurate
with in my opinion, the recovery of the patients. He in his turn would
notify the school teachers of having received a certificate from me, and
by this means the children were kept away for varying lengths of time,
and the school grants were not jeopardized on account of my certificates.

In cases of Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, and other notifiable diseases,
it has been my custom to send duplicate, and often times triplicate copies
of these certificates, and in regard to these diseases also, I ask that no
child from a house where any such disease has occurred should be allow-
ed to return to school without a return certificate. This, I find, though
entailing a great amount of trouble, is very beneficial in preventing the
spread of such infections.

All the Schools in the Borough were disinfected during the twelve
months at least on one occasion each, and in addition the majority of
them were disinfected t^vo and three times according to the prevalence
of illness in the neighbourhood in which they were situated. The
Schools in the district had between them twenty-eight disinfections, and
allowing for one school which was not disinfected on one occasion, the
average number of times each School was disinfected in the year was
equal to three.

I may here take the opportunity to remark that the School Atten-
dance Officer, Mr. J. Hepworth, has taken very great care in acquainting
me with cases of non-attendance of children at school on account of illness
— real or feigned. When a medical man has been in attendance I at once
give Mr. Hepworth a certificate, justifying the child’s absence, agreeing
with the doctor’s diagnosis. In other cases I pay a visit myself when
possible, and sometimes a case looked upon as Measles, or a mere cold,
develops into something much more serious. In this manner, I am able
to exercise supervision over many families, and I accord him my hearty
thanks for his promptness and courtesy in dealing with these cases.

SANITARY REPORT.

Building^s.- — loi have been erected during the past year, the
majority, as in 1898, being in Brighouse, a few only in that part of the
Borough called Rastrick.

Most of these houses were of the artizan dwelling class, and, of
course, are built on the through principle, but I would have been better
pleased if every house so built had been obliged to be fitted with a
water-closet. In the early part of the year, after visiting other towns,
and having had special reports from the Borough Surveyor and myself
on the subject, it was, I thought, understood that all new houses where
practicable should be supplied with closets on the water carriage system.
New houses have been built in one part of the Borough in which water-
closets have been erected, whilst immediately opposite to them are also
other new houses supplied as of old with tubs or pails. If the water
carriage system is the best means of disposal of domestic sewage — the
majority of people are agreed on that point, I think — it seems strange
that one set of houses should be built having these improvements whilst
their neighbours are supplied with the less sanitary conveniences.

SIaughter=houses have engaged a great deal of my attention, it
being my custom to pay frequent visits at very irregular times — when
killing is being carried on, and also when it is not. There were a few
complaints regarding foul smells emanating from the Public Slaughter-
house at various times, especially during the warm weather. On this
matter being brought to your notice, it Avas resolved by your Committee
that the drains of this Slaughter-house should be thoroughly examined,
and if necessary be re-laid. This was found to be the means required
to mitigate the evil complained of, and since the work was carried out
over six months ago we have had no further complaint.

In my opinion the Slaughter-house is well attended to by the
Manager— -it is kept clean, and I am at once informed by him of anv
beast being brought to slaughter which in his opinion is a bit off colour.

During the year four carcases of beasts and two carcases of pigs all
badly affected with Tuberculosis were condemned and destroyed according
to the Regulations of the Public Health Act. Another carcase found on
a butcher’s premises was also surrendered by the owner on its condition
being pointed out to him, and this likewise was cremated.

With regard to the two private slaughter houses, one is only used I
believe for the owners’ private business. The other, as I informed you
last year, is at times resorted to by other butchers in the toAvn for the
purpose of killing. This I hardly think is the proper thing to be allowed.
All the butchers should use the Public Slaughter House Avhich is centrally
situated, and where all the meat to be used in the toAvn can be inspected
by the proper authority. The cost of this establishment falls upon the
town, and to make it pay its way all should use it. Hot Avater is pro-
vided in great abundance, and the slaughter-house is open for many
hours during each day, sufficiently long for any business premises.

Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milk Shops have been from time to time
during the year visited by your Sanitary Inspector— on some occasions
I have been with him — and your attention has been called to any defects
we have at times found. Though the greater number of such are
well kept there are others though actually not to be classed as dirty or
unfit for cattle occupation, still might very easily be kept in nicer con-
dition. If the owners of such could only realize the fact that animals of
this class require fresh air, light, and ventilation to keep them in good
health, the solution of the matter would be very easy, but the idea is
very strong in this county that “ What was good enough for my people
before me is good enough for me.” But unbiassed people who know
anything at all of the matter will agree that the best dairy products are
imported into this country from Denmark, and the great reason of the
high superiority of such is the strict cleanliness exhibited in all the details
of the cowsheds and the dairies.

5moke Nuisance. — The nuisance arising from the excessive out-
put of dense smoke at various times is very great, and on account of the
great increase in extra duty involved by the outbreaks of sickness during
the year, I am afraid your Inspector has not been able to pay as much
attention to this matter as I would have wished. Walking along the
main thoroughfare one can pretend not to be able to see much smoke
diffusion. But on any day of the week (Sunday "excepted) let anyone
stroll up to Clifton and look down upon the town, and there can be
noticed the heavy black pall overhanging the place. The remedy of this
evil is in the hands of the manufacturers to a very great extent — the
nuisance can be abated, and at very little expense and trouble ; but you
have been told this on many occasions before. Repetition, however, is
unavoidable. I for one would not be astonished if the County Council
took into its own hands the inspection and control of Factories with
regard to this trouble in the same manner in which the West Riding
Rivers Board deals with the rivers and becks in the County.

APPENDIX I.

INCLUDING VARIOUS TABLES,

Statistical and Otherwise.

c«

•dj

c/3

H-4

<3?

•OJD

•<— (
U

’•a

1 ^

‘OD

CO
• »^

■4J

*00

-d

savxoi vj

-cj-

sasBasTQ
jaq^o nV

rj-

**4*

saunfuj

J90UB3

-t

8SE9SIQ }iB9H

^ i

ASUn9U pUB
‘Biuouinguj
‘sijiqouoig

in;

sisupqg

J9A9g

opHiuu9qg

N 1

Xj95U9Si(Q
puB BaDqjreiQ

qMno3

§uidooq/\Y

S9[SB9IAJ

STJjgdis.-Cjg

T3J9|Oq3

rrr^

—

— 3

Fevers i

|BJ9dj9nj

Suisdnpg

)

U-)

p9nupuo3

pioqd^x

10 oijgjug

snqd^x

dnojp>

snoirejqiu9p\[

•<

" CO

•I

RTjgqiqdiQ

C CM

-1

RupcpiROg

j xodp-BUig

Under 5

5 upwds

Totals

and

up-

wards

and

under

) Ages

VO g Xl u -1

^ c 3 c ^

5 5
< 0

M *— »

and

under

J H
< <

and

under

Und’r

year

At all
ages

BOROUGH

+->

^-1

!-i

i-i

j:3

b£)

• rM

j:!

GsJ

-M

g:)

Gli

H-i

- 1

1 ;

' i

1 '

ri"

Under 5

5 upwds

Under 5

^ !
T)

i 1

D eaths occurring out-
side the d i s tr i ct
among persons be-
longing thereto.

Deaths occurring with-
in the district among
persons not belong-
ing thereto.

4-<

r 1

CO CTi
G

r,00

G '-'

^ o

G -t-J

•

h£)

-(->

* r-H

i-l

7^ < 1 ^

G '^"2
■+-> hH G
o G

h G CO
^ G G

O G J

w- a; '-M

r l-\ G

bjO

Cj ^
<D oj

r~^

'-f-<

4 ::

bjD

r i

KO Q

KD
^ ’T!l

o 5 ^

Th CS -4-J CS
CS G

V-i

C> 00 CO

"> CD ^

.5 G G d

g3 G.^

G P-i CG 3

J-. O O

< PG PI^

(B) TABLE OF POPULATION, BIRTHS, and of NEW CASES OF INFECTIOUS SICKNESS

coming to the knowledge of the Medical OfiBcer of Healh,

during the Year 1899, in the

1— I

‘P

'TS

•oc

'oc

• fH

OJ ^

1 ^

(U o

ixc
c 'C:

^ 03
tn Ci
(U ^

6 5

T' P-

l-M [/5

IH O

^ o

5 -5

i! 'o
Td P
P ca

> B

6 c

CD QJ

0^ S

« ri

2 ^

0 CO

C/) QJ

iH rt
(U o
rn o

S ^

c ^

.10 OJ

►H hIh

o ^

+-• o;
O

►-1^

XI 2
o 2

03 r-rt

<1^ ^

.2^
c/3 03
(f) r*

0) rS

dcM

-3°

■-H 0)

tn bD

<4-1 03
O ^
M >
cu !>
c/) O
cti C
U0xj

^ OJ
(U XI
2 ^

s-BpdjsAaa

T 3 a 9 ioq 3

cfl

0-1

jBjadjaUcj

3 uiSdE][ 9 '^

p 9 Qupuo 3

pToqd-Cj,
JO ou 9 ;ug;

snqdAx

dnojx

snou-ejqiuapj

-BuaqitqdiQ

tJup'Rjjt; 3 S

xodqBuis

Hr ^

< G

SP{ 9 dTSi{j 3

pj 9 ioq 3

ctf

|Bj 9 dj 9 nj

SuisdBp-y;

p 9 nupuo 3

pioqd^x

JO 0U9:)U3

snqdX;x

dnoJ3

snou'BJquio]/\[

■eTJ9q;qdiQ

EUpT 3 pB 0 S

xodp'cuis

03
(U ;
bX)-;

< (

to
L( 5-<
O ^

tv.

sqwa

p 9 .T 9 :^Sl§ 9 '^

^ W

2 3

H <
<

J P

o, <

oJ o P »
H X 00
•PX03)

M 0) X -M

W -*" G o

cy\

c/3

(/3

o M

C 00

(D HH

Notification of Infectious Disease compulsory in the District since 1890.

Brighouse Joint Hospital, situated at Clifton (in Halifax Rural District). The Hospital was opened for the reception of
Patients March 30th, i8g8.

TABLE C, 1599.

BRIGHOUSE URBAN SANITARY DISTRICT.

MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH, FRED W. MARTIN,

M.R.C S., Eng.; L.R.C.P., Ed., etc.

SANITARY INSPECTOR, RALPH MARSDEN.

WATER SUPPLY-

Quality ? Excellent.

Action on Lead ? None.

i\ny extensions or change during 1899 ? Extension to houses built
during year.

Any inadequacy in any part ? No.

Any information as to the number or proportion of dwellings with
baths? 312.

SEWERAGE AND SEWWGE DISPOSAL—

Extensions or Improvements during 1899 ? Works nearing
completion.

SCAVENGING—

Are the Privy middens, &c., cleansed by the Sanitary Staff, by
Contractors, or by Owners and Tenants ? By the Sanitary
Staff.

ADOPTIVE ACTS—

Parts Adopted and Date.

Public Health Acts (Amendment) Act, 1890 ? All. 1895.

Infectious Disease (Prevention) Act, 1890 ? All. 1893.

What was the amount paid to practitioners during

1899 under the Infectious Disease (Notification) i- ^30 7s 6d.
Act ?

BYE-LAWS—

Any adopted or sanctioned during 1899 ^

Are they properly enforced ? Yes.

Any deficiency ? Offensive trades not in our bye-laws.

Regulated Buildings, Trades, &c.

Number.

Regis- Inspec-
tered. ted.

General Condition.

Legal

Proc’dings
(if any).

Common Lodging Houses

Canal Boats

Slaughter Houses

Bakehouses ...
Dairies
*Cowsheds
Milkshops ...

Offensive Trades ...

2 Tripe Boilers, i Soap Boiler,

*62

Examined about twice
monthly. i good.

I moderate

Good. 2 Contraventions
only.

Public Good. I Private
good. I Private fair.
Good.

On the whole satisfactory

'■'This number includes
the 44 cowsheds,
which practically are
large milk shops.

Good.

-D.C.M. ORDER—

Have any Regulations been framed under Article 13 of this
Order ? Yes.

If so, what date ? May 24th, 1899.

Please append copy if printed ? Copy enclosed.

ISOLATION HOSPITAL—

At Clifton, Halifax Rural District.

Disinfecting Apparatus ? At Hospital. Type of same ? Illingworth.

Compensation paid for infected articles destroyed during 1899 ?
None destroyed.

Has the Sanitary Authority in emergency during an oucbreak of
disease provided Nurses for home isolation ? No.

DWELLINGS—

Number of Houses built during 1899 ? loi.

General character ? Artizans’ Dwellings.

Any houses unfit for habitation ? Two. One closed ; the other
will be.

Any overcrowding of persons in houses ? One. — Rectified without
legal proceedings.

Any overcrowding of houses on area ? No.

Any action taken under the Housing of the Working Classes Act^
1890 ? No.

What illuminant is generally used in the houses ? Gas.
GEOLOGY—

Nature of Soil ? Clay. Subsoil ? Millstone grit, overlying
coal measures.

MISCELLAxNEOUS—

Is House-to-house Inspection systematically made ? N@.

Total No. of Nuisances in hand at close of 1898 ? 23. At close

of 1899 ? 68.

Reported during 1899 ? 236. Abated during 1899 ? 191.

Total No. of Summonses or other Legal Proceedings ? None,

No. of Sink wastes disconnected during 1899 ? 139.

,, ,, trapped ,, 13.

No. of Closets newly constructed during 1899? 117. Kinds?

Pails, 60 ; Fresh Water Closets, 20; Waste Water Closets, 37.

No. of Closets re-constructed during 1899 ? 3 Kinds ? Tvlidden

privies converted to W.C.’s.

Any diseases peculiarly endemic in the district ? No.

Any information as to number of deaths from Cancer of all kinds
during 1899 ? Yes. — 14 deaths.

Any information as to number of deaths from Tabes Mesenterica ?
Yes. — 2.

\'accination — Any improvement in efficiency under the nev Act ?
— Not very much.

Is a public Mortuary provided ? No. Any necessity for a public
Abattoir ? One already.

WHAT ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN IN REGARD TO THE
FOLLOWING MATTERS ?

Seizures of Unsound Food ? 7 Carcases — 5 Beasts, 2 Pigs destroyed.
Prosecutions? None.

Samples under Sale of Food and Drugs Acts ? 20. Prosecutions ?

None.

Are Food preservatives much in use in summer time, especially in
milk ? I think not.

River pollution ? Odd cases. — Regulations restricting output of
effluent from Manufacturers drawn up, but not yet adopted.

Smoke Abatement. — No. of observations taken ? 12.

Inspection of Factories and Workshops ? Periodically.

Schools. — No. in District ? lo. No. closed on account of out-
breaks of disease? i. Total duration of closure from this
cause ? One week only.

Burial Grounds.^ — No. in District ? 2. Any need for extension?

No.

Any work done by the M.O.H. under the Customs and Inland
Revenue Act, 1890, Sec. 26 (2) ? No.

BIRTHS. — Males, 272 ; Females, 231. — ^Total 503.
Number illegitmate, included in the above (?)

Any information as to number of Still Births ? None.

DEATHS. — Males, 180 ; Females, 156. — Total 336.
Number uncertified, included in the above ? 6.

SANITARY REQUIREMENTS OF DISTRICT, AND SUGGES-
TIONS OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH

Destructor for Town’s Refuse.

Increased Lighting by Electricity.

Water Carriage of Domestic Sewage to be enforced wTerever
practicable.

Tables Shewing the Population of Brighouse and Rastrick
AND THE Number of Births and Deaths from 1876 to
1899 ; ALSO THE Birth Rates and Death Rates in these Years.

Table 1. A.— BRIGHOUSE.

Year

Population

Births

England
and Wales
Birth Rate

Deaths

England
& Wales
death rate

Number

Rate per looo
of Population

Number

Raie per looo
of Population

1876

7,290

262

35-9

20'7

1877

7,400

276

37*2

36*1

163

22-0

20*4

1878

7 >500

291

35-2

35*9

165

20*0

21*7

1879

8,300

282

34-6

178

21-4

1880

8,385

287

34*2

34'6

180

21-4

20*4

1881

7,962

263

33-0

33*9

137

17*2

18-9

1882

8,120

3 H

38*6

337

138

i6'9

ig ’6

1883

8,280

280

33 'o

33*2

152

18-3

19-5

1884

8,340

289

34'6

33-5

179

21 *4

19*6

1885

8,505

292

34-3

32-5

199

23*3

19-0

1886

8,700

260

29*8

32-4

185

21-2

19-3

1887

7,780

304

34-6

31-4

169

ig-2

i8-8

1888

8,880

301

33-9

30-6

139

15-6

17-8

1889

9,100

279

30-6

30*5

155

17*0

i 7‘9

1890

9,226

275

29*8

297

201

21*8

19-2

1891

10,276

321

317

31*4

199

19*2

20*2

1892

10,507

. 282

26-8

30-5

199

18-9

19*0

1893

10,610

286

26*6

30*8

194

j8'2

19*2

B.— RASTRICK.

1876

6,540

281

42*9

146

22-2

1877

6,695

304

45-4

36-9

153

22*8

20-4

1878

9,000

294

32-6

35’8

179

19*8

217

1879

9,060

305

33 'f>

171

i8-8

1880

9,135

299

327

34'6

201

22-0

20-4

1881

8,036

327

40-6

33-9

163

20*2

18-9

1882

8,252

292

35-3

337

168

20-3

19-6

1883

8,465

280

33-0

33'2

167

197

19-6

1884

8,680

290

33'4

33*5

222

25-5

19 5

1885

8,285

306

34'6

32*5

159

i8-o

19*6

1886

8,950

268

29-9

32-4

178

207

19-0

1887

9,075

293

33'3

31-4

179

197

i8-8

1888

9,592

285

307

30-6

159

i6-6

17-9

1889

9,865

276

30-8

30*5

100

i8'5

17-9

1890

9,981

280

28-1

297

164

i6‘4

19*2

1891

9,279

3II

33'4

31-4

212

22*9

20-2

1892

9,448

270

28-5

30-5

172

i8-2

19*0

1893

9,583

276

28-8

30-8

159

16-5

19-2

C.— BOROUGH.

1894

22,030

571

25-9

29*6

312

14*16

16*6

1895

22,570

573

25-38

30-3

349

15-46

i8*7

1896

22,960

547

23-8

297

360

15-57

17*1

1897

23,440

573

24-44

29-7

322

13-73

17-4

1898

23,750

549

23*16

29-4

418

17*6

1899

24,000

503

25*12

29-3

371

15-46

18*3

Table II. — Shewing Population, Births, &c., in other Towns in the West Riding ftptm which Returns were received.

I T3
Vw OJ 0)
O o CO >

.43 c-j;
o ‘S o ^

^ CO O CO
CrCi OJ3
,CC rrt w

Oj
d <1^

nCQ

M <U

Cu CTj +j 4_,
cu d c^
CO <U(^

CO Q O
CD I— I

'co a)
^ cc! rt

43 Q
fin

'■" 43
d c3

d tu Cti

c/]

•+-I

o 9
& o
o

0) _'■
•*->
oj

cti

C/D

-4-t

^ C^
03 0^
^ 00

h-1

<t>

03
bO
X

^ M

^ r; X

, J— I ‘r^ -A—* W

03 05 3

tn pq ^ PQ fi, j

• rH

a; a;

I ^

> CO

O CO

c /)0

H o
X 0^ o
lx X

N
1- M
X N

•H

H M

X XTO

-o-

M N

O 0

Tt- X

!>. X

X 1

M M

►H

X X

t^OO X O

X M

M M

N X

Tf- N

-cf- M O

X X

X XX

X X

M M

M b

X TO

XTO in o

M M

N N

H b

N M

O X

X TO

in X

M M

M HH

M N

XTO X

IX IXX

X X

N X

XX IX JX

X X

<N M

co"

M l-H

O XTO

X X

X o

X N

ixx

do M

N (N

N N

IN N

X X XX XX

X IX X

M X

M lO

X N

M TO

-i3- N

N N

!— i

Tj- M

0X0

X X

X N

0-13-0

XTO

J>x

Tt- X -^00

lO M

X X

O d

Th N

0 X

1- X

M M

'-h

•

Table III. — Deaths at Various Age Periods.

o-i

1-5

5-15

15-25

25-65

65 and
upw’ds

Total

Jan.

1 1

—

Feb.

—

March

April

May

—

June

—

July

—

Aug.

Sept.

—

Oct.

25 ^

Nov.

1 1

Dec.

—

Total

6 i

131

336

TABLE IV.

MONTHLY BIRTHS, 1899.

Males.

Females.

Rate. 1

January

21-5

February

20*5

March

22-5

April

25*0 i

May

26*0

June

21*0

July

20-5

August

17*0

September ...

24-0

October

19-5

November ...

i8*o

December ...

i6-o

Totals

272

231

25-12

MONTHLY DEATHS, 1899.

Males.

Females.

Rate.

j anuary

14-0 '

February ...

13-0 j

March

ig-o

April

i6-o

May

17-0

June

13-5

July

8-5

August

11*66

September ...

12-5

October

12*5

November ...

14-0

December ...

16-5

Totals

180

156

14*0

Table V. — Monthly Notification of Infectious Diseases,

Scarlet

Fever

Entertic

Fever

Erysipe-

las

Diph-

theria

1 Total

January

—

24 1

: February ...

1 6 1

March

—

! 29

' April

—

^ 35

1 i

1 1

M ay

—

: June

—

July

—

20 i

x\ugust

16 :

September ...

—

I 12 .

October

—

17 :

November ...

—

December ...

10 I

Totals

195

1 1

243 ,

no nGT T) /n no w
jn JCa Jtr vJ Xv. X

OF THE

Held at Southampton, on August 29th, 1899,
and following days.

To the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Members of the Sanitary Committee.

Gentlemen,

It having been decided at your meeting in July last that yonr Medical
Officer of Health should attend at the above meeting as a Delegate from
the Brighouse Corporation, I formed one of the great number of visitors
to Southampton, which number would undoubtedly have assumed greater
proportions, if the accessability of the town in question had been
convenient for the more northernly situated towns in England. However
the attendance, though not constituting a record, was esteemed a highly
satisfactory one, and as the Borough Surveyor and your townsman,
Alderman Sugden, who was a delegate from the West Riding County
Council, were also present, this Borough was duly represented.

The proceedings proper commenced with the inaugural address of
the President of the Conference, Sir William Henry Preece, K.C.B., his
subject being “ Sanitation up-to-date,” and this he classified under six
headings.

Pure Air. — In his remarks upon this subject, he drew our attention
to the fact that pure air was valued from the earliest ages, and that it
was recorded, Moses was the first originator of destroying refuse, so that
it should not be a nuisance to the people. There was no elaborate
destructor erected, nor was there any need for such, as it was a simple
matter to carry away the refuse and destroy it by fire, away from any
dwellings, so that the fumes in those early days had no chance of annoy-
ing the nostrils of the Israelites.

In the course of his remarks on this section he very forcibly pointed
out that the Legislature has taken care that Lunatic Asylums, Hospitals,
Workhouses and Gaols should be provided with proper air space for each
person, and he contrasted the non-efficient ventilation of places where
the free and better classes of our population mostly do congregate —
churches, chapels, theatres, railway carriages, etc. — and the balance of
his teaching was certainl)^ in favour of the restricted classes, at least this
is true as regards the period of their confinement. We all know, on the
other hand, that the periods of liberty enjoyed by the majority of this
large class are not as a rule spent in the most healthy surroundings, as
anyone may learn who troubles as to the housing of the poor and of the
working classes generally throughout the country. Great strides are
however being made everywhere nowadays in the building of better
houses for the accommodation of the artizan classes, and no doubt better
ventilation of all buildings where large masses of people at times assemble
would shew good results in the lessening of many infectious diseases.

Pure Water. In speaking of pure water, the President mentioned
“ It would be well if every water supply could have its own protecced
area, free from the contamination of man,” and instanced Maidstone’s
epidemic in 1897 having been caused by accidental pollution of its
wmter supply by the typhoid bacillus.

Rivers, he said, w^ere polluted not alone by the excretions of humanity,
but by the refuse of trade and of manufacture. And the residents in the
neighbourhood of this Borough have daily ocular proofs that his state-
ments are verified by facts. But such I have no doubt will soon cease
to be the case here, for if I am to understand aright the manufacturers
around us are only too willing to lay down plant and material in the way
of settling tanks, and assist the endeavours of the West Riding Board in
preventing the further pollution of our rivers.

As regards the water supplied in this town for dietetic purposes, I
may again repeat what I have said in the past twm years, that the water
is very good indeed. The Lecturer drew attention to the fact that whilst
in most English cities the average consumption of wmter rarely exceeded
25 gallons per head per day, in New York it reaches 60, and in Phila-
delphia 90 gallons. He asked the question, ‘‘ Should there not, instead
of using carefully purified water to lay the dust, flush sewers, etc., be a
duplicate supply, one for domestic and the other for public purposes ? ”
This was already the plan adopted at Richmond and St. Helens, and sea
water is used at Great Yarmouth and Bournemouth. London, he advo-
cated, could be easily supplied with sea water for cleansing purposes,
and so save to a great extent the use of the London water, which though
much as it has been maligned in the past is of excellent quality.

Pure Food was the next item in this discourse, and he said that
though Parliament does not order our daily food, still it does legislate
against impure food. The enormous importation of food into this
country renders it imperative that strict and rigid inspection should be
exercised upon its condition. We rarely nowadays take up a newspaper
wfithout reading of the seizure of diseased meat, or of fruit and fish unfit
for food, followed in many instances by exemplary punishment. Cold
storage, or the artificial production of cold, has rendered possible the
impoitation of meat from our most distant Colonies, and few’ of us know

whether the most delicate and tender saddle of mutton on our table is as
asserted from Wales, or from New South Wales, or from New Zealand.
The probability is that it comes from the latter place, for imported is
generally of higher quality than home-grown meat. This, no doubt, is a
bitter pill for English farmers and dealers to swallow, but the statement
evidently was thoroughly believed in by the Lecturer.

Milk, the President reminded us, is the most important and most
general form of food, for it is used by all ages and both sexes, but
especially by the young. Unfortunately, milk is a greater medium than
is meat for transmission of germs of disease, especially the bacillus of
Scarlet Fever, Typhoid Fever, and Tuberculosis. Unclean milk is too
common, and, unfortunatel}^ inspection and examination of cows, cow-
sheds, dairies, and milk cans is thoroughly inefficient.

Much, he continued, depended upon the householder protecting his
family from the enumerated dangers by at all events heating the milk up
to a temperature of i6o deg. F., which is considerably under boiling
point, does not alter the taste so much as in boiling, and is quite suffi-
cient to destroy any germs. He regretted that the co-operative system
of Denmark had not been introduced into this country. There, a large
central dairy, creamery, buttery, and cheese-making establishment is
managed by a small board of management, elected from the contributing
farmers, wdio are scattered over the district, and who send to this
establishment their milk to be inspected, measured, and treated, and
each of whom draws his pro rata share of the profits. Curiously enough
their best customer is England. The amount of farm produce imported
into this country from our more progressive and enlightened neighbours
over the sea is enormous, and disgraceful to our bigoted and ignorant
agriculturists.

It is the enforcement of the regulations, the control of supervising
powers, the appointment of inspectors that is weak, and chiefly is this
the fault of little towns and scattered districts. The little towns are too
often the arena of personal squabbles, party spirit, ignorance, and self
interest. Tennyson said, “ If God made the country and man the town,
the devil made the little country town.”

Pure Soil the Lecturer next passed on to, and stated it depended
upon the care exercised by ourselves upon the disposal of our excreta
and refuse. The earliest form of so doing enjoined by Moses was the
natural and effective one of returning such to the earth. This, a natural
and effective system, had required modification on account of the growth
of the people, and their concentration in great towns had rendered the
system impracticable. The Romans constructed great sewers, and dis-
charged their sewage into the Tiber ; whilst the Chinese have from time
immemorial utilised their excretions to enrich the land with the matter
which vegetation has withdrawn from it. He said it was only within
our own experience that the pail, the cesspool, and the ashpit have been
exorcised. Indeed they were even now often to be found in isolated
dwellings. The water closet, he stated, was the introduction of this
century, but I may here state the President would hardly say the old
systems were found only in isolated cases if he visited many of our north
country towns. In considering the treatment and disposal of sewage

under the three headings — Mechanical, Chemical, and Biological, he
very minutely touched on the salient points of each, and concluded
by showing that the tendency of all these systems was ultimately to
restore the balance to nature.

He gave great credit to Sir Frederick Bramwell for the Portsmouth
Water Carriage System, where, assisted by the direction and velocity of
tidal currents of the Solent, the crude sewage was so disposed of as to
avoid any possible nuisance to sojourners at Southsea, whilst the same
good effect was noticeable also at Torquay, Brighton and Margate. He
said, however, it was not economy or wisdom to make too much use of
the sea for it was not so good a natural purifier as a river, being deficient
in bacteria and the stuff' discharged therein was w^asted. A distinction
must be drawn between the requirements of great towms, villages,
hamlets, and isolated houses — every case must be dealt with on its own
merits — there was no one process equally suitable for every Sewage.

Chemical treatment was well illustrated in the case of London,
where the crude sewage is admitted into precipitating tanks and treated
wnth lime and sulphate of iron in definite quantities. The effluent flow^s
into the river at Barking and Crossness ; the sludge amounting to over
2,000,000 tons yearly is conveyed fifty miles out to Barrow Deep, and
deposited in the sea. xV marked improvement has been made in the
condition of the Thames in consequence, and further purification of the
effluent was now under the consideration of the London County Council.

Speaking of the Biological treatment, the President said this system
had clearly come to stay, though still in the experimental stage. Divid-
ing this treatment into two classes, that dealing with sewage clarified
by precipitation and filtering, and that which attempted to deal wnth
crude sewage, he said the former plan appeared to be the most effective.
It had recently been applied to Merton, where unsuccessful have been
converted into successful works. The second plan was much simpler,
and if the simultaneous action of the different bacteria could be relied
upon, it might possess the method of practicability as w^ell as of economy,
but more experience was really needed. A Royal commission was at
present considering the whole question, but some time must elapse before
its report was ready.

Pure Dwellings. People suffered not alone from ignorance, but
from carelessness and filth. The lower the social scale, the greater the
weakness of education, the more callous and indifferent human beings
become to cleanliness and comfort.

The legislation of recent years, by which local authorities can
improve the dwellings of the working classes, and inspect and control
common lodging houses, has had a beneficial influence upon the com-
munity by clearing away slums, preventing overcrowding, building well-
designed, conveniently-arranged houses, and constructing new streets.

But, unfortunately, local authorities are much hampered by the
restrictions of the Act of 1890, empowering them to improve the
dwellings of the working classes, and they are checked by the greed of
vested interests. Edinburgh, by spending £^bo,ooo on improving the
housing of the poor, has brought down the death-rate from 28 to 17 per

1,000. Legislation, though often half-hearted, tends very much to
increase the responsibilities of the local authorities. They are encouraged
to acquire and conduct certain trading operations which affect the
interests of the whole community, especially the supply of water, of gas,,
of electrical energy, and of tramways. Electric light is the greatest boon
and it is essentially the poor man’s light. Tramways, by withdrawing
the wmrking classes from the interior of towms to the more open and
purer air of the suburbs, solve the question of improved dwellings, and
by wmrking these tramways by electricity they so reduce the cost of
generation of the energy that the supply of electric light can be made
the most economical source of artificial lighting. Glasgow has very
strangely separated the Tramway Power House from the Electric Light
Central Station, and has thus deprived its light customers of a reduction
of at least one penny per Board of Trade unit ; Manchester is whser in
its generation.

Pure Bodies. Broadly speaking, every section of the address has
reference to health. Hygiene is the most important knowledge for
everyone to possess. It is perhaps the least acquired. It is not generally
taught in our schools ; it is not preached from our pulpits, and yet the
lungs, the heart, the nerves, the skin, and the stomach, are as im-
portant to our present life as the mind and even the soul. The wealth
and strength of a nation rest with the health of its people. Cleanliness
is next to Godliness — this is the keystone of Hygiene. It promotes
cheerfulness, and after all, cheerfulness is the greatest doctor we have.
Moses prescribed cleanliness above everything. Lepers were to be
washed, shav^en and cleansed, their garments were to be rent and burnt,
and they were to be isolated outside the camp. Their houses were to be
shut up, disinfected, cleaned, and even in some cases, to be pulled down,
the materials removed out of the city and destroyed by hre.

How far is disease carried about in clothes, and how can we best
wash and dry them ? Can we not utilize the electric current to bleach
them ? Chlorine and alkali so much used now destroy clothes.

An important feature of the introduction of electricity into our homes,
is its cleanliness ; it neither vitiates the air nor deposits dirt, nor destroys
gilding or curtains, or book bindings. Reports are occasionally circulated
in the press that it injuriously affects the eyes : this is erroneous. If
any inconvenience arises, it is largely due to the adaptation of the fittings
and the arrangement of the lighting.

This is a brief resume of a very interesting and most attentively
followed discourse by a crowded audience, and Sir William Preece was,
at its termination, most loudly cheered and suitably thanked for his
brilliant address.

In the evening the opening of the Health Exhibition by the Mayor
engrossed qhe attention of the members of the Congress, and here were
to be found the various exhibits of the now so well known firms which
are always to be found at these meetings. Messrs. Doulton, Jennings,
Oates & Green, Albion Clay Co., Duckett & Sons, Cliff & Sons were the
principal firms showing specimens of their art as applied to sanitary,
house, and drain fittings of every description. One exhibit which
attracted a great deal of attention was an hospital sink at Boulton’s stall,
and Messrs. Oates and Green introduced a novelty as far as these exhi-
bitions are concerned by showing a sanitary manger for use in cow^-sheds.

Turning to the general exhibits, the display of gas ranges, baths,
and other articles of domestic use were really splendid, and the same
remarks apply to other articles too numerous to mention. One great
source of attraction to the general public was a hospital ward, in which
a professional nurse illustrated the treatment of invalids. A model
working dairy, with four cows, excited considerable interest, and there
were also demonstrations of the Rontgen rays, coloured photographs, etc.
Disinfectants were here, there, and everywhere, and altogether this
Exhibition was, as far as excellence of exhibits, a decided success.

On Wednesday, there were no fewer than seven Conferences, and
proceedings were commenced in the Medical Officers of Health Section,
with an address by Dr. T. Orme Dudfield, who reviewed the progress
that had been made in measures for ensuing the public health since 1865.
Tliis was to a very great extent the life history and work, if one may
so describe it, of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and I must refer you
to a more detailed account, provided you in the October number of the
Journal of the Sanitary Institute.

Each member of the committee, is I believe, furnished with a copy.
It may be of interest to some if I pointed out, that in this address,
Huddersfield was awarded the distinction of being the first authority to
obtain powers of compulsory notification.

I he first paper read after this address, on “Sewage Disposal in Rural
districts,” does not call for any special comment, but the one that followed
on the “ Isolation of Infectious Disease,” by Dr. Groves, of the Isle-of-
Wight, evoked considerable discussion.

One speaker referred to the opinion expressed by a good many
people to the effect, that in case of any outbreak of infectious disease
amongst children, the closing of the schools did not have the desired
effect in-as-much as the children in playing about the streets, were rather
more likely to become infected, than if they remained at school. This
was refuted by many medical officers, who testified that they had found
the closing of schools most efficacious in stamping out epidemics of
measles. Children, they argued, were more liable to catch infection,
when crowded in the school-rooms than when playing in the streets with
plenty of fresh air around them. One or two, however, were of opinion
that in the case of measles, the closure of the infants’ department
was all that Was required.

Dr. Chalmers, of Glasgow, next spoke upon the subject of “ Bac-
teriology and Public Health,” and was followed by a brief
discussion ; but the most interesting paper of this day was that read by
Dr. Newsholme, of Brighton, on “ Notification of Consumption : its
pros, and cons.” Overcrowding, he said, was the central problem in
public health. It was one which surpassed our present ability com-
pletely to solve. Gradually some palliative measures against it were
being adopted, and cheap trains and trams for those who could, and
block dwellings of an improved type for those who could not afford to
migrate to the suburbs would doubtless help in time to relieve the stress,
though they do not entirely meet the requirements of the case. But in
the meantime, for many years to come, a large amount of overcrowding
must continue in our crowded centres of population. Is it not better

that in connection with this state of matters we should have official
knowledge of cases of Phthisis than that we should be blindly attempting
to abate such casual cases of overcrowding as are detected by our
Sanitary Inspectors ? Knowing of cases of Phthisis, we can take
intelligent precautions against its spread in overcrowded houses ; while
ignorant of them, we are spending and exhausting our energies on over-
crowded houses of much less importance, from the standpoint of the
prevention of the spread of the disease.

At the conclusion of this paper. Dr. Scurfield, of Sunderland, read
another allied to this subject on “ The question of Sanitary Authorities
providing Sanatoria for Consumptives,” and he stated that a small
sanatorium would achieve for a big town in the course of a few years a
very appreciable reduction in the prevalence of consumption — a not very
easily communicated disease. He believed there were thirty-three such
institutions for the people in Germany. In England it seemed likely
that Boards of Guardians would in the course of time combine to establish
sanatoria for paupers who were suitable cases for the treatment, but the
establishment and maintenance of sanatoria for people of limited means
who were not paupers would be left to philanthropic efforts and voluntary
subscriptions, including workmen’s subscriptions.

At the conclusion of this paper. Dr. Newsholme moved “That this
Conference of Medical Officers of Health is strongly of opinion that
Phthisis — which causes more deatlis in England than any other disease,
one-fourth of the total deaths at ages 15-55 being due to this cause — -
is preventable by measures which are completely within the range of
personal and public hygiene. That, of such measures, the disinfection
or destruction of sputa of phthisical patients, and the abatement of the
insanitary condition of dwelling houses and work places, especially those
associated with overcrowding, hold the first place. That, for the carry-
ing out of such measures, notifications of cases of Phthisis to the Medical
Officer of Health are indispensable to secure economy of effort and the
maximum benefit. That this Conference recommends the notification of
Phthisis for adoption in all sanitary districts, the question as to whether
it be voluntary or compulsory being left to the discretion of the local
sanitary authorities : and that the Local Government Board be urged by
the Council of the Sanitary Institute to take the necessary steps to
legalise such notification.”

This was seconded by Dr. Niven, of Manchester. Several of the
■speakers, in discussion, whilst favouring voluntary, were opposed to the
compulsory notification of the disease, but eventually the motion was
carried by a large majority.

In the section devoted to Medical Officers of Schools, a paper read
by Dr. Shelley mainly on the subject of prevention of disease in schools,
dwelt also upon a point which cannot fail to be of special interest to
parents. Summed up in a few words, the crux of the subject was that
whilst the studies of pupils nowadays had enormously increased, not
sufficient attention was paid to the extra dietary required in order to keep
up strength commensurable with the mental exertions. Children who
seemed to run the risk of being overworked should at all events be made
to carry on their work under the best hygienic conditions and on a dietary
sufficient in amount and duly varied in kind.

Following on this came “ The Treatment of Teeth during School
Life,” and it was suggested —

(1) That dental treatment should be compulsory in all poor law

schools.

(2) That in board schools, it should at first be optional, and later

on obligatory.

(3) That in public and private boarding schools, there should be

compulsory inspection on arrival, with reports to parents
when necessary.

(4) That for all scholars, the use of the tooth-brush after the last

meal of the day should be enforced.

On Thursday, the various sections of the congress again met, but
chief interest, was undoubtedly, centred in the address of Professor
Frankland ; the largest audience of the week being drawn together in
anticipation of a striking address. This anticipation was verefied to the
letter, and at the outset the professor drew attention to the fact that the
continued success of the Sanitary Congress was an eloquent testimony to
the public interest now taken in sanitary matters.

England was well to the fore in practical sanitation, but was a little
behind in sanitary science.

Referring to three subjects : i- — The admixture of water gas wdth
coal gas ; 2 — The use of lead in manufacture of pottery ; and 3— The

evils resulting from the employment of phosphorus in the making of
matches. He approved the recommendations made by those who were
deputed by the Government to inquire into these things, and in regard to
the suggested prohibition of women from employment in trades whic h
were liable to produce disease in the offspring of women so engagea ;
he contended such prohibition was only just in looking at the welfare of
future generations. The obvious duty of everyone was to vanish common
matches, both from homes and pockets, and in this connection he
especially appealed to smokers, who were the largest consumers of
matches, and the worse offenders in this respect.

Referring to the application of Biology to Sanitary Science, and
specially as to Bacteriology, he said that bacteriological examinations
were of great value in testing and controlling the filtration and purifica-
tion of a water supply. As to the same treatment of sew^age, now so
much talked about, there was nothing new under the sun. All sewage
purification was entirely due to bacterial agency, and all along they had
been relying upon bacteria without knowdng it. What w^as new' was the
invention of methods by which the micro-organisms were enabled to do
their work most efi'ectively.

Sew^age purification was really a fermentative industry, ranking with
brewing, with this important difference — that whereas brewing and
distilling were amongst the most remunerative modern industries, it was
impossible to hold out any hope that the purification of sewage would
ever be carried on at a profit.

Another very interesting contribution was provided by Mr.
Malcolm Morris, F.R.C.S., on Tuberculosis, treated in a very exhaustive
manner. Mr. Morris expounded in broad lines the policy of the National
Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis, a disease responsible for
one-eighth of our mortality. He commended the tuberculine test, and
speaking of the fact that some of the poor dairymen had rebelled some-
what against the loss of their animals, he said the answer given them
was final and complete, viz., that no matter how poor they were, or what
financial injury may be brought to them, still they had no right to
furnish milk which would probably produce disease and death. It would
not be a bad policy, he thought, for the State to pay one-half the value
of the cattle slaughtered on account of Tuberculosis.

Amongst other remarks he directed a tirade ag^imst the practice of
public spitting, and said he would be glad to see made, and strictly
enforced, a regulation prohibiting the hlthy practice of spitting in public.
Our streets, our onmibuses, our railway carriages are at present befouled
by spittle in a manner which was always disgusting and often dangerous.
The only remedies for Consumption were air and sunshine, rest, and
abundance of good food, — points aimed at in the construction of
Sanatoria.

On Friday, the concluding day of the Congress, papers were read on
“The Tubercle Bacillus as a Saprophyte,” by Dr. A. Ransome, and
Dr. Rideal exhibited various methods for generating formaldehyde for
disinfecting purposes, and the discussion that followed the demonstration
occupied some hours. This disinfectant, I may here state, has since the
Congress at Leeds, been practically the only one used in this borough,
at least for the fumigation of infected rooms.

Dr. A. E. Cope, of London, read a paper on the Vaccination
question, and urged that the present official standard of the public
vaccination of individuals was inadequate, because it did not recognise
the need of re-vaccination, — did not contemplate the imperfection of
much which was certified as successful vaccination, and they had now to
deal with a conscientious objector, as well as a vaccination defaulter.

The standard set for realization was — -

1. — Primary vaccination in infancy, or before entering school.

2. — Re-vaccination in the 12th year, or before leaving school.

2.— Power of inspection of children in school at stated intervals, or
during epidemics of Smallpox ; and —

I'he affording of every facility and inducement for adult re-
vaccination in presence of Smallpox. He suggested that
the Educational aspect of vaccination should be impressed
upon the public by the National Health Society, and other
kindred bodies.

Dr. Bushel! Anningson read some “ Notes on Guarantees of the
Purity of Milk Supply.” He said the le«s grave injurious qualities of
milk could be checked by ordinary analytical methods, but unless each
quantity as it was distributed had been submitted to antecedent exam-

ination — an impossible procedure — nothing in the sense of a guarantee
could be given. None the less, from the absence of official effectual
guarantees, it did seem desirable that all possible safeguards should be
adopted.

Dr. Scurfield proposed that the Council of the Institute be recom-
mended to urge the Government to undertake a scheme for the reduction
of the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis. He said the only result of two
Royal Commissions was the order of the Board of Agriculture excluding
the milk of cows suffering from tuberculosis and diseased udder. There
w'as no regulation to carry out this order, which w^as really hvaste paper.

Dr. Glover Lyon remarked that if they could get rid of tubercular
disease in animals, they would be pretty sure of its disappearance in the
human subject. ^ f

A very interesting paper w^as read by Dr. Sidney IMarsden, of
Birkenhead, on the “ Necessity of Public Slaughterhouse for Urban and
Rural Districts,” in which it was contended that all private SJaughter-
houses should be done aw'ay with.

This paper was only a short one, but it called for a good deal of
discussion, the speakers (prominent amongst whom w-as your towmsman,
Alderman H. Sugden,) being very much in support of the opinions of
Dr. Marsden, which, summed up, amounted to this : — “ That Rural
Public Abattoirs are practicable and desirable, and that it is only by the
institution of such places in both Urban and Rural Districts that any
really efficient inspection of the meat supply of the country can be
obtained.”

Alderman H. Sugden thought recommendations should go from
tliat meeting to the Government that all private Slaughterhouses slionM
be done away with, and that some such system as suggested by Di .
hUrsden should be adopted.

Dr. Francis Vacher, the Cheshire County Medical Officer of Health,
discoursed on the subject of “Control and Inspection of Imported Moat.”
and after stating that imported meat reaches our shores in various ways- —

(1) As Cattle, &c., discharged at a Foreign Animals^ Wharf.

(2) As Cattle, &c., discharged at a Free Landing;

(3) As Carcases, &c., mainly frozen or chilled.

(4) As Meat hermetically sealed in tins or otherwise preserved.

Proper arrangements, he contended, must be made for the inspection of
animals imported for food, no less than for carcases and tinned meat, etc.
Lvery animal should be subject to inspection while it is being dressed,
or shortly after it is dressed, and the viscera, as soon as removed, should
be displayed close to the carcase that has been inspected. The Inspector
should stamp each side of a carcase with his official stamp, and thus
every side of meat would carry a mark indicating two things — that it

came from a Foreign Animals’ Wharf, and that it has been passed as
sound.

Inspection at a Foreign Animals’ Wharf is for the purpose of
keeping the^. Board of Agriculture informed of the cases of infected
disease imported, but unless animals are from countries scheduled as
infected, they may be landed practically anywhere. There is nothing to
prevent an animal thus imported being sold to a butcher, and slaughtered
and dresse*d in a private Slaughterhouse, and sold as human food without
any inspection of the carcase taking place. What then is required ?
The general provision of Public Abattoirs, and the gradual closing of all
private Slaughterhouses.

Referring to the inspection of Carcases, mainly frozen or chilled. Dr.
Vacher said this was not sufficiently thorough, and should be carried out
by competent men, who have proved their knowledge by passing
an examination. But with the absence of the viscera of these frozen
Carcases, -the inspection can never be as certain and as satisfactory as in
the case of freshly-killed Carcases. However important, dead meat is
mostly from cattle fed in the open air, and not as liable to tuberculosis
as cows which have been kept in town-byres, and used for dairy
purposes. The marking of such Carcases would rather entail a difficulty,
if it had to be done in such a way that retail consumers would know the
portions 6f meat they were buying belonged to an animal which had been
imported dead and preserved by freezing or chilling. The difficulties of
inspecting frozen sheep and sides of beef were nothing as compared with
the difficulty of inspecting meat enclosed in tinned iron cans. A Carcase
with which dhere are no viscera is pretty well a conundrum. What then
is a closed tin of meat ? A riddle past finding out. All that can be done
here is to make a rough and ready examination of|^meat tins hermetically
sealed and reject the bulged ones. He thought also that the canning
firms should be required to stamp their name and address and the date
of sealing on each tin.

In summing up, Ur. Vacher especially insisted on the following
points : —

1. That the public who have no proper guarantee as to the
inspection (good, bad, or indifferent) of home-bred and killed meat
cannot .count on any inspection of imported foreign meat.

2. That such inspection of imported meat as takes place is
often fortuitous and necessarily superficial.

3. That inspection of carcases without the viscera belonging to
them is of comparatively very little value.

4. That what constitutes efficient inspection should be authori-
tatively declared, and that the standard regulating the passing or
condemnation of* meat intended for the food of man should be a
uniform standard.

5. That as far as is practicable foreign meat should be inspected
under some central control, by trained inspectors, at the port of
debarkation and the port of arrival.

Dr. E. P. Manby, the assistant Medical Officer of Health, read a
paper on “ Parliamentary Powers for the Sanitary Supervision, and
Control of Ice Cream Manufacture,” and he stated that Liverpool was
the only local authority in England which had obtained these powers.
It will be in the recollection of many people in this Borough, that cases
of death from poisonous ice cream occurred at Bradford, and that some
youths of this town were at the time affected, though, fortunately, not
fatally through the same source. The epidemic of Typhoid Fever a
short time back at Batley was also demonstrated to have been caused by
the consumption of this enticing, though highly dangerous luxury, and
many were the victims, directly or indirectly, traced to it.

The Liverpool Authority had many objections raised to the power
asked for, but in the end the Corporation Act of 1898 received the Royal
Assent, and the work done by its means has been of great service.
Informations have been laid and convictions obtained with fines and costs
following, and Dr. Manby was of opinion that ea'ch local authority, in
whose district any considerable trade of this kind exists, should gain the
same powers as Liverpool, but if possible on better lines.

The exhibition of plans of two typical premises where ice cream was
being manufactured under insanitary conditions brought this interesting
contribution to a close. Following came a short discussion, in which
Councillor Wilson, of Newcastle, said his Authorities had obtained the
power requested during the last 'Parliamentary Session. They had
certain powers, but not enough, and he was afraid it would take some
time to obtain more control.

Dr. Pakes, of London, said he had had an opportunity of examining
ice creams and had been associated in prosecutions, but in London it
was difficult to get the Magistrates to convict.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES,

RALPH MARSDEN.

Borough of Brigbouse.

Report of the Inspector of Nuisances for the Year ended

December 31st, 1899.

To the Chairman and Members of the Sanitary Committee acting by the
Council as the Urban A uthority for the Borough of Brighouse.

Gentlemen,

I have the honour of presenting you with my Seventh iYnnual
Report on the operations of the Sanitary Department for the year ended
1899.

NUISANCES.

Number unabated at the beginning of the year ...
,, reported as per Journal ...

,, abated during the year

236—259

191

Amongst the unabated Nuisances are cases of defective drainage at
Gooder Street, Schofield Yard (see Report for 1898), Mellor Square, and
Thomas Street, which have been taken in hand by the Highways
Committee.

CASES ABATED.

Number of accumulations removed . . . . . . 7

,, Ashpits repaired .. .. .. .. 13

,, Bath Waste Pipes disconnected . . . . 5

,, Drains opened . . . . . . . . . . 17

,, ,, repaired .. .. .. .. 3

M ,, trapped . . . . . . . . . . 8

,, ,, within buildings removed .. .. 20

,, ,, re-laid with iron pipes . . . . 2

Fall pipes disconnected .. .. .. 50

Fish shops drained . . . . . . . . i

Houses re-drained . . . . . . . . 77

House drains opened .. .. .. .. n

.. >> repaired .. .. .. 13

,, ,, trapped q

,, M ventilated .. .. .. t8

Lavatory waste pipes disconnected
Offensive accumulations removed
Overcrowding cases abated . .

Number of Poultry removed
Privies cleaned . .

,, converted to water closets

,, repaired

Privy middens done away with

Sink pipes disconnected

139

,, ventilated . .

,, trapped

Soil-pipes within the building
outside

removed

Soil-pipes ventilated . .

Stables re-drained

Swine removed. .

Water closets repaired

478

It should be understood that several Sanitary defects are sometim
included in one nuisance, hence the extra number of Cases abated abo^
the number of Nuisances.

Improvements in house drainage have been carried out at hous
occupied by the late Mr. John Heaton, Elland Road. 22 houses
Closes Road. The Tofferies, River Street. Houses occupied by M
John A. Cheetham and Mr. H. J. Lister, Nos. 106 and 76, Huddersfie
Road. In order to remove Sewage from the cellar of a dwellinghou
in Bramstone Street, 19 houses have been entirely re-drained, at a co
siderable cost, by the owners, and the Highways Committee ha^
decided to construct a new pipe Sewer in Thomas SReet.

Inspections, Visits, &c.

Numoer of houses and premises inspected ... 293

,, houses and premises re-inspected ... 270

,, notices issued (preliminary) ... ... 163

,, ,, (contravention of bye-laws) 7

,, ,, (statutory) ... ... ... 7

Examination of Drains.

Number of drains tested and found defective ... 43

,, ,, ,, satisfactory ... 8

JJ 55 5? 55

after alterations ... ... ... ... 17

Disinfection.

Number of houses in which Infectious diseases

have occured ... ... ... ... ... 183

Number of visits made to Infectious houses ... 428

,, houses disinfected ... ... ... 173

,, houses ,, after Phthisis ... 12

,, rooms ,, ... ... ... 312

,, beddings, &c., disinfected ... ... 222

,, schools disinfected ... ... ... 28

,, rooms ,, ... ... ... 212

Common Lodging Houses.

Number of houses registered in the Borough...

J J

lodgers registered to receive

181

lodgers reported as being received

(— 1

•

visits ... ... ... ... ...

notices (preliminary)

Common Lodging House, Commercial Street.— The attention of the
owner has on one occasion been drawn to the delapidated condition of
the yard, and to Mr. Bottomley himself on five different occasions for
neglecting to carry out the Bye-laws.

Freeman’s Lodging House is always clean.

Smoke Abatement.

Number of observations

« • «

5 }

notices (preliminary)

• . •

5 j

,, (statutory)...

Minutes

No.

Date. Time.

Black.

Moderate

June igth i Hour

12^

j 5 » >

■^2

) 5 7 )

7 7 7 7

9 i

Sept. 29th ,,

Nil

J ? ? )

9 9

9 ? 9 J

9 9

I J

9 9 " 9 9

9 9

Nil

9 9 9 9

Oct. 9th ,,

274

1 1

Oct 1 6th ,,

9 9 9 9

Time allowed by the Committee in each

case is 10

minutes black

20 minutes moderate : two of moderate to equal one

of black.

Canal Boats.

The following is a copy of my Annual Report as forwarded to the
Local Government Board : —

Public Offices,

Brighouse, Yorks.,

Januauy 17th, 1900.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

During the year I have inspected 42 Canal Boats, using the Calder
and Hebble Navigation Company’s Canal in this district, and have only

met with two boats infringing the Act. The first, iVpril 28th, which re-
quired cleaning and painting was remedied in reasonable time, the
second, November 4th, which required painting and extensive repairs ;
these repairs, on account of the owner being away from home at time,
have been somewhat delayed but were proceeding at the end of
December, and have been since finished.

I have the honour to be,

My Lords and Gentlemen,

Your obedient servant.

The Local Government Board, RALPH MARSDEN,

Whitehall, London, S.W. Inspector.

Canal Boats Acts, 1877 and 1884.

STATISTICAL SUPPLEMENT to the (1899) Annual Report of the

BfigJiouse Sanitary Authority.

Have you Hospitul Accommodation for any case of Infectious Disease

met with on a Canal Boat in your Sanitary District ? Yes.

Is Inspector’s remuneration inclusive with payment for other duties ? Yes.

42 Number of Boats Inspected in 1899

40 Number of Boats conforming to the Acts and Regulations
2 Number of Boats Infringing the Acts and Regulations

Total Number for which the Cabins were registered 227^
Total Number occupying the Cabins

Details of Occupation ; — Male Adults...

Female Adults
Children of School Age
Children under School Age

109

Number of Cases Number of Cases

met with. Remedied.

Details showing Numbers Infringing in respect to--
Registration ...

Notification of Change of Master ...

Absence of Certificate

Certificate not Identifying Owner with Boat

Marking

Overcrowding

Partition (Regn. 8, b. ii.) ...

Females over 12 Improperly Occupying ...

I Cleanliness and Painting ... ... ... ... i

I Painting and Repairs

Ventilation
Dilapidation ...

Removal of Bilge Water

Without Pum.p ... ... ... ... ...

Refusal of Admittance to Inspector

No proper Water Vessel

Without requisite Double Bulkheads

Non-notification of Infectious Disease

Number of Boats detained for Cleansing (not for I/D.)

2 Total Cases met with. Total Cases Remedied i

Number of Legal Proceedings taken
Number of printed Notice Forms issued...
Number of Notices attended to
Number still corresponding about

None

Offensive Trades.

Number of places to be visited ... ... ... 3

,, applications to establish trade ... ... i

visits... ... ... ... ... ... II

,, notices (preliminary) ... ... ... 4

Mr. S. Hirst, of George Street, Rastrick, made arrangements and
for a few weeks carried on the trade of a tripe boiler, on the premises of
a private slaughterhouse at Bridge End, in close proximity to a Con-
fectioner’s shop. On being informed that he must have permission from
the Sanitary authority, he applied at once, but the application not being
granted the business was discontinued.

Slaughterhouses.

Number of Public Slaughterhouses
,, Private Slaughterhouses

,, Visits

,, Seizures

LIST OF

January 2nd
March 1 5th
May 24th

55 • • • • • •

November 24th...
December 20th ...

SEIZURES.

The Carcase of a Cowc
The Carcase of a Cow.

The Carcase of a Cow.

The Carcase of a Bullock.

The Carcase of a Cow from a
Butcher’s Shop.

The Carcases of two Pigs.

Portions of the Internal Organs and other meat unfit for the food of
man was destroyed by the owners at the request of the M.O.IL, Aug.
29th, Nov. 15th and Dec. 6th.

Dairies, Cow»Sheds and Milk Shops.

Number on the Register 83

j ^ of isits ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• 55

,, Notices (preliminary) ... ... ... 8

The No. 83 is made up as follows : —

CxOW”keepers ••• ••• ••• 4^

Milk Shops and Purveyors of Milk ... ... 18

Purveyors of Milk from outside the Borough ... 21—83

A copy of the new regulations, which came into force on the ist July,
has been supplied to each person in the trade.

The Sale of Food and Dru§:s Acts.

Number of samples of New Milk ... ... ... 20

Distinctive marks ... ... ... ... 21 to 40

The Analyst certified as follows : —

Genuine Milk of superior quality... ... ... 2

Genuine ... ... ... ... ... ... 4

Fair quality... ... ... ... ... ... 12

Broken in transit ... ... ... ... ... i

Special sample, test for Tuberculosis ... ... i — 20

(This latter Sample was sent to the County M.O.H.)

Scavenging.

COLLECTED.

Ashtubs.

Ashpits.

Wet Ashpits.

Tubs.

Tanks.

Total.

1895

7937

3533

1529

115^850

128,902

1896

7219

4223

1788

127,458

140,708

1897

7604

4744

1550

135,090

149,026

1898

7490

5161

976

140,184

153,75^

1899

8267

4978

1145

142,920

I57G33

DEPOSITED.

Date.

Vans.

Depot.

Carts.

Brick Co.

1895

6425

4194

879

1896

7081

3904

926

1897

7505

3081

2328

1898

7788

2133

2873

1899

7940

3037

2730

Recreation

Grounds.

Other places.

Total.

309

2399

14,206

822

1825

14-558

1057

1883

15.854

2161

1378

16,333

1520

1236

16,463

ACTUAL COST.

Date.

Depot.

Tubs.

Nightsoil.

Slaughterhouse.

Total.

1895 ...

119

664

478

1358

1896 ...

109

726

505

1416

1897

149

9 i

791

513

1528

1898

171

820

543

1618

1 1

1899

Team lab’r

562

379

959

1 1

Manual ,,

243

268

1 1

130

721

Tipping

262

830

560

1 1

U 33

By Sales

iii

179

830

560

1 1

1650

APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF CLOSETS.

Pail Closets ... 2679 Increase during the year

Water Closets ... 291 ,, ,,

Waste Water Closets 135 ,, ,,

Privy Middens ... 490 Decrease ,,

Pail Closets
Ashtubs
Ashpits
Privy Middens

Emptied weekly.

,, fortnightly.
,, monthly.

,, monthly.

The Pail Closets, Ashtubs, Ashpits, and Privy Middens are emptied
by the Sanitary staff.

The Team Labour is supplied by two Contractors, viz., ist. Pail
Closets, emptied at is. 5d. per van of 18 pails ; this Contract has* been
extended to March 31st, 1903. 2nd, Ashtubs, Ashpits, and Privy
Middens ; for this work the price is 6s. 3d. per day for man and horse ;
this Contract ends March 31st, 1900. The arrangement seems to work
very well. Complaints lodged at the Office are attended to at . once.

I remain. Gentlemen,

Yours truly,

RALPH MARSDEN.

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Books

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "[Report 1899]"

See other formats