RO1 4 RUISLIP-NORTHWOOD Urban District Council. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Medical Officer of Health FOR THE YEAR 1921. L. W. HIGNETT, M.B., M.R.C.S., D.P.H. (CAMB.), Medical Officer of Health. Annual Report OF THE Medical Officer of Health, 1921. To the Chairman and Members of the Urban District Council of Ruislip-Northwood. Gentlemen, I beg to submit my Seventeenth Annual Report, which is somewhat curtailed compared with that of former years. It is compiled in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health, and contains a record of the Work of the Public Health Department. I am, Your obedient servant, L. W. HIGNETT, M.B., M.R.C.S., D.P.H. (Cambs.), Medical Officer of Heallih. 4 General Characteristics of the District. The Ruislip-Northwood Urban District is situated at the North-West extremity of the County of Middlesex bounded on the North by the Watford Rural District in the County of Hertford; on the South and West by Uxbridge Rural District; and on the East by Hendon Rural District and Harrow-on-the-Hill Urban District. The Urban District is divided into three wards, namely: 1. Northwood. 2. Eastcote. 3. Ruislip. (These wards are represented on the Urban District Council by the following members;—Northwood nine, Eastcote two, and Ruislip four.) 1. Northwood is situated in the northern portion of the District; it is entirely residential and non-manufacturing. 2. Eastcote. This village is situated towards the East side of the centre of the District. 3. Ruislip, on the West side of the centre of the District. The nature of the land throughout the whole of the Ruislip-Northwood area is clay, but in several places there are patches of sand and gravel. It is, therefore, very essential for the health of the dwellers that sufficient land drainage be provided, and that existing water-courses and drains be kept open. 5 The levels of the land in the District vary from 120 feet at the South, to 360 feet at the North. General Statistics. Acreage of the District 6585 Population at the time of the Census, 1901 3560 „ 1911 6217 Estimated population at the end of June 1915 7870 „ 1916 8255 1917 8500 „ „ „ 1918 8675 „ 1919 8751 „ 1920 9215 Population at the time of the Census, 1921 9113 Number of Inhabited Houses at the end of June 1921 1921 Rateable value, £69,564 15s. 0d. Rateable value Land, £6,216 5s. 0d. Sum represented by a 1d. Rate: £293 0s. 0d. Extracts from Vital Statistics for the Year 1921. Births registered M. F. Totals. Legitimate 77 72 149 Illegitimate 1 2 3 78 74 152 Birth rate per 1000 of population 16.6 6 Deaths registered 65 Subtracting deaths of non-residents dying in Public Institutions in the District 16 49 Adding deaths of residents dying outside the District 17 The net number of deaths is 66 The corrected death rate then is 7.2 The birth rate for 1920 was 17.7 The death rate for 1920 was 7.5 Number of Women dying in or in consequence of childbirth:— i. From Sepsis, Nil. ii. From other causes. Nil. Deaths of Infants under one year of age:— Legitimate 7 Illegitimate 1 Total 8 Infant Mortality Rate 52.6 per 1000 births. The total number of Births for 1920 was 164. The Infantile Mortality Rate for 1920 was 24.3 per 1000 births. Deaths from Measles, all ages, Nil. Deaths from Whooping Cough, all ages, Nil. Deaths from Diarrhoea, under 2 years of age, 2. Deaths from Cancer, 3. 7 Infectious Diseases Notified during the Year DISEASE. Total Cases Notified, Cases Admitted to Hospital. Total Deaths. Diphtheria 6 4 0 Scarlet Fever 17 15 0 Enteric Fever (including Paratyphoid) 1 0 0 Puerperal Fever — — — Pneumonia — 5 Influenza — — 2 Tuberculosis— A. Pulmonary M. 4 4 1 „ F. 4 4 0 Total 8 B. Non-Pulmonary M. 0 0 0 „ F. 1 1 0 Total 1 Opthalmia Neonatorum. CASES Vision Unimpaired Vision Impaired. Total Blindness Deaths Notified Treated At Home In Hospital 1 Yes — Yes No No No The District has again been very free from Infectious Diseases. There were 12 deaths of non-residents from Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Institutions, and five deaths of residents from Pulmonary Tuberculosis; also five deaths of residents from Pneumonia. 8 Nursing Arrangements, Hospitals, and other Institutions for the District. Isolation Hospital. The accommodation provided at the Isolation Hospital, Hillington, Uxbridge, is as follows:- Scarlet Fever: 24 Beds, 20 Cots. Diphtheria: 12 Beds, 8 Cots. The Hospital is situated outside the district and Ruislip-Nurthwood is one of the Authorities included by the Joint Hospital Board. Maternity and Child Welfare. The Meetings are held weekly at three centres. Locality and Address Day Time Present Arrangements for Medical Supervision Attendances Mothers Children North wood, St. John's Hall Tuesday 3 p.m. Medical Officer Attends 631 1334 Ruislip, Church Room Thurs. 3 p.m. Do. 380 426 Eastcote, Church Room Friday 2.30 p.m. Do. 456 697 The qualified Midwife resides at the Council Offices, and has attended 63 confinements. She also acts as Health Visitor for North v. ood and Eastcote, and attends the Clinics at those places. There is another Health Visitor for Ruislip. 9 Milk (Mothers and Children) Order, 1918. On the recommendation of the Medical Officer of Health and Chairwoman of the Maternity Centre, and upon this recommendation being confirmed by the Committee of the Middlesex County Council, milk is supplied under this Order free, or at less than cost price, where necessary, to expectant mothers, and children under five years of age. Ambulance Facilities. A Motor Ambulance is provided for the removal of Infectious cases. The British Red Cross Society made an offer of an ambulance for the removal of non-infectious cases in the district, and now that garage accommodation has been obtained, the Council are negotiating for the delivery of the Ambulance. Laboratory Work. A stock of Diphtheria Antitoxin is kept for emergency use by the Council. This is supplied either (i.), Free of charge on the re ommendation of the Medical Practitioner attending and the Medical Officer of Health; (ii.), or on repayment of the cost in other cases. The Bacteriological examination of throat swabs, sputum, etc., is carried out by arrangement with the Clinical Research Association, under the same conditions as the supply of Antitoxin. 10 Adoptive Acts and Bye-laws in force in the District. Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1890. Private Street Works Act, 1892. Public Health Acts Amendment Act, 1907. Bye-laws, New Streets and Buildings. Ditto, Dairies, Cowsheds and Milkshops. Ditto, Slaughterhouses. Ditto, Houses Let in Lodgings. Ditto, Removal of Snow. Water Supply. The Colne Valley Water Company's main supplies the whole of the District, except a small area in Ruislip, South of the Metropolitan Railway. Sewage Disposal and Drainage. Sanction was obtained from the Local Government Board for extensions to the Sewage Disposal Works. This work has not yet been carried out, and the amount of sewage dealt with at the Disposal Works is as much if not more than can be disposed of, and in view of the number of houses being erected under the Housing and Town Planning Acts, it will be more than ever necessary now to carry out these extensions. The Council have now agreed on the price for purchase of the land for the extensions, and the sanction for the borrowing of the loan has been applied for. 11 There are still a number of cesspools in the District, and every endeavour is being made to get them abolished and the premises connected to the sewer. House Refuse. The collection of House Refuse was carried out: Fortnightly only from January to March; from April to December regular weekly collection. Collecting by special motor dust lorry was commenced in December and the refuse from the whole of the District is now conveyed to the destructor site at Eastcote, where it is sorted, screened, the inflammable part (paper, etc.) is burnt in the open, and the remainder is being used to make up the roadway to the tip. This tip is some distance away from any inhabited houses and no nuisance has been caused by this method of disposal. Methods of Disinfection. House Disinfection.—Walls are sprayed with five per cent. Lysoform with the Invicta Sprayer. The rooms are than sealed up and fumigated with Formalin in the Alformant Lamp (25 tablets per 1,000 cubic feet). After 12 hours the rooms are opened and soap and disinfecting solution is provided for the occupier to wash down with. This work is personally supervised by the Sanitary Inspector. Food and Drugs Acts. The Inspections and taking of Samples under the above Acts is carried out by the Middlesex County Council. 12 Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops. The Model Regulations issued by the Local Government Board are in force in the District. There are 21 Cowsheds and four Dairies on the register. There were an average of about 250 milch cows in the District during the year; all these cows are habitually grazed out except during very severe weather during the Winter. The Veterinary Surgeon inspects all cows twice yearly and reports to the Council. Bakehouses. There are four Bakehouses in the District: Northwood three, Ruislip one. They are inspected at frequent intervals, together with other workshops, etc., under the Factory Acts. These are quite satisfactory. Slaughterhouses. The Local Government Board Model Regulations controlling the management of Slaughterhouses have been adopted. There are two Slaughterhouses in the District. They have been inspected at frequent intervals. There is no Slaughterhouse at Ruislip. The buildings in both cases are not suitable for the purpose. Factories, Workshops and Workplaces. There are 15 Factories in the District and 32 workshops, which are inspected at frequent intervals. 13 Sanitary Inspection of District. Premises inspected on complaint 71 Premises inspected Re Infectious Disease 35 Premises under periodical inspection, about 100 Total number of inspections and re-inspetions during the year 536 Inspection of 21 Cowsheds 63 „ „ 4 Dairies 12 „ „ 4 Bakehouses 12 „ „ 1 Offensive Trade 3 „ „ 2 Slaughterhouses 8 „ „ 15 Factories 30 „ „ 32 Registered Workshops 64 „ „ 12 Workplaces 12 Sanitary Work. Drains tested 30 Drains unstopped and cleansed 65 Drains cleansed and repaired 55 Drains re-constructed 9 Premises, Clothing and Bedding disinfected after Infectious Disease 45 Refuse Removal complaints 10 New Sanitary Dustbins provided by Owners 109 Number of Statutory Notices Served 33 (All complied with). Number of Informal Notices Served 245 (All complied with). 14 Housing. Number of new houses erected during the year:— Total 187 As part of a municipal housing scheme 120 Unfit Dwelling-houses:— Inspection—Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing defects (under Public Health or Housing Acts) 124 Number of dwelling-houses which were inspected and recorded under the Housing (Inspection of District) Regulations, 1910 76 Number of dwelling-houses found to be in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation 7 Number of dwelling-houses (exclusive of those referred to under the preceding sub-heading) found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation 24 Remedy of Defects without service of formal Notices:— Number of defective dwelling-houses rendered fit in consequence of informal action by the Local Authority or their Officers 49 Action under Statutory Powers:— Proceedings under section 28 of the Housing, Town Planning, &c., Act, 1919 Nil 15 Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served requiring repairs Nil Number of dwelling-houses which were rendered fit— (a) By Owners Nil (b) By Local Authority in default of owners Nil Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Closing Orders became operative in pursuance of declarations by owners of intention to close Nil Proceedings under Public Health Acts:— Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served requiring defects to be remedied 33 Number of dwelling-houses in which defects were remedied— (a) By Owners 33 (b) By Local Authority in default of owners Nil Proceedings under sections 17 and 18 of the Housing, Town Planning, &c., Act, 1909:— Number of representations made with a view to the making of Closing Orders 7 Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Closing Orders were made 7 Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Closing Orders were determined, the dwelling-houses having been rendered fit 1 16 Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Demolition Orders were made 1 Number of dwelling-houses demolished in pursuance of Demolition Orders Nil Number of dwelling-houses demolished without Demolition Orders 3 Number Re-constructed 2 Staff of Public Health Department. Medical Officer of Health— L. W. Hignett, M.B., M.R.C.S., D.P.H. (Cambs.). Sanitary Inspector—S. P. Bristow. Disinfector—H. Cox. Maternity and Child Welfare. Medical Officer— L. W. Hignett, M.B., M.R.C.S., D.P.H. (Cambs.). County Council Midwife— Nurse F. M. Jackson, Council Offices, Northwood. Health Visitors— Northwood: Nurse F. M. Jackson. Eastcote: do. Ruislip: Nurse S. K. Anderson.