ROM 5 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER Of HEALTH FOR THE ROMFORD URBAN DISTRICT for the Year 1903. Romford: Wilson and Whit worth Ltd., Steam Printers. ANNUAL REPORT. To the Romford Urban District Council. Gentlemen, I beg to present my Annual Report on the Health of the Romford Urban District, for the year ending December 31st, 1903. 241 deaths were registered as having occurred in the Urban District of Romford, during the year; I do not include amongst this number those deaths which took place amongst the inmates of the Union Workhouse, except the deaths of actual residents of the district who have died there. 95 deaths were registered as having occurred at that Institution, mainly of aged people, most of whom came from those parts of the Romford Union beyond the limits of the Urban District. Eliminating these and including the deaths 3 of town residents removed to the Union Workhouse, the deaths for the district were 168. The population of the district was estimated to be 14,400. The death-rate would therefore be 11.6 per 1,000 of the population. The number of births registered during the year was 424, the birth-rate being 29.4 per 1,000. The following table shows the birth-rate and death-rate for the last five years. Romford. Birth-Rate. Death-Rate. 1899 30.0 13.05 1900 28.9 13.1 1901 28.9 11.1 1902 29.5 12.2 1903 29.4 11.6 I think the Council will be satisfied that Romford maintained its reputation for a low mortality. 1.—Summary of Action taken to prevent the spread of Disease. No. Date. Locality. Disease. Source of Disease. Action taken. Result. 1 Jan. 2 Shaftesbury Road Diphtheria One case. Local nuisance. Remedied. No other case 2 „ 2 Victoria Road Scarlet Fever One case. Isolation at home. Instructions. Disinfection. No other case 3 „ 8 Waterloo Road Enteric Fever One case Supposed to have been contracted away from home. Removed to Isolation Hospital. No other case 4 „ 23 High Street Scarlet Fever One case. Removed to Isolation Hospital See No. 19 5 ,, 23 Victoria Road Diphtheria One case. Origin obscure. Instructions. &c. Disinfection. No other case 6 „ 25 Western Road Diphtheria One case. Contracted at Brighton. Instructions, &c. No other case 7 Feb. 1 Brentwood Road Scarlet Fever One case. Origin obscure. Removed to Isolation Hospital. No other case 8 „ 12 Willow Street Diphtheria One case. Local nuisance, been remedied. Case removed to Isolation Hospital. See No. 21 9 ,, 12 St. Andrew's Road Diphtheria One case. Origin obscure. No other case 10 „ 21 Rush Green Scarlet Fever One case. Isolated at home. Instructions, &c. Disinfection. See case No. 23 11 „ 3 Willow Street Scarlet Fever One case. Removed to Isolation Hospital, Both removed to Hospital See No. 13 12 ,, 5 Willow Street Scarlet Fever Another case in same family as last. 5 No. Date. Locality. Disease. Source of Disease Action taken. Result. 13 Feb. 7 Willow Street Scarlet Fever Another case in adjoining house. Removed. Disinfected, &C., No other case 14 ,, 22 George Street Diphtheria One case. No other case 15 ,, 23 Union workhouse Scarlet Fever One case. Removed to Isolation Hospital. See No. 17 16 Mar. 3 Havering Road Scarlet Fever Ditto No other case. 17 „ 18 Union Workhouse Scarlet Fever Ditto No other case 18 „ 23 Lodging House, Waterloo Road Smallpox Four cases. Disease brought by a Tramp. Contacts re-vaccinated, and kept Isolated for 10 days. Lodging House closed for same period. Disinfection of premises. Bedding and clothing burnt. Patient removed to Smallpox hospital. No other case 19 „ 27 High Street Scarlet Fever Two cases Removed to Isolation Hospital. A case had occurred in the family two months ago. No other case 20 „ 10 George Street Scarlet Fever One case. Removed to Isolation Hospital. No other case 21 „ 15 Willow Street Diphtheria One case. Mother of case No. 8. Removed to Isolation Hospital. No other case 22 „ 15 Market Place Scarlet Fever One case. Contracted in London. Removed to Isolation Hospital. See No. 24 23 „ 15 Rush Green Scarlet Fever Two cases in one family. Disease evidently contracted from case No. 10. which I could not persuade to go into the Hospital. These were removed to the Isolation Hospital. No other case 24 ,, 18 Market Place Scarlet Fever Another case in same house as No. 22 Removed. No other case 25 ,, 31 Union workhouse Smallpox One case, Brought in from neighbourhood by a tramp. Removed to e-mall-pox Hospital. No other case 6 No. Date. Locality. Disease. Source of Disease. Action taken. Result. 26 April 1 Squirrels Heath Diphtheria One case. Local nuisance. Instructions, Disinfection. No other case 27 „ 14 Waterloo Road Smallpox One case. Origin obscure. Removed to Small-pox Hospital. Contact re-vaccinated and isolated for a fortnight. No other case 28 May 9 Mildmay Road Scarlet Fever One case. Origin obscure, supposed to have been contracted away from home. Removed to Isolation Hospital. No other case 29 ,, 11 Junction Road Diphtheria One case. Origin obscure. Removed to Isolation Hospital No other case 30 July 8 Martin Terrace Diphtheria One case. Origin obscure Removed to Isolation Hospital. See No. 38 31 „ 8 Union Workhouse Scarlet Fever One case. Removed to Isolation Hospital No other case 32 „ 16 Western Road Scarlet Fever One case. Infection thought to have been brought from London. Isolated at home. No other case 33 „ 16 Eastern Road Scarlet Fever One case ditto No other case 34 „ 25 Union Workhouse Diphtheria One case. Removed to Isolation Hospital. No other case 35 „ 31 Martin's Terrace. Diphtheria One case in same house as No. 30. Removed. No other case 36 Aug 6 Willow Street Diphtheria One case. Origin obscure. No other case 37 „ 6 Victoria Road Diphtheria Ditto. No other case 38 „ 19 Havering Road Scarlet Fever One case. Removed to Isolation Hospital. No other case 39 Sept. 15 Queen Street Diphtheria One case. Local nuisance. No other case 40 „ 15 Willow Street Diphtheria Ditto. No other case 41 ,, 21 Victoria Road Enteric Fever One case. Disease believed to have been caused by eating Southend cockles. Removed to Isolation Hospital. No other case 7 No Date. Locality. Disease. Source of Disease. Action taken. Result. 42 Sep.24 Squirrels Heath 'Diphtheria Four cases. Local nuisance. No other case 43 Oct. 1 London Road Enteric Fever One case. Origin obscure. Instructions, &c. No other case 44 „ 27 Albert Road Diphtheria One case. No other case 45 „ 8 George Street Diphtheria One case. Supposed to have been contracted away from home. No other case 46 Nor. 6 London Road Scarlet Fever One case. Isolated at home. Instructions, &c. No other case 47 „ 7 Rush Green Scarlet Fever Ditto No other case 48 „ 28 Mildmay Road Scarlet Fever One case. Removed. No other case 49 Dec. 11 Richmond Street Scarlet Fever Ditto. No other case 50 „ 17 Marks Road Diphtheria One case. No other case 8 Smallpox. Five cases occurred in the town, all of them arising from infection brought by a tramp to one of the lodging houses. One other case was notified from the Union Workhouse, a person found wandering in the district who had come from beyond the district. All were promptly removed to the Dagenham Smallpox Hospital. Contacts were re-vaccinated and kept in quarantine for 10 days. No other cases occurred. Scarlet Fever. 23 cases of this disease were notified. The disease occurred in isolated instances and nowhere assumed the character of an epidemic. The disease was of a mild type and no deaths resulted. Diphtheria. 23 cases were notified. One death occurred. Enteric Fever was unusually absent in this, as in other districts, during the year. One death was caused by it. Six cases were notified. Zymotic Disease caused 3 deaths only. Enteric Fever 1 Diphtheria 1 Measles 1 The death-rate from this class of disease was 0.2. This is a very satisfactorily small death-rate, the rate for this last five years being : 0.2, 0.8, 0.2, 0.8, and 0.2. 9 The following represent the total number of infectious disease notified during the year. Smallpox 5 Scarlet Fever 23 Diphtheria 20 Enteric Fever 6 Erysipelas 22 Puerperal Fever 2 Total 78 Every case of Infectious disease notified to me is reported to the Sanitary Inspector, who visits and reports to me in all cases which I do not personally investigate, and who also supplies disinfectants, sees to the patient's removal to the Isolation Hospital, when such a course is adopted, and disinfects the premises, bedding, clothing, &c. At the end of the year the district was in a healthy condition, few cases of infectious disease having been notified. Periodical inspections of the various parts of the district have been made, a few samples of drinking water, whose purity was suspected, have been analysed by me, and when found to be impure the South Essex 10 Company's water has been laid on. Insanitary conditions have in certain instances been remedied by the intervention of the Sanitary Inspector. The various bake-houses and slaughter-houses have been inspected and found in a satisfactory condition. Tables of mortality and of sicknesses, compiled in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Board's instructions, are appended to this report. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, ALFRED WRIGHT, Medical Officer of Health. 11 ISOLATION HOSPITAL. The following cases were admitted into the Isolation Hospital from the Urban District during the year. This includes four persons who were sent from the Union Infirmary, not belonging to the Urban District. Recovered. Died. Scarlet Fever 21 21 — Diphtheria 12 11 1 Enteric Fever 3 3 — The nursing and general treatment of the patients in the Hospital has been most satisfactory, and I am able to assure the Council that they possess a most valuable help in fighting Infectious disease in the existence of such a well-appointed Hospital. In every case the patient's friends have expressed themselves as most grateful for the treatment received in that Institution. Romford, March 9th, 1904. TABLE I. Vital Statistics of Whole District during 1902 and Previous years. ROMFORD URBAN DISTRICT. Year. Population estimated to Middle of each Year. Births. Total. Deaths Registered in the District. Total Deaths in Public Institutions in the District. Deaths of Non-residents registered in Public Institutions in the District. Deaths of Residents registered in Public Institutions beyond the District. Nett Deaths at all ages belonging to the District. Under 1 yr. of age At all Ages. Number. Rate.* Number. Rate per 1,000 Births registered. Number. Rate.* Number. Rate.* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1893. 1894. 1895. 1896. 1897. 1898. 1899. 1900. 13,500 398 28.7 42 105 226 16.7 66 55 171 12.6 1901. 13,656 395 28.9 55 438 232 16.9 96 80 16 152 11.1 1902. 14,000 414 29.5 42 101 251 17.9 88 79 4 172 12.2 Averages for years 18931902 1903. 14,400 424 29.4 42 99 241 16.7 99 73 1 168 11.6 *Rates in columns 4, 8, 13, calculated per 1,000 of estimated population. Area of District in acres (exclusive of area covered by water), 5,629. Total population at all ages, 13,656 Number of inhabited houses, 2.805 Average number of persons per house, 4.8 At Census of 1901. 13 1 Institutions within the District receiving Sick and Infirm persons from outside the District. Union Workhouse. Cottage Hospital. 2 Institutions outside the District receiving Sick and Infirm persons from the District. Dagenham Small-Pox Hospital. 3 Other Institutions the deaths in which have been distributed among the several localities in the District. Various London Hospitals. TABLE 11. Vital Statistics of Separate Localities in 1903 and previous years. ROMFORD URBAN DISTRICT. Names of Localities Romford Town. Coiller Row Ward. Harold Wood Ward year. Population estimated to middle of each year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. Population esti-mated to middle of each year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. Population estimated to middle of each year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. Population estimated to middle of each year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. Population estimated to middle of each year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. Population estimated to middle of each year. Births registered. Deaths at all Ages. Deaths under 1 year. a. b. c. d. a. b. c. d. a. b c. d. a. b. c. d. a. b. c. d. a. b. c. d. 1893 1894 1895 8960 292 136 40 1896 9200 330 109 40 1897 9500 313 127 37 1898 10.000 324 132 31 1899 10,500 324 141 32 1900 11,000 318 161 36 1901 13,656 395 152 55 10,321 (census) 984 (census) 1,318 (census) 1902 14,000 414 172 42 Averages of Years 189??? to 1901. 190??? 14,400 424 168 42 11,800 356 218 37 1,000 31 11 2 1,160 37 12 3 15 TABLE III. Cases of Infectious Disease notified during the Year 1902, in the Romford Urban District. Notifiable Disease. Cases notified in Whole District. Total Cases notified in each Locality. At all Ages. At Ages—Years. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Town Wards. Collier Row Ward. Harold Wood Ward. Under 1. 1 to 5. 5 to 15. 15 to 25. 25 to 65. 65 and upwards. Small-pox ... ... ... 1 2 2 ... 5 ... ... Cholera ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Diphtheria ... ... 15 6 2 ... ... 20 ... 3 Membranous Croup ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Erysipelas ... ... ... ... 3 19 ... 22 ... ... Scarlet Fever ... ... 7 12 4 ... ... 20 ... 1 Typhus Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Enteric Fever ... ... ... ... 2 4 ... 6 ... ... Relapsing Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Continued Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Puerperal Fever ... ... ... ... ... 2 ... 2 ... ... Plague ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Totals ... ... 22 19 13 27 ... 75 2 3 Isolation Hospital—Rush Green, Dagenham, 16 TABLE IV. Causes of, and Ages at, Death during Year 1902, Romford Urban District. Causes of Death. Deaths in or belonging to whole District at subjoined Ages. Deaths in or be longing to Localities (at all. Ages.) Total Deaths in Public Institutions in District. All Ages Under 1 year. 1 and under 5. 5 and under 15. 15 and under 25. 25 and under 65. 65 and upwards. Town Wards. Collier Row Ward. Squirrels Health Ward. Small-Pox ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Measles 1 ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... Scarlet Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Whooping-cough 8 5 3 ... ... ... ... 7 ... 1 ... Diphtheria and Membranous Croup 1 ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... Croup 1 ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... Fever Typhus ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Enteric 1 ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... Other contin'd ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Epidemic Influenza ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Cholera ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Plague ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Diarrhœa 3 2 1 ... ... ... ... 3 ... ... ... Enteritis ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... Puerperal Fever 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... Erysipelas ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Other septic Diseases ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Phthisis 16 ... ... ... 1 15 ... 16 ... ... 8 Other tubercular Diseases 8 2 4 ... ... 1 1 6 ... 2 5 Cancer, Malignant Disease 10 ... ... ... ... 6 4 8 1 1 5 Bronchitis 23 4 ... ... ... 7 12 22 1 ... 7 Pneumonia 10 4 2 ... ... 3 1 8 1 1 ... Pleurisy ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Other Diseases of Respiratory Organs ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Alcoholism Cirrhosis of Liver 3 ... ... ... ... 3 ... 3 ... ... 3 Venereal Diseases ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Premature Birth 8 8 ... ... ... ... ... 7 ... 1 ... Diseases and Accidents of Parturition 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 ... ... ... Heart Diseases 32 ... ... 1 2 9 20 30 1 1 25 Accidents 4 ... ... 2 ... 2 ... 4 ... ... ... Suicides ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... All other Causes 110 17 5 2 4 14 6S 100 5 5 39 All Causes 241 42 18 5 9 61 106 218 11 12 09