[Report 1893] / Medical Officer of Health, Atherton U.D.C.

  • Atherton (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Report 1893] / Medical Officer of Health, Atherton U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    THE ATHERTON LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH. ANNUAL REPORT of the Medical Officer of Health for i8gj. Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, I have now the honour of laying before you my Annual Report for the year 1893. Population and Area of the District.—The popula- tion of the district for 1893 has been estimated at 16,300, and I have arranged the district into four divisions, to which the population ha9 been appor- tioned as follows Chowbent, 9,200 ; Hindsford, 2,800; Leigh End, 2,500; and Howebridge, 1,800, respectively. The area of the district in acres is 2,426, and in square miles 3’79 This gives a popu- lation of 67 to the acre, and 4,300 to the square mile. Birth-rate.—The total number of births registered during the year was b56, of which 340 were males and 316 females. This gives a birth-rate of 40'2 per I 000 of the population, which is slightly below that of the two previous \ ears ; the birth-rates for these years being, for 1891, 41'07 ; and for 1892, 40‘37 per 1,000 respectively. Death-rate.—During the year 382 deaths were reg- istered as having occurred within the district, including 53 that took place in the Workhouse. Excluding the 53 Workhouse deaths this gives a death-rate for the year of 2018 per 1,000, which is higher than that of the previous year but lower than that for 1891; the death-rates for the.-e years being, for 1891, 24 05 ; and for 1892, 17-5 per 1,000. Of the 329 deaths 197 occurred in Chowbent, which gives a death-rate of 2L41 per 1,000; 54 occurred in Hindsford, which gives a death-rate of 19-28 per 1,000; 36 occurred in Leigh End, which gives a death-rate of 14 4 per 1,000; and 42 occurred in Howebridge, which gives a death-rate of 23'3 per 1,000 of the population, respectively. Causes of Death.—The causes of death during the year, excluding those due to the seven principal zymotic diseases, were :—Influenza, 7 ; Phthisis, 26 : Pneumonia, 20 ; Bronchitis, 40 ; other Pulmon- ary diseases, 27 ; Croup, 1; Puerperal Fever, 1 ; Heart Diseases, 12 ; other causes, 164. In the latter are included 8 deaths due to accident and 1 to suicide. Influenza.— Your district was visited again this year by an epidemic of Influenza, and although one death was registered as having occurred from this disease in each of the mouths of February, April, and September, yet the epidemic attained its maximum intensity during November and Decem- ber, causing two deaths in each of those two months, making 7 in all for the year. The epi- demic was more widespread and general than that of the previous year when only two deaths resulted therefrom. It also increased the death-rate from pulmonary diseases during November and Decem- ber. Phthisis.—During the year 26 deaths resulted from Phthisis, 6 of which occurred in the work- house. Excluding the deaths in the workhouse, the death-rate from this cause for the year was 1*22 per 1,000, which is in excess of that of the previous year, but below that of 1891; the death rates being for 1891, 1'64; and for 1892, l’O per 1000 respectively. The deaths were distributed over the district as follows In Chowbent 14. in Hindsford 5, and in Leigh End of district 1. Respiratory Diseases.— During the year 87 deaths were registered as having resulted from diseases of the Respiratory Organs. Of these 18 took place in the workhouse, excluding which there was a death-rate of 4'23 per 1,000, which is only slightly above that of 1892, when the death-rate from these causes was 4‘12 per 1,000. Of the above deaths 39 occurred in Chowbent, giving a death-rate of|4‘23 ; II in Hindsford, giving a death-rate of 3‘92; 6 in Leigh End, giving a death-rate of 2’4; and 13 in Howebridge, giving a death-rate of 7’2 per 1,000 respectively. During December alone 21 deaths occurred from pulmonary diseases, this being the largest number of deaths resulting therefrom in any one month of the year. Dui iug November 10 deaths occurred from the same causes. The mor- tality from Respiratory diseases in the two latter montiis was, I believe, increased by the epidemic of Influenza then prevalent in the district. Also during Jauuary, April, May, and June, the death- rate from these diseases was considerable. Puerperal Fever.—Four cases of this disease occur- red in the district during the year, one of which ended fatally. The house in each case was visited by the Sanitary Inspector and myself, and subsequently disinfected. The nurses in attendance were or- dered to thoroughly disinfect their clothes and per- son and forbidden to attend any further cases for at least a month after their last exposure to infection. Membranous Croup.—Four cases of this disease were reported during the year, of which one only ended fatally, Each house was visited and disinfected. Erysipelas.—This disease was not so prevalent in the district as during the previous year. Fourteen cases were reported as against 23 during 1892. One case ended fatally. Zymotic Deathrate.—The seven principal zymotic diseases caused 81 deaths in the district (exclusive of the Workhouse) during the year, giving a death- rate of 4'96 per 1,000, rather more than double that of the previous year, but a little lower than that for 1891 when this death-rate was 5'25 per 1000. The following table shews the number of deaths resulting from each of the zymotic diseases during the year, and for comparison the numbers for the three previous years are also given :— Deaths in Deaths in Deaths in Deaths in Disease. 1893. 1890. 1891. 1892. Smallpox ...Nil ... Nil .... Nil ... ... . Nil Scarlet Fever... ... 12 .... 11 ... . .. 17 ... ... 3 Diphtheria .. Nil ... .. .. 2 ... 2 ... o Whooping Cough 1 .. 4 ... . .. 11 ... 10 Diarrhoea ... 48 .. .. . 20 . . 6 13 Typhoid Fever ... 6 .... .. .. 3 .... 2 7 Measles ... 14 . .. .. Nil 44 ... 1 Totals .. 81 40 82 36 Of the above 81 deaths 42 occurred in Chowhenf, giving a death-rate of 4 56 ; 17 occurred in Hinds- ford, giving a death-rate of 6'07 ; 8 occurred in Leigh End, giving a death-rate of 3’2; and 14 occurred in Howbridge, giving a death-rate of 7’7 per 1,000 respectively. The next table will show how the deaths arising from the seven zymotic diseases were distributed amongst the four divisions of the district :— X o 3 fa CL blO .2 o .2* © -G c« 8 fa ’o ae -2 X Is cS o -C Xi Cl X3 Oi ai «S 2 m O m s 5 >» H 1 o H Chowbent.. . Nil . .. 7 .. . Nil .. . Nil . . 29 . .. 2 . .. 4 .. . 42 Hindsford.. . Nil . .. 2 .. . Nil .. . Nil . ..10 . .. 2 .. 3 .. . 17 Howebridge Nil . .. 2 .. . Nil .. . Nil . .. 4 . .. 2 .. .. 6 .. . 14 Leigh End. . Nil . .. 1 .. . 1 . . Nil . .. 5 . ..Nil., .. 1 .. . 8 — — — —— — — — — Nil 12 i Nil 48 6 14 81 Smallpox—There were three cases of smallpox in your district during the year. One broke out in