CHIN 033 ??? ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH FOR THE Urban District of Chingford. ANNUAL REPORT. The geographical area of Chingford may be divided into two parts, a high plateau gradually ascending from the South and sinking Westerly by an abrupt decline to the lower portion, which forms a part of the Lea Valley; it is bounded on the North by Epping Forest, Owing to its elevation, its bordering of a wide plain and extensive forest to the North, and the abrupt escarpment to the West, the plateau is thoroughly exposed to every purifying air current, and is distant just 40 miles West from the coast. Area and Population. Area of the District acres 2807 Population taken at mid-year census of 1901 4372 „ estimated „ „ 1907 6394 Estimated increase of population since last report 892 Number of houses occupied mid-year 1901 830 „ „ „ 1907 1218 Births. Males, 59. Females, 77. Total 136 Rate per thousand 21.25 Average annual rate during previous 10 years 24 Registrar General's decennial mean rate, 1891-1900 30.1 3 Deaths. Total for the whole district, including Walthamstow Isolation Hospital, situated within the area 87 Deaths registered of non-residents in that hospital 34 Total deaths of residents reported 53 Death-rate of the whole number 13.6 „ corrected for the 53 residents 8.6 Annual corrected death-rate for the 10 years 1897-1906 9.7 The death of a stranger by suicide is included in the 87. Seasonal Mortality. Residents. Non-Residents. During First Quarter 15 10 „ Second „ 11 9 Third „ 14 5 „ Fourth „ 13 11 53 34 Average duration of Life. Average age of the 39 deceased inhabitants over 1 year 54 „ „ of such inhabitants deceased in 10 past years 44 Of these 38 persons there were above the age of 70 years 13 Average age of these 12 persons 76.5 4 Mortality at different Ages. Residents in District. Residents dying out of District. Total deaths in District. Under 1 year 13 1 14 1 to 5 years 3 0 18 5 to 15 years 1 0 13 15 to 25 years 1 0 8 25 to 65 years 19 0 19 65 and upwards 14 1 15 51 2 87 Infantile Mortality. Rate per thousand births 103 Average rate per thousand births for 10 years. 1897-1906 104.5 Zymotic Sickness. Zymotic Diseases Notifications. Seasonal Incidence. Sent to HoSPITAL Deaths. Quar. 1 2 3 4 Diptheria 6 1 1 4 0 2 0 Erysipelas 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 Scarlet Fever 27 16 3 6 2 13 0 Enteric Fever 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Chicken Pox 6 6 0 0 0 0 0 Total 40 23 5 10 2 15 0 Chicken Pox was not notifiable after June, 1907. 5 Rate, per thousand of the above 40 cases 6.25 „ „ excluding Chicken Pox 5.3 „ „ 1897-1906 10.3 From the foregoing tables it will be seen that the returns, of registration follow those which are general throughout the kingdom; birth and death rates both declining, the former 9 per cent., the latter 8 per cent. from those of 1906. Differences in seasonal mortality have been slight, the various totals in each quarter approximating each other. Infantile mortality, although 5 per cent. more than 1906, is still about 8 per cent. lower than the decennial rate. Zymotic sickness shews a marked decrease owing to the decline of the epidemic of Scarlet Fever, which, whilst totalling 16 in the first quarter, numbers only 11 during the remainder of the year. Of the 34 cases, excluding Chicken Pox, 15 were sent to the con-joint Hospital, all of whom recovered. Chicken Pox ceased to be notifiable after June. Excepting in the presence of an outbreak of Small Pox, when modified forms of that disease might be mistaken, I do not think it necessary to schedule Chicken Pox as notifiable. I am glad to perceive that the allusion in my last annual report to the futility of attempting to stamp out Scarlet Fever or Measles by relegating the cases to Isolation Hospitals, at great expense to the community, has been confirmed by the practice of Dr. Thresh. Phthisis claims 10 per cent. of our 52 deaths. Tubercular diseases 3.5, Cancer, 10 per cent. 6 Inspection of Invalid Scholars. The Educational Committee of the Essex County Council have instructed the School Executives to notify to the Medical Officers of Health all cases of absenteeism due to disease of any kind, supposed to be contagious or infectious, whether such disease has been diagnosed by a doctor or not. In most of the cases to which I have been summoned no medical man has been called in or consulted, All such cases are ordered to be subjected after recovery to a definite period of quarantine before returning to school, armed with a certificate of immunity from the Medical Officer, who must necessarily watch the progress of all the cases closely, in order to determine the proper time for the resumption of school attendance. It will be seen that if the School Executives fully carry out their instructions, the labours of the Medical Officer will be greatly increased. I do not wish it to be understood that I cavil at these instructions, but such a considerable increment of work should have adequate recognition. GENERAL REMARKS. Sewage. The new installations for the disposal of the Sewage of the District, erected last year, continues to work efficiently. Scavenging. The weekly removal of Dust and House Refuse has been satisfactorily done by the contractor. Dairies, Cowsheds, Milk Shops, Slaughter Houses, Workshops and Factories have been periodically inspected and found in satisfactory condition. 7 Sanitary Inspector. My thanks are again due to Mr. J. T. Griffin for the able and cordial co-operation he has always afforded. GEO. F. FULCHER, M.B., C.M., Feb. 4th, 1908. Medical Officer of Health. Sanitary Inspector's Annual Report. Summary of work done through the Sanitary Inspector in the Urban Sanitary District of Chingford during the Year ending December 31st, 1907. Total No for Year. Notes,Results of Inspection.&c. Complaints received 0 None of importance Nuisances detected without complaint 80 Nuisances abated 78 Notices served 49 Cottages inspected 350 Total Inspections Slaughter-houses inspected 3 4 times yearly Bakehouses inspected 2 4 times yearly Dairies and Milk Shops inspected 15 twice yearly & at intervals Cowsheds inspected 11 twice yearly & at intervals Workshops inspected 5 Houses Disinfected 26 Overcrowding abated 4 Houses placed in habitable repair 1 Houses connected with sewers 59 These are all connections of new houses Privies and W.C's repaired; W.C's supplied with water 27 Cisterns cleansed, repaired or covered 2 Animals improperly kept removed 4 Seizures of unsound Meat 4 (Signed) J. T. GRIFFIN.