Dr. Thorne Thorne's report to the local government board on the sanitary condition of the Dewsbury registration district, with special reference to the prevalence of infectious diseases in the district.

  • Thorne, Richard Thorne.
Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Thorne Thorne's report to the local government board on the sanitary condition of the Dewsbury registration district, with special reference to the prevalence of infectious diseases in the district. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    2 31 return of deaths which have occurred in his district, but since this is only sent in monthly, and since it is in the first instance forwarded to the Town Council, any immediate sanitary action which may be necessary on it, and which the prompt recep- tion of such returns is intended to facilitate, becomes impossible. No arrangement was made at the date of my inspection for supplying this officer with immediate notice in case of a death arising from one of the infectious diseases. Certain information is at times supplied to the Medical Officer of Health when cases of infectious disease occur in the practices of other medical men in his district, but it is of so general character that the actual houses affected are rarely indicated so as to permit of the adoption of such remedial measures as are possible. And even these measures are at the best most imperfect, for the Authority has made no provision for isolating those suffering from such diseases, or for disposing of their bodies prior to burial, and they are without efficient means of disinfection.—The Inspector of Nuisances gives his whole time to his duties, and receives an annual salary of 851. per annum. A new officer had only just been appointed when I completed my inspection. 8. Mortality Statistics and Prevalence of Disease.—Table No. Y. gives the mortality statistics for the borough of Batley for the five years, 1873-77. Table Y.—Mortality Statistics for the Borough of Batley for the five years, ■ 1873-1877. Population in 1871, 20,871. Date. | Estimated Population. Total deaths from all causes. Death- rate per 1,000 living. Deaths from “ fever.” “ Fever ” death-rate per 10,000 living. Deaths from Deaths under 1 year of age. Births. Deaths under 1 year per 100 births. Small- pox. Scarlet- fever. Diarrhoea, Dysen- tery, &c. 1873 22,914 547 23-8 26 11*3 10 — 35 194 985 19*6 1874 23,936 656 27-4 13 5-4 7 81 60 210 1,029 20-4 1875 24,957 624 25-0 17 6-8 7 93 33 176 938 18-7 1876 25,979 548 21-1 11 4-2 — 4 41 185 1,036 17-8 1877 27,000 651 24-1 27 10-0 — 23 28 1—* -I GO 1,025 17-4 Mean for 1873-77 24,957 605 24-3 19 7-5 5 50 39 188 1,003 18-8 The general mortality is unnecessarily high, and is in excess of that for the whole Registration District. That from enteric fever, though somewhat below that obtaining in the principal District, is yet greatly in excess of that in London and in the large towns of cities. This disease prevailed in epidemic proportions in 1873, 1875, and again in 1877. Further reference will be made in another portion of this Report to the epidemic in 1877 (pp. 47-52). The infantile death-rate is also heavy. Scarlet fever has caused a considerable number of deaths, and was epidemic in 1874, 1875, and again to a less extent in 1877. Diarrhoea too is a constant and frequent cause of death.—The results shown in this Table are such as might reasonably have been anticipated from the description which has been given in the earlier part of this report. Especially do the numerous means of excremental poisoning obtaining in the borough necessarily tend to produce high death rates from enteric fever, from diarrhoea, and amongst infants. The absence too of efficient means for controlling the spread of diseases, such as scarlet fever, tends to facilitate their prevalence in an epidemic form. § IY.—The Urban Sanitary District of Liversedge. 1. Description.—The urban sanitary district of Liversedge lies on the western boun- dary of the Dewsbury Registration District, and occupies an area of over 2,000 acres. To B 4