TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Sanitary Condition OF THE EAST BARNET VALLEY URBAN SANITARY DISTRICT, FOR THE YEAR 1897, BY WALTER ROUGHTON, F.R.C.S. (Eng.), (Diplomate in Public Health), Medical Officer of Health. 1898. PRINTED BY W. W. MORGAN, FLEET STEAM WORKS, BULWER ROAD, NEW BARNET. REPORT. THE Area of the District is 2,636 acres: East Barnet 1,699 acres Barnet Vale 268 ,, Monken Hadley 660 ,, South Mimms 9 ,, I have much pleasure in saying that my Report on the health of the District during the past year will, on perusal, prove to be a very satisfactory one. The District has not only maintained its reputation for health, but has even surpassed that of previous years. The population may be estimated at 10,000. During the year 96 deaths were registered-—17 less than the previous year—showing a death rate of 96 per 1,000 per annum. I venture to think that very few districts can show such a low death rate, and that a lower rate would be well-nigh impossible. Twenty-four deaths occurred in children under one year, and twenty-three occurred in persons at the age of 65 or over, whilst two deaths were due to accidental injuries. Sixteen deaths were registered under the seven chief Zymotic diseases: Small Pox 0, Measles 2, Scarlet Fever 1, 4 Diphtheria (and Membranous Croup) 5, Whooping Cough 2, Fever (continued) 0, Diarrhoea and Dysentery 6. Showing a Zymotic death rate of 1.6. The deaths of infants under one year of age were in the proportion of 123 to 1,000 Births. Only 195 births were registered during the year, as against 219 in the previous year, giving a birth rate of 19.5 per 1,000. The following table will be found useful in comparing he vital statistics during the last fifteen years: Year. Population. Birth rate. Death rate. *Infantile mortality. Zymotic death rate. 1881 5,788 34.2 11.5 7.5 1.4 1882 5,808 31.1 14.9 11 3.2 1883 6,054 31.3 11.5 10.5 1 1884 6,176 31.7 13.4 12.2 1.4 1885 6,298 26.5 12.8 11.9 0.3 1886 6,420 28.5 12.7 9.2 0.7 1887 6,542 26.4 13.2 9.8 1.8 1888 6,664 28 11.5 8.5 1.5 1889 6,786 27.5 11 9 0.29 1890 7,590 25 12 9.5 2.7 1891 7,750 25 12 7 2.4 1892 8,300 27 11.7 6.2 1.08 1893 8,500 23.8 10 6.4 1.06 1894 8,700 22.6 9.5 10.4 1.29 1895 9,350 23.5 13.1 16.4 2.2 1896 9,600 22.8 11.7 11.4 1.98 1897 10,000 19.5 9.6 12.3 1.6 * Infantile Mortality = ratio of deaths under one year to 100 births. 6 During the year only fifty-one cases of infectious disease were notified, a marked decrease compared with the previous year, when there were 156 cases notified. They are as follow : Scarlet Fever 37 Diptheria 7 Tyhoid 2 Erysipelas 4 Membranous Group 1 An analysis_ of the tables at the end of the Report shows that of the 37 cases of Scarlet Fever notified, only 15 occurred in that portion of the District known as New Barnet, comprising East Barnet and Barnet Vale, the remaining 22 having occurred at Brunswick Park, nearly two miles away. These latter cases were due to a small outbreak of fever which happened amongst the children attending the Board School at Brunswick Park, during the months of June and July. Of the cases of Diphtheria 4 occurred in East Barnet, 2 in Barnet Vale, and 1 in Hadley. I could not find any cause to account for them. The cases were all independent of one another, nor did they appear to be due to defective house drainage. During the month of April a large number of cases of measles were reported amongst the children attending the Margaret and Albert Road Schools, and although the 6 attendance was thereby reduced to a very considerable extent the Council did not think fit to adopt my recommendation to close the Schools for a period of three weeks. The want of an Isolation Hospital was not urgently felt as in previous years, yet there were occasions when such an Institution would have been of great, benefit, and I cannot refrain from again pressing the Council to provide one without delay. The water supplied to the District by the Barnet Water Company is remarkable for its purity, and on sis occasions that I analysed it I found it always of the same excellence. But whatever may be said as to its quality, it cannot be said that its quantity is all that can be desired. The summer of 1897 was not characterised by any lengthened period of drought, and yet shortly after the dry weather set in, the Company requested the Council to refrain from watering the roads, owing to short supplies in the wells. The stoppage of watering the roads causes a great deal of inconvenience to the residents, and is not calculated to improve the health of the District. But as this matter is engaging the attention of the Council I need not further refer to it here. Complaints have been made from time to time of smells issuing from the manholes of the sewers, but I cannot think that the sewers are always at fault. I believe in many cases that the fault lies in the house drains leading 7 into the sewers. If, as frequently happens, a house drain becomes more or less choked with decomposing matter, offensive gases will be given off, and these gases, if prevented by the trap from ascending towards the house, will find their way into the sewer, escape at the nearest manhole, and give rise to the nuisances complained of. If householders were to make a practice of regularly flushing their drains I believe that the above complaints would be greatly reduced in number. In the autumn, with the Surveyor- Mr. York—I made a careful examination of the sewers in the lower portions of the District, especially those in Park Road, Crescent Road, Long Street, York Road, and Gloucester Road. These sewers are all pipe sewers, of 9, 12, or 18 inch diameter, except that portion in Crescent Road which becomes the main sewer, and is constructed of brick, with a stone invert, and is 2ft 3in by 1ft 6in in diameter. We found all the sewers working well, and free from deposit, except the brick sewer, which has a very slight fall and a sluggish flow. Here there was a sandy deposit varying from 4 to 8 inches. But at no point was any foul smell noticeable, except one, and that was in the manhole in York Road, at the bottom of Gloucester Road. The flow of sewage through this manhole was not obstructed by any deposit, and I think the unpleasant smell must 8 have come from a foul drain discharging gas into the sewer. A great deal could be done to improve the sewers generally by building more manholes, where required to facilitate inspection and cleansing, and by erecting air shafts for ventilation. I venture to suggest that a sum of money-say £100-should be set aside each year, or half year, for this purpose, and so carry out all necessary improvements without burdening the District with the expense of any large and, as I think, unnecessary scheme of new drainage. The bake-houses, slaughter-houses, and dairies have been frequently inspected, and found to be in fairly good condition on the whole. 9 TABLE OF MORTALITY in EAST BARNET VALLEY URBAN DISTRICT fob the Year ending 31st December 1897. Name of Disease. Deaths (among all classes) registered as having occurred in the District. Aged under 5 yrs. 5 yrs. & upwards. Measles 2 — Scarlatina 1 — Diphtheria 2 2 Whooping Cough 2 — Croup 1 — Typhoid — — Influenza — — Diarrhoea and Dysentery 6 — Rheumatic Fever — 1 Puerperal Fever — — Phthisis — 7 Bronchitis, Pneumonia & Pleurisy 6 8 Heart Disease 1 8 Disease of Kidneys — 8 Cancer and Malignant Disease - 3 Disease of Nervous System - 8 4 Alcoholism — 2 Atrophy and Debility — — Diabetes — — Premature Birth 2 — Old Age — 4 Injuries — 2 Other Causes 3 18 TABLE OF DEATHS during the Year 1897, in the EAST BARNET VALLEY URBAN DISTRICT. Classified according to diseases, ages and localities. Names of Localities adopted for the purpose of these Statistics; public institutions being shown as separate localities. mortality from all causes, at subjoined ages. Mortality from subjoined causes, distinguishing Deaths of Children under Five Years of Age. All ages. Under 1 year. 1 and under 5. 5 and under 15. 15 and under 25. 25 and under 65 65 and upwards. Smallpox. Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Membranous Croup. Fevers. Puerperal. Cholera. Erysipelas. Measles. Whooping Cough. Diarrhœa and Dysentry. Rheumatic Fever Phthisis Bronchitis,Pneumonia & Pleurisy Heart Disease, Injuries. All other Diseases Total. Typhus. Enteric or Typhoid Continued. Relapsing. East Barnet 59 16 9 3 1 15 15 Under 5. ... 1 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 1 3 ... ... 5 ... ... ... 12 26 5 upwards. ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 2 4 ... 2 21 33 Barnet Vale 16 2 1 ... 1 8 4 Under 5. ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 3 5 upwards. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 ... 1 ... ... 8 13 Monken Hadley 6 ... ... 1 1 4 ... Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 1 ... ... 3 6 Brunswick Park 8 6 1 ... ... 1 ... Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 3 7 5 upwards. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 South Mimms 3 ... ... ... ... 1 2 Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 2 3 Cottage Hospital 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Workhouse 2 ... ... ... ... 1 1 Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 2 Clockmaker's Asylum 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Totals 96 24 11 4 3 31 23 Under 5. ... 1 2 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 2 6 ... ... 6 ... ... ... 16 36 5 upwards. ... ... 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 7 3 9 ... 2 36 60 TABLE OF POPULATION, BIRTHS, AND OF NEW CASES OF INFECTIOUS SICKNESS, COMING TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH, DURING THE YEAR 1897, IN THE EAST BARNET VALLEY URBAN SANITARY DISTRICT. Classified according to Diseases, Ages and Localities. Names of Localities adopted for the purpose of these Statistics; public institutions being shown as separate localities. Population at all ages. Registered Births. New Cases of sickness in Each Locality, coming to the knowledge of the Medical Officer of Health. Number of such Cases Removed from their Homes in the several Localities Census 1891. Estimated to middle of 1897. Smallpox. Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Membranous Croup. Fevers. Cholera. Erysipelas. Smallpox. Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Membranous Croup. Fevers. Cholera. Erysipelas. i Typhus. Enteric or Typhoid. Continued. Relapsing. Puerperal. Typhus. Enteric or Typhoid. Continued. Relapsing. Puerperal. East Barnet 5126 10,000 139 Under 5. ... 3 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... 7 3 ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 3 ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Barnet Vale 1347 31 Under 5. ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... 5 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Monken Hadley 1028 18 Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... ... 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Brunswick Park ... ... Under 5. ... 3 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... 19 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... South Mimms 212 7 Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Cottage Hospital ... ... Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Workhouse ... ... Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Clockmaker's Asylum ... ... Under 5. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Totals 7713 10000 195 Under 5. ... 6 2 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 upwards. ... 31 5 ... ... 2 ... ... ... ... 4 ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... State here whether "Notification of Infectious Disease" is compulsory in the District—Yes. Since when ?—January 1st, 1890. Besides the above mentioned Diseases, insert in the columns with blank headings the names of any that are notifiable in the District, and fill the columns accordingly. State here the name of the Isolation Hospital used by the sick of the District. Mark (H) the Locality in which such Hospital is situated ; and if not within the District, state where it is situated.—None.