RoM 6 ANNUAL REPORT for the Medical Officer of Health for the ROMFORD URBAN DISTRICT for the Year 1904 Romford: Wilson and Whitworth 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, 1904. 284 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. 102 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 148. The population of the district was estimated to be 14,700. The death-rate would therefore be 10.06 per 1,000 of the population. The number of births registered during the year was 418, the birth rate being 28.4 per 1,000. The following table shows the birth-rate and death-rate for the last five years. Romford. Bireh Rate. Death-Rate. 1900 28.9 13.1 1901 28.9 11.1 1902 29.5 12.2 1903 29.4 11.6 1904 28.4 10.06 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. 6 Victoria Road Scarlet Fever Two cases. Infection imported, Isolated at home. Instruction as to isolation, &c. House, bedding, &c„ disinfected after recovery. No further case. 2 „ 20 Shaftesbury Road Diphtheria One case. Origin obscure. Instructions, Ac. No further case. 3 „ 26 Waterloo Road Diphtheria Ditto No further case. 4 „ 26 Marks Road Diphtheria Three cases. Removed to Isolation Hospital. No further case. 5 Feb.18 Western Road Diphtheria One case. Instructions, &c. No further case. 6 „ 18 Hamilton Road Scarlet Fever One case. Isolation at home. Instructions, &c. Disinfected. No further case. 7 „ 18 Mildmay Road Diphtheria One case. Isolated at home. No further case. 8 20 Hare Street Scarlet Fever One case. Infection imported. Isolation at home. No further ease. 9 Mar. 18 Manor Road Diphtheria Ditto No further case. 10 April 4 Marks Road Diphtheria One case. Removed to Isolation Hospital. No farther case. 11 „ 25 Waterloo Road Scarlet Fever Two cases. Infection imported Removed to Hospital. See No. 13 12 „ 25 Waterloo Road Scarlet Fever One case next door to the last. Removed to Hospital. 13 „ 26 Waterloo Road Scarlet Fever One case in same house as No. 11. Removed. No further case, 5 No. Date. Locality. Disease. Source of Disease, Action taken. Result 14 April 29 Western Road Scarlet Fever One case. Infection imported. Isolated at home. Instruction and disinfection. No further case. 15 May 1 Richmond Road Diphtheria One case. Slight. Ibstructions, &c No further case. 16 „ 9 Western Road Diphtheria Ditto No further case. 17 „ 9 Salisbury Road Diphtheria Three cases. Local insanitary condition. These were very bad cases. Tbe parents refused to have them taken to the Hospital. The father worked at a neighbouring dairy and there was a suspicion that the milk became infected and caused diphtheria in a locality (out of this district) where it was distributed. The man had been forbidden to go to his work and his employer was warned of the danger. 18 „ 23 Romford Common Diphtheria One case. Isolated at home. No further case. 19 June 7 Marks Road Scarlet Fever One case. Origin obscure. Isolation at home. Instructions, &c. No further case. 20 „ 12 Victoria Road Diphtheria One case. Origin obscure. Removed to Hospital. No further case. 21 „ 15 Como Street Diphtheria Ditto No further case. 22 July 1 High Road Diphtheria One case. No further case. 23 „ 1 Hare Street Diphtheria One case at Post Office. Office closed for a time. Disinfection &c. No further case. 21 „ 1 Hainault Road Scarlet Fever A fatal case of Nephritis following an unrecognized case. See No. 25. 25 „ 1 Hainault Road Scarlet Fever A case in same house as last. Removed. No other case. 6 No. Date. Locality. Disease. Source of Disease, Action taken. Result. 26 July 1 Market Place Ssarlet Fever One case. Imported. Removed to Hospital. No other case. 27 „ 12 Queen Street Diphtheria Ditto No other case. 28 „ 18 Hmilton Road Diphtheria Ditto No other case. 29 „ 23 George Street Srarlet Fever One case. Isolated at home. Instruction, disinfection, &c. No other case. 30 Aug. 9 Como Street Diphtheria Ditto No other case. 31 „ 9 Marks Road Diphtheria Ditto No other case. 32 „ 23 Salisbury Road Diphtheria One case Local insanitary condition. Removed to Hospital. No other case. 33 Sep. 24 Havering Road Diphtheria Ditto No other case. 34 „ 28 Carlisle Road Diphtheria One case. Origin obscure. Removed to Hospital. No other case. 35 „ 19 Cromer Road Diphtheria One case. No other case. 36 Oct. 10 Wolseley Road Scarlet Fever Two cases. Infection brought from Beacontree Heath. Removed to Hospital. See No. 44. 37 „ 27 Birkbeck Road Diphtheria One case. Infection brought from Beacontree Heath. Removed. See No. 41. 38 „ 27 Mildmay Road Diphtheria One case. Removed. See No. 14. 39 „ 27 Queen Street Scarlet Fever One case Infection brought from Beacontree Heath. Removed. See No. 44. 40 „ 22 Willow Street Diphtheria One ease. Removed. It will be noticed that about this time seveial cases of Diphtheria occurred on the Mawney Estate. I could only account for this by the escape of sewer gas from the drains. The sewers were flushed on several occasions. 7 No. Date. Locality. Disease. Source of Disease, Action taken. Result. 41 Oct. 11 Marks Road Diphtheria One case. Removed. 42 „ 26 Birkbeck Road Scarlet Fever Ditto 43 Nov. 8 Willow Street Diphtheria Ditto 41 „ 12 Wolseley Road Scarlet Fever One case. Father and children previously removed to Hospital. (No. 36). No other case. 45 „ 21 Olive Street Scarlet Fever Two cases. Infection imported. Isolated at home. Instruction, &.c. Sec No. 47. 46 „ 13 Como Street Diphtheria One case. Isolated at home. 47 „ 27 Olive Street Scarlet Fever Ditto. Same house as No. 45. No other case. 48 „ 27 Como Street Diphtheria Two cases. Isolated at hon.e. No other case. 49 „ 27 Marks Road Diphtheria One case. Removed. No other case. 50 „ 27 Como Street Diphtheria One case. Isolated. No other case. 51 „ 23 Well Yard Enteric Fever Four eases in two adjacent houses. Premises very insanitary. Notice served on Owner to remedy defect. Removed to Hospit .1. No other case. 62 Dec. 18 Union Workhouse Scarlet Fever One case, An Attendant in the Infirmary, lntection supposed to have been imported. Removed to Hospital. No other case. 53 „ 20 Cromer Road Scarlet Fever One case. Isolated at home. See No. 54. 54 „ 25 Cromer Road Diphtheria Three cases. Infection by No. 53. Removed to Hospital. No other case. 55 „ 28 Marks Road Diphtheria One case. 56 „ 31 Hamilton Road Scarlet Fever One case. Imported from Upminster. Removed. No other case. 8 Smallpox, No case of this disease occurred in the Urban District during the year. Scarlet Fever. 29 cases of this disease were notified. The disease occurred in isolated instances and nowhere assumed the character of an epidemic. One death was caused by it. Diphtheria. 45 cases were notified. Three deaths were caused by it. Enteric Fever was unusually absent in this, as in other neighbouring districts, during the year. Four cases were notified, three of which were fatal. Infantile Diarrhœa was more than usually prevalent. 20 deaths (19 of which were under one year of age) resulted from this disease. Measles prevailed to a considerable extent at the end of the year, one death resulting from it. Zymotic Diseases caused seven deaths. Enteric Fever 3 Diphtheria 3 Scarlet Fever 1 The death-rate from this class of disease was 0.4. The death-rate for the last five years being:0.8, 0.2, 0.8, 0.2, 0.4. 9 The following represent the total number of infectious, diseases notified during the year. Scarlet Fever 29 Diphtheria 45 Enteric Fever 4 Erysipelas 15 Puerperal Fever 1 Total 94 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 inspection of the various parts of the district have been made, a few samples of drinking water, whose purity was suspected, have been analysed 10 by me, and when found to be impure the South Essex 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 sickness, compiled in acccordance 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. March 7th, 1905. 11 ISOLATION HOSPITAL. The following cases were admitted into the Isolation Hospital from the Urban District during the year. This includes two persons who were sent from the Union Infirmary, not belonging to the Urban District. Recovered. Died. Scarlet Fever 12 II — Diphtheria 19 19 — Enteric Fever 4 1 3 The Hospital continues to give every satisfaction to the friends of patients admitted. TABLE I. Vital Statistics of Whole District during 1904 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 1894. 1895. 1896. 1897. 1898. 1899. 1900. 12,500 398 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 4 172 122 1903. 14,400 424 29.4 42 99 241 16.7 99 73 1 168 11.6 Averages for years 18941903 1901. 14,700 418 28.4 49 117 203 13.8 104 79 4 148 10.06 * Rates in columns 4, 8, and 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. Is the Union Workhouse within the District ?—Yes. 13 1 Institutions within the District receiving Sick and Infirm persons from outside the District. Union Workhouse. Cottage Hospital. 2 Institutions outside the District receivingSick and Infirm Persons from the District. Dagenham Small-Pox Hospital. 3 Other Institutions, the deaths in which having been distributed among the several localities in the District. Various London Hospitals. TABLE II. Vital Statistics of Separate Localities in 1904 and previous years. ROMFORD URBAN DISTRICT. Names of Localities. Town Ward. Collier Row Ward. Harold Wood Ward. Year. Population estimated to middle of eaeh 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. Population estimated to middle of eacn 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. 1894 1895 8,960 292 136 40 1896 9,200 330 109 40 1897 9,500 313 127 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 10,321 984 1,318 1902 14,000 414 172 42 14,00 1903 14,000 424 168 42 11,800 356 218 37 1,000 31 11 2 1,500 37 12 3 Averages of Years 189??? to 1903. 1904 14,700 418 128 49 12,090 352 100 41 1,010 29 12 4 1,600 41 16 4 15 TABLE III. Cases of Infectious Disease notified during the Year 1904, in the Romford Urban District Notifiable Disease. Cases notified in Whole District. No. of Cases Removed to Hospital. At all Ages. At Ages—Years. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Under 1. 1 to 5. 5 to 15. 15 to 25. 25 to 65. 65 and upwards. Town Ward. Harold Wood. Ward. Small-pox ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Cholera ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Diphtheria 45 ... 13 30 2 ... ... 40 5 ... ... ... ... ... Membranous Croup ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Erysipelas 15 ... ... ... 5 10 ... 14 1 ... ... ... ... ... Scarlet Fever 29 ... 17 12 ... ... ... 27 2 ... ... ... ... ... Typhus Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Enteric Fever 4 ... ... 1 2 1 ... 4 ... ... ... ... ... ... Relapsing Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Continued Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Puerperal Fever 1 ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... Plague ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... • ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Totals 94 ... 30 43 10 11 ... 86 8 ... ... ... ... ... Isolation Hospital—Rush Green, Dagenham. TABLE IV. Causes of, and Ages at, Death during Year 1904, Romford Urban District. Causes of Death. Deaths in or belonging to whole District at subjoined Ages. Deaths in or belonging to ties (at all ages). Total Deaths in Public ionsin 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. Small-Pox ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Measles 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... Scarlet Fever 1 ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... Whooping-cough 2 2 ... ... ... ... ... 2 ... ... ... ... Diphtheria and Membranous Croup 3 ... 2 1 ... ... ... 1 1 1 ... ... Croup ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Fever Typhus ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Enteric 3 ... 1 ... 2 ... ... 3 ... ... ... 3 Other contin'd ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Epidemic Influenza ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Cholera ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Plague ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Diarrhœa 20 19 1 ... ... ... ... 17 1 2 ... 1 Enteritis 4 3 1 ... ... ... ... 4 ... ... ... ... Puerperal Fever 1 ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... Erysipelas 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 1 ... ... ... ... Other septic Diseases ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Phthisis 14 ... ... ... 1 12 1 13 1 ... ... 10 Other tubercular Diseases 9 5 2 ... 1 1 ... 8 ... 1 ... 8 Cancer, Malignant Disease 13 ... ... ... ... 5 8 13 ... ... ... 5 Bronchitis 15 2 ... ... ... 3 10 10 1 4 ... 7 Pneumonia 12 1 1 2 ... 5 3 10 1 1 ... 7 Pleurisy ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Other Diseases of Respiratory Organs ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Alcoholism ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Cirrhosis of Liver Venereal Diseases ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Premature Birth 6 6 ... ... ... ... ... 5 1 ... ... ... Diseases and Accidents of Parturition 2 ... ... ... 1 1 ... 2 ... ... ... ... Heart Diseases 27 ... ... 1 ... 14 12 22 1 3 1 15 Accidents 3 ... ... ... ... 1 2 2 1 ... ... 3 Suicides 1 ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 ... ... ... All other causes 15 11 1 1 1 20 31 60 3 1 1 43 All Causes 203 49 10 6 7 63 68 177 11 13 2 102