uxbr 1 UXBRIDGE RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL 1896. ANNUAL MEDICAL REPORT BY CHARLES ROBERTS, . Medical Officer of Health. John King, Printer, Uxbridge and Southall, UXBRIDGE RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL. 1896. ANNUAL MEDICAL REPORT BY CHARLES ROBERTS, Medical Officer of Health. •John King, Printer, Uxbridge and Southall. Medical Officer's Report, 1896. uxbridge, February 12 th: 1897. To the Chairman and Members of the Uxbridge Rural District Council. Gentlemen, In submitting to you my Annual Report for the year 1896, I beg to inform you that I have received during the year 143 notifications of Infectious Diseases, and they are classified as follows:—Scarlatina, 80; Diphtheria, 28; Typhoid and Continued Fever, 14; Erysipelas, 2 These Diseases occurred in the various Parishes of our District in the following manner:— Scarlatina. Diphtheria Typhoid and Continued Fever. Erysipelas. Total Hayes 14 2 5 2 23 Ruislip 3 3 0 4 10 Northolt 1 2 3 0 6 Hillingdon and Cowley 56 19 4 4 83 Harefield 8 0 1 7 11 West Drayton 3 1 1 3 8 Ickenham 0 1 0 1 2 80 28 14 21 143 The total was greatly in excess of the last two years, when it was respectively 84 and 88; but less than in 1894, when it amounted to 205; the increase was principally due to the number of cases of Scarlatina in Hillingdon, Cowley and Hayes; and also to Diphtheria in Hillingdon and Cowley. 4 The total number of deaths throughout the year amounted to 228, but from this number 18 have to be deducted, which occurred among persons not belonging to our district. The total population of the district estimated to the middle of 1896, after deducting those inhabitants of the Workhouse who do not belong to our district, amounted to 15,347; on these figures the general death-rate amounted to 13.6. On this I must congratulate your Council as it is the lowest death-rate I have ever reported, extending over a period of twenty-four years. I think propably the generally genial weather may have had something to do with lessening the death-rate, but the chief factor is undoubtedly the improved Sanitary condition of the district, as the death-rate has gradually diminished for several years past, from one of 20 per 1000 to that of its present comparatively low proportion. The death-rate in each parish is as follows:— Population 1891. Population. 1896. Number of Deaths. Deathrate Hayes 2651 2739 37 131 Ruislip 1836 2036 17 8.3 Northolt 504 508 5 9.8 Hillingdon and Cowley 5877 6288 81 12.8 West Drayton 1118 1153 20 17.3 Harefield 1866 2027 32 15.8 Ickenham 396 .406 1 2.4 The number of births during the year amounted to 468. Deaths from Zymotic Diseases occurred as follows:—Scarlatina, 3; Diphtheria, 4; Continued Fever, 1; Measles, 7 ; Whooping Cough, 8; Diarrhœa and Dysentery, 10; making a total of 33; this gives a death-rate from these diseases of 14 per 1000. The remaining deaths are accounted for in the following manner :—Rheumatic Fever, 2; Phthisis, 16; Bronchitis, &c.. 23; Heart Disease, 24; Injuries, 8; all other diseases, 104. I will now call your attention to the Sanitary condition of the various parishes in our district:— Hayes.—23 cases of Infectious Diseases occurred in this parish, of which 14 were Scarlatina; the death-rate was 13.1, which was not excessive. Nothing, however, has been done during the year in the way of draining this parish. In my last Annual Report I commented on the condition of the ditch in Botwell Lane, and suggested that it should be piped. I am sorry that suggestion has not been adopted by your Council. I also mentioned that I had certified Odell's Cottages, Yeading, as unfit for human habitation; tenants 5 still occupy these cottages, and I am informed that the difficulty is that they cannot find habitations elsewhere. In September, an outbreak of Scarlatina occurred among the children here, and all were sent to the Isolation Hospital. I trust that means will be found to close these tenements, as they are in a most dilapidated condition, and the inhabitants have only canal or rain water to drink. 5 cases of Typhoid Fever were notified from this portion of the parish, due to drinking impure water, principally from the canal. In July, I condemned a row of cottages known as Dearlove's Cottages; the case was taken before the Magistrates and an order granted to close them. This has been done with two exceptions, and the occupiers of those are under notice to leave. Ruislip.—The death-rate of this parish, 8'3, is low. I am glad to note that since my last Annual Report a fair system of drainage has been carried out so far as the village is concerned; there is now a sewer on each side of the road with which connections have been made; there is also an efficient filtration chamber. The one flaw, however, in the scheme is, that the effluent passes directly into the river Pinn. Tt would have been far better to have obtained a piece of ground for irrigation, previous to the effluent passing into the river, but I presume this was not possible. Eastcote remains in the same condition as heretofore, and I have heard nothing more of a drainage scheme for this portion of the parish. I trust it will not be allowed to lapse altogether. Northwood.—The remaining portion of this parish also remains in the same condition, the drainage being carried on by means of cesspits. This system, as time goes on and buildings increase, will become a source of danger, and a proper system of drainage will have to be carried out. Northolt.—In my last Annual Report I expressed a hope that the Water Company would be induced to lay on their water to the houses and cottages in this parish, but I am given to understand that although "negotiations between the Council and the Colne Valley Water Company have been going on for some time, the Council have not yet succeeded in obtaining a supply of water from the Company's mains. Two cases of Typhoid Fever have been reported, due to drinking polluted water; also one of Continued Fever. Hillingdon and Cowley.—These two parishes have hitherto been amalgamated, but as you are aware there are now three distinct parishes, viz: Hillingdon East, Yiewsley, and Cowley, and in future reports each will be treated separately, but on this occasion I have gone on the old lines, as the 6 division took place during the year, and it would make matters very complicated to treat them as a whole during a portion of the year and separate during the remainder of it; but I will endeavour to separate them as much as possible. You will observe that 56 cases of Scarlatina; 19 of Diphtheria; and 4 of Typhoid Fever, were notified from these parishes. Of the Scarlatina cases, 32 occurred in Cowley; 13 in Yiewsley; and 11 in Hiilingdon. Of the Diphtheria cases, 9 occurred in Cowley; 9 in Hillingdon; and 1 in Yiewsley. The 4 Typhoid cases occurred in Hillingdon. In the comparatively small parish of Cowley there has, during the past year, been a great preponderance of these diseases. In my last Annual Report I called your attention to Cowley Cottages (8 in number) where 34 children were located; an outbreak of Scarlatina had then commenced. I received 4 notifications of this disease at the end of 1895, and 10 in January and February of last year. Most of the cases were sent to the Isolation Hospital; all premises were disinfected; and the schools were closed from December 9th, 1895, to February 17th, 1890, when the spread of disease was arrested. In July, another outbreak occurred which was caused by a boy mixing with others while there was desquamation of the skin (the parents being ignorant of the child's condition). The schools were again closed and most of the children sent to the Isolation Hospital, all cottages disinfected, and the outbreak ceased. At the end of September and beginning of October, 8 cases of Diphtheria occurred in this Village, 6 of which belonged to one family. I discovered the cause in this case to be undoubtedly due to there being no trap between the sink and the sewer, which was simply being ventilated into the cottage through the sink pipe. This condition of things was very soon remedied by the pipe being carried through the wall and made to deliver over a proper trap; and other cottages adjoining were treated in the same way. Yiewsley has, I am pleased to report, a more healthy record than usual, as only 13 cases of Scarlatina and 1 of Diphtheria were notified, and there was no case of Typhoid Fever recorded; this is exceptional, as I have for some years past commented strongly on the existence of this disease in this locality. Its absence during the past year I take to be due to several polluted wells having been closed, and to the Company's water having been laid on to the cottages in Horton Road, and also to the removal of closets and cesspits at the rear of Harland's Cottages, which, in my opinion, polluted an otherwise pure spring of water. In May, an outbreak of Measles occurred at Starveall, and the Infant School was closed for a period of three weeks. 7 The Para-rubber Works have at times been a nuisance, and on one occasion I certified the same to your Council; a notice was served, and since then there has been no nuisance. Hillingdon East.—In this portion of these parishes there were 11 cases of Scarlatina, 9 of Diphtheria, and 4 of Typhoid Fever. Of the Scarlatina cases, 5 occurred on the Heath, 4 at Colham Green, and 2 at Starveall. Of the Diphtheria cases 4 occurred in one locality, viz: Star Lane, and I could only attribute these cases to damp and filthy surroundings; the remaining cases occurred in other parts of the parish. The 4 cases of Typhoid Fever all occurred on board a barge, which journeys between Starveall Dock and Paddington. I received a notification of the first case in September, and found that the barge had left for Paddington. I immediately communicated the fact to the Medical Officer of Health for.that district, who made enquiries, but found that the barge was on its return journey to Starveall. Unfortunately, we could do nothing with the case here, but on the next journey of the barge to Paddington, it was sent to St. Mary's Hospital. Early in November, 3 other cases were notified from the same barge, when after communication with the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington, they also were sent to St. Mary's Hospital. The cause of the disease I believe to have been the water from the canal, which at Starveall Dock was polluted by a large manure heap. In July, a great nuisance was caused by the burning of London sweepings on the embankment of the Great Western Railway, at Yiewsley, a notice was served, and the nuisance was abated. In September, another nuisance existed close to the public foot-path between Falling Lane and the village of Yiewsley, caused by a deposit of soft core; the case was heard before the Uxbridge Bench of Magistrates when a prohibitory order was obtained. West Drayton.—I have for the past few years commented on the high death-rate of this small parish, and this year although it is not so high as in the two previous years, when it was respectively 19.2 and 20 9 per 1000, yet it has the highest death-rate of all the parishes, being 17.3; this as I have repeatedly remarked, is caused by the general insanitary condition of the parish, and nothing but a thorough system of drainage will be of any use, as the present sewer and filtering tank are quite inadequate for its requirements. Harefield.—The death-rate of this parish is the second highest on the list, being 15.8, I made a like remark last year, when it was 17 per 1000; this ought not to be, considering how favourably it is situated, and with a 8 gravel soil. This year an outbreak of Measles occurred, and 2 deaths are recorded from this disease. In July, it was so prevalent that the schools had to be closed for a month. King's Cottages, which I have frequently brought to your notice, continued up to June to be in a disgraceful condition, and I sent a certificate to your Council saying "I considered them a disgrace to a civilized community." Since then the drainage has been somewhat improved, as two receiving holes have been excavated, into which liquid sewage is received, but the so-called earth closets are still very unsatisfactory, although they are emptied more regularly, and I very much doubt whether so much liquid sewage mixing with the surface water will not before long impregnate the well water. In consequence of many cases of Diphtheria having occurred last year, I made a thorough inspection of the premises in the neighbourhood of which these cases occurred, and found a quantity of refuse lying about in all directions. I requested your Inspector to have the whole removed, which was done forthwith, and I am pleased to report that I have not received a single notification of the disease throughout the year. This disease so far as we know at present is due in many instances to damp and filthy surroundings, and I am glad to have got rid of the latter. Ickenham.—In this little parish with 406 inhabitants, only one death occurred, and that in a person over 65 years of age, from Heart Disease. Isolation Hospital.—In this Institution, 180 persons were under treatment during the year, suffering from Infectious Diseases in the following proportions:—Small Pox, 4; Scarlet Fever, 150; Diphtheria, 26. They came from the various districts as under:— Small Pox. Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Total. Uxbridge Urban District 0 33 6 39 Uxbridge Rural District 0 64 19 83 Southall-Norwood District ... ... 4 .. . 53 ... 1 ... 58 Those from our own district belonged to the various parishes as follows:— Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Hayes 12 I Ruislip 0 0 Nortliolt 1 0 Hillingdon East 9 9 Cowley 28 9 Yiewsley 10 0 West Drayton 4 0 Harefield 0 0 Ickenham 0 0 9 There were ten deaths, viz:—5 from Scarlatina, and 5 from Diphtheria. Of these, 5 occurred in patients belonging to our district, and the remainder to other districts. This Institution is well managed so far as the means at the disposal of the staff permit, but it is certainly not large enough for the requirements made upon it, as on more than one occasion recently patients have had to be refused admission for want of room, and it will be of great benefit to all districts when Southall has a Hospital of its own. In my last Annual Report the following paragraph appeared: "It would be butter if different diseases could be more widely separated and nurses appointed for each."I regret that I was in error when I made that statement, as recently each separate disease has had special nurses, although it was not so formerly. Extra closets, with bath-room and dressing-room are now in course of construction, which will obviate the necessity of patients returning to the Institution after a disinfecting bath, and the putting on of fresh clothing, previous to leaving the Hospital. The drainage is very primitive and imperfect, and in my Report to the Local Government Inspector at the recent enquiry as to the drainage of Hillingdon, Cowley, Yiewsley, and West Drayton, the following paragraph occurs: "Sink washings and soapy water "are drained into a large open cesspit in the centre of the premises, which "overflows and irrigates the land, which slopes considerably at this point "towards the river Pinn; the overflow, however, does not pollute "the river, being absorbed by the land before reaching it. It is, however, "very offensive, and when the wind sets towards the Hospital the stench " must be very objectionable." Workhouse.—I have no remarks to make as to this Institution, except that it is very cleanly, and is admirably managed. Water.—I have made qualitative analyses of nine samples of water during the year, two of which obtained from the Canal I found to be of bad quality. Drainage.—With the exception of Ruislip, nothing has been done to improve the drainage of our district. The schemes for Hayes and Eastcote appear to have entirely collapsed; I trust, however, this is only for a time, and that although at present in abeyance they have not been entirely lost sight of, but will shortly be revived. Hillingdon, Cowley, Yiewsley, and West Drayton are in a better position, as an enquiry was held late in the year by an Inspector from the Local Government Board as to a system of drainage for these parishes, which I hope will bear good fruit. 10 I am pleased to inform you that the New Sewage Works of the Uxbridge Urban District are making good progress, and I trust that when completed the effluent will no longer pollute the River Colue, as has hitherto been the case. Dwellings.—During the year, I condemned as unfit for human habitatation, a house in Royal Lane, Hillingdon, occupied by H. Clarke, and also a cottage occupied by C. Woodley, Colham Green; both were repaired and made habitable. All the cottages at Spring Corner, Hillingdon, which I had condemned in 1895 have been pulled down and a wall built in their stead; this is a great improvement. At West Drayton.—Rumble's Cottages, which I condemned in 1895, have been repaired and are now habitable. Several cottages on the East side of West Drayton Green, which I also condemned in 1895, have been pulled down and new ones erected in their stead. Hayes.—Dearlove's Cottages in this parish I have already brought to your notice. Harefield.—I condemned a cottage at the corner of the Green, occupied by William Lavender. This has been put into repair, and is now habitable. These are all the matters dealt with by me during the past year. Appended to this Report is an account of all matters dealt with by the Inspector and Assistant Inspector, from which it will be seen that the number amounted to 830, of which the following is a summary:— Cowley 110 Harefield 52 Hayes 127 Hillingdon East 354 Northolt 17 Ruislip 56 West Drayton124 840 Your Inspector has given me every assistance in Sanitary matters, and has carried out my instructions to my satisfaction. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, CHARLES ROBERTS. 11 RETURN Of matters dealt with by the Surveyor and Inspector, during the Year ending the 31 st of December, 1896. COWLEY. Plans of new buildings, &c., approved 5 Public sewer repaired 1 6 HARE FIELD. Plans of new buildings, &c., approved 5 Open sewer scoured 1 New closet erected 1 New closet erected and connected with sewer 1 Dilapidated and foul privy cleansed and repaired 1 New cesspool constructed 1 Amendment of Filtration Chamber 1 Foul cesspools cleansed 1 Connection made to public sewer 1 Drains trapped 3 Houses condemned 3 Samples of water tested 1 New drainage laid to tenements 2 Sewers flushed 10 Filtration chamber cleansed 1 Public sewer opened and repaired 1 New ventilators fixed 1 38 HAYES. New 9-in. sewer laid 520-ft. 1 Public sewer taken up and re-laid 220-ft. of 9-in. 1 Examination chambers constructed 2 Public cesspools cleansed and filled in 1 Public sewers opened and cleansed 4 Encroachments upon highways prevented 1 12 Hates (continued). Public filtration chambers cleansed 4 Proceedings instituted before Justices and fines imposed for non-observance of bye-laws 1 Defective privies altered and renovated 2 New water closets erected 2 New licences granted for sale of milk 1 Houses closed by order of Justices through unfitness for habitation 16 Plans approved 4 40 HILLINGDON EAST WITH YIEWSLEY. Public pump erected 1 Street gullies trapped 2 Sewers cleansed and repaired 1 Filtration chambers cleansed, public 7 Cesspools cleansed, private 17 Open sewers or ditches scoured 4 Houses condemned and on repair approved 1 Accumulation of filth removed 4 Foul closets cleansed 2 Drains tested 11 Ditches scoured, private 2 Burning of offensive refuse stopped 1 Proceedings before Justices, re offensive accumulations 1 Plans approved, new domestic buildings, 13; Hospital, 1 14 Ditto of new roads, 6 in number 1 Nuisance by foul emanations from Factory 1 Water laid on from Company's mains 37 107 NORTHOLT. Public pump temporarily closed 1 Ditches scoured 1 2 13 WEST DRAYTON. Choked drains relieved 1 Foul urinals remedied 1 Houses condemned, repaired, &c., and re-opened 5 Ornamental water cleansed owing to fouling by sewage discharged thereto 1 Keeping of swine so as to be a nuisance prevented 1 Filtration chambers cleansed 2 Plans of domestic dwellings approved 3 Plan of new roads, 5 in number 1 15 RUISLIP. Public sewers repaired 2 Public pumps repaired 2 Street gullies trapped 8 Connections made to public sewer 2 Defective ventilators remedied 3 Ditches scoured 1 Cesspools cleansed under pressure 4 Proceedings before Justices instituted for observance of Bye-Laws 1 Plans approved 21 New sewer laid, 1700 feet of 9-in. and 250 feet of 6-in., together with constuction of Filtration Chambers 1 40 14 RETURN Of matters dealt with by the Assistant Inspector during the Year from January lst to December 31st, 1890. COWLEY. Drains Cleansed 9 Rooms fumigated 27 Ashes cleared 8 Privies and cesspools cleansed 18 Houses cleansed 4 Disinfectants supplied 88 104 HAREFIELD. Privies cleansed 9 Disinfectants supplied 5 14 HAYES. Privies and cesspools cleansed 31 Open sewers scoured 0 Ashes cleared 5 Rooms fumigated 10 Houses cleansed 15 Disinfectants supplied 20 87 HILLINGDON EAST. Privies and cesspools cleansed 16 Houses fumigated 18 Open sewers scoured 2 Houses cleansed 4 Ashes cleared 8 Disinfectants supplied 33 76 15 NORTHOLT. Houses supplied with disinfectants 7 Privies cleansed 5 Rooms fumigated 1 Drains scoured 2 15 NORTHWOOD. Houses supplied with disinfectants 5 5 RUISLIP. Privies and cesspools cleansed 5 Houses suppiled with disinfectants 6 11 WEST DRAYTON. Privies and cesspools cleansed 34 Ashes cleared 47 Drains cleansed 9 Rooms fumigated 6 Houses supplied with disinfectants 13 109 YIEWSLEY. Privies and cesspools cleansed 87 Drains cleansed 28 Ashes cleared 57 Rooms fumigated 12 Houses cleansed 11 Disinfectants supplied 31 171 16 SUMMARY. Cowley 110 Harefield 52 Hayes 127 Hillingdon E. and Yiewsley 354 Northolt 17 Ruislip 56 West Drayton 124 840