[Report 1895] / Medical Officer of Health, Aspull D.C.

Aspull (England). District Council.

Date:: 1895

Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Report 1895] / Medical Officer of Health, Aspull D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

1/4

ASPULL, WIGAN, January 2gih, i8g6. To the Chairman and Members of the Aspull District Council. Gentlemen, I beg to submit my Annual Report for the year ending 1895, also the various lists required by the Local Government Board and County Council. During the year 14L deaths were registered—males 70, females 71 ; an increase of three over the preceding year of 1894; the annual death rate of 15‘7 may, however, be considered as very satisfactory. The births numbered 298—boys 149, girls 149, giving an annual birth rate of 33'2 per 1000. The infantile death rate of children under one year continues to improve, for whereas in 1894 it was 146-9 for every 1,000 births, and which was an improvement as compared with some years preceding, for the past year it has been reduced to 140'9. The following table will show the ages at which all deaths were registered :— Under 1 year 42 Between 1 and 5 years ... 25 ,, 5 ,, 15 ,, ... ... 6 „ 15 „ 25 „ 3 „ 25 „ 65 „ ... 47 Over 65 „ 18 Total ... 141 Those due to the principal diseases were Scarlet Fever 1, Croup 2, Influenza 1, Typhoid Fever 6, Whooping Cough 4, Bronchitis and Pneumonia 37, Diarrhoea 3, Phthisis 3, Heart Disease 6, other diseases 78. It will be noted that sixteen deaths were due to six principal Zymotic diseases, and would give a rate of 1'7 per 1000, which is the lowest Zymotic rate since 1883 ; but to this number must be added one of the five cases of Scarlet Fever sent to the Sanatorium which died in that Institution, and would raise the rate to 1’8 One hundred and fifty-one cases were reported under' the Notification Act:—Membranous Croup 9, Erysipelas 17, Scarlet Fever 82, Continued Fever 9, Typhoid 14, Diphtheria 4, Small Pox 16. They were scattered over the entire district—Lower Gullet, New Springs, and Top Lock suffering most. All the Small Pox cases were in New Springs and Top Lock. In March, four cases of Diphtheria were reported—two in one house at Dicconson Mill, in front of which was a sewer untrapped; one at Heyes’ square, and one at Marsh House fold. These two latter could also be traced to bad sanitation. In November, a fatal case of Typhoid occurred at Marsh House fold. The sanitary condition of this property has been for a long time bad; the present owner, however, since my report to you at the end of November has put the premises in a good temporary condition pending the completion of the new sewage scheme, when I have every reason to believe the property will be thoroughly overhauled. I should like to take this opportunity of pointing out the fact that many houses in various parts of the district are without slopstones or any means of conveying the slop water to its proper destination, the consequence is that the water is thrown out carelessly into the back yards, many of which remain unpaved, and there mixing with the ashes and refuse generally, gives rise to a condition anything but salutary to health; and also the pantries or sculleries in which the water supply may be placed are always damp and unhealthy. Your Council may with safety make it a rule that wherever water is supplied to a dwelling there ought to be a proper means for its exit. The defective sewer, before mentioned, at Dicconson Mill, has now been remedied.