ILFORD URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. Annual Report OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH, FOR THE Year ending December, 1897. Ilford: R. W. EDWARDS. ALBERT ROAD. REPORT ON THE Sanitary Condition and Public Health of the Urban District of Ilford, DURING THE YEAR 1897. To the Ilford Urban District Council, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, In presenting my report on the Sanitary condition and health of the Urban District of Ilford during the year 1897, I beg to state that I estimate the population of the whole district at about 25,000, which is made up as follows:— Ilford 21,500 County of London Lunatic Asylum at Claybury 2,450 Dr. Barnardo's Village Home at Barking Side 1,000 24,950 Or in round numbers 25,000 This estimate is probably rather under than over the true population. 4 I estimate the population of Ilford by— Adding the increase of births over deaths 409 And the increase by immigration of new residents to new houses, placed on the register during the year—600 houses at 5 persons each 3,000 And occasional double families in one house 100 To the estimated population last year 18,013 21,522 Or in round numbers 21,500. The density of the population of the district, including Claybury Asylum and Dr. Barnardo's Village Home is about 2.943 Per acre. The number of persons per house in the district, excluding Claybury Asylum and Dr. Barnardo's Village Home is about 5. The total number of deaths which occurred in the district during the year 1897 was 481, 248 of which were at Claybury Asylum, and 6 at Dr. Barnardo's Home, leaving 227 for the rest of the district, or at the rate of 10.562 per 1,000 per annum of the population. The number of births was 636, one of which was at Claybury Asylum, leaving 635 for the rest of the district, or at the rate of 29.55 Per 1,000 per annum of the population. 5 The number of infectious diseases notified during the year was 560, namely:— Scarlet fever 132 Diphtheria 32 Typhoid fever 31 Continued fever 3 Puerpural fever 2 Erysipelas 35 Measles... ... ... 325 560 Of these Ilford was responsible for 502, namely:— Scarlet fever 96 Diphtheria 31 Typhoid fever 25 Erysipelas 20 Continued fever 3 Puerpural fever 2 Measles 325 502 Claybury Asylum was responsible for 20 cases, namely:— Scarlet fever 2 Typhoid fever 6 Erysipelas 12 20 Dr. Barnardo's Homes were responsible for 38 cases namely:— Scarlet fever 34 Diphtheria 1 Erysipelas 3 38 6 It will be seen by comparing the number of cases notified in 1897 with those notified in 1896 that there is a distinct difference in favour of 1897 as regards scarlet fever, typhoid fever, and diphtheria, which were in the former year 140, 33, and 45 respectively. There was, as may be seen by the number of cases notified, an epidemic of measles at the end of the year, which necessitated the closing of two schools for a time, one on the freehold at Barking Side, the other at Aldboro Hatch. Only three deaths occurred from measles, which was a small number considering the amount of cases reported, and not reported; I have reason to believe there were a great many of the latter. There was also a small epidemic of scarlet fever at Dr. Barnardo's Village Homes at the beginning of the year. Of the cases of infectious diseases notified during the year, twelve terminated fatally, six of the fatal cases being caused by typhoid fever. Each case of typhoid was investigated, and it was found that with the exception of seven the patients went to London to business every day, and had, so far as I could find out, nothing in common with each other, except water supply, and even that was not the same in all cases; some had eaten oysters. Of the seven remaining patients, whose business did not take them out of Ilford, six were relatives, and five of them, in my opinion, got the disease from the other one—by nursing him and washing for him—and he may have got it either by being exposed to a very foul smell whilst unstopping a blocked drain, which he said made him feel ill at the time; or from the insanitary state of the cottage in which he lived; or by eating oysters at Southend. 7 The seventh patient must have got her attack at Ramsgate, where she went to convalesce after having had scarlet fever, and where she stayed for nearly three months. A couple of days after she came home she was found to be suffering from typhoid. Bakehouses are in a good sanitary condition, with the exception of the one I mentioned in my reports for 1895 and 1896, in which I said that the bakehouse and a stable communicate in such a way as to fill the bakehouse with effluvium from the stable. A notice has been served on the proprietor to have the conditions improved, but, so far, it has not been altered. Burial grounds are kept in a satisfactory condition from a sanitary point of view. Cowsheds and slaughter-houses are also in a satisfactory condition. The collection of dust has been carried out satisfactorily. One cottage has been closed as unfit for human habitation, on account of its defective sanitary condition; and sixteen cottages have been put into habitable repair. Ditches in the district are in a fairly clean condition. The sanitary improvements effected during the year are:— Draining the cottages at the lower end of Ilford Lane; supplying their W.C.s with flushing cisterns, and connecting the drainage with the main sewer. Completing the sewering of the Birkbeck Estate; draining the houses on the estate; and connecting with the main sewer. Water has been laid on to Bennett's, Castle Lane, from the South Essex Water Works Co.'s supply. Water supply has also been laid on to "Reform Place" and "The Diggings." 8 The sanitary improvements required are:—Water supply to the Birkbeck Estate, which at present depends for its supply on wells, the water of which is not above suspicion, and not very plentiful. Additional means of dealing with the sewage of the district, as the present sewage farm is inadequate and choked up, and the quantity of sewage increases every day. The hospital for infectious diseases is practically completed, and is only now waiting for the connections of its drainage system with the main sewer in Romford Road. Three summonses were obtained during the year against owners of property for non-compliance with notices served on them to have certain sanitary requirements carried out on their property. A conviction was obtained in each case, and the necessary work done. A woman was prosecuted for pawning clothes from her house whilst she had a child in it suffering from scarlet fever. She had to pay a fine and costs. A mortuary has been built in the cemetery adjoining Ilford Church. I remain, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, JAMES SHIMELD, Medical Officer of Health. P.S.—Since writing the above, I find that the occupant of the bakery, of which I complain that the bakehouse and stable communicate, is making such alterations as I think will do away with the nuisance.—J.S. 9 Table of Deaths during the Year 1897 in the Ilford Urban District:— Mortality from all causes, at subjoined ages. Mortality from subjoined causes, distinguishing deaths of children under five years of age. Place. At all ages. Under one year. 1 and under 5. 5 and under 15. 15 and under 25. 25 and under 65. 65 and upwards. Diptheria. Enteric or Typhoid Fever. Puerperal Fever. Measles. Whooping Cough. Diarrhoea and Dysentery. Rheumatic Fever. Phthisis. Bronchitis, Pneumonia, and Pleurisy. Heart Disease. Injuries. All other Diseases. Total Ilford 227 88 32 11 7 51 38 under 5 1 45 2 15 2 1 48 119 5 upwards 1 6 2 2 1 1 12 17 16 6 44 108 County of London Lunatic Asylum at Claybury 248 9 186 53 5 upwards 2 3 3 20 46 27 147 248 Dr. Barnardo's Village Home at Barkingside 6 4 2 5 upwards 1 1 2 2 6 Totals 481 88 32 15 18 237 91 under 5 1 5 2 15 2 1 48 119 5 upwards 1 8 2 2 1 5 4 34 63 43 6 193 362 10 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 Ilford Urban District:— Place. Last Census. Estimated to middle of 1897. Registered Births. Age. Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Enteric or Typhoid. Continued. Puerperal. Erysipelas. Measles Ilford 10913 21500 635 Under 5 14 6 1 124 5 upwards 82 25 24 3 2 20 201 County of London Lunatic Asylum at Claybury 2450 1 5 upwards 2 6 12 Dr. Barnardo's Village Home at Barkingside 1000 5 upwards 34 1 3 Totals 10913 24950 636 Under 5 14 6 1 124 5 upwards 118 26 30 3 2 35 201