UXBRIDGE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. Annual medical Report FOR THE YEAR 1917. BY W. Townsend Dobson, M.R.C.S.(Eng.) L.R.C.P.(Lond.) ACTING MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Lucy *Birch, Printers, Uxbridge*. Annual Report - 1917 To the Chairman and Members of the Uxbridge Urban District Council. Gentlemen, Owing to the death in December last of Dr. F. E. Walker, who was acting as deputy to Dr. J. L. Lock, the compilation of this the report on the Public Health of the Urban District of Uxbridge, has been, you will understand, a difficult matter. In January, 1918, I came to Uxbridge and was appointed by you to act as your Medical Officer of Health until the return of Dr. I.ock. I have carefully gone through the details and statistics which have been kept by Mr. Paige, and I herewith lay before you the Annual Report for the year ended December 31st, 1917. According to the instructions contained in a Circular issued by the Local Government Board dated January 19th, 1917, I have curtailed this report to a certain extent, but I feel that nothing really essential has been omitted. POPULATION. Census 1901. Census 1911. Middle of 1917 Estimated. Uxbridge 3063 3291 3330 Hillingdon West 5522 7083 7370 8585 10374 10700 4 BIRTHS. The number of births registered in the District during 1917 was 185, of these 94 were male and 91 female. There were 10 illegitimate births. The rate per 1000 of the population is 18.7. In 1916 the total of births was 210 and the rate 19.1. DEATHS. The figures given refer to civilians only. The net total of deaths at all ages belonging to the District was 157, giving a rate of 14 6 per 1000. The figures of 1916 shewed the rate as 14.2 and the total deaths 144. The deaths from tuberculosis show a decrease from 23 in 1915, 12 in 1916 and 10 in 1917. Here, too much stress cannot be placed upon the necessity for the total elimination of insanitary dwellings and the education of the people as to the benefits derived from fresh pure air and uncontaminated food, especially milk. The deaths from cancer number 19 as compared with 22 in 1916. No cases of Cerebro-spinal (spotted) fever occurred. The Infantile death rate (deaths under 1 year) shows that 15 cases occurred in 1917 compared with 14 in 1916 and 22 in 1915. The Zymotic death rate shows that 8 deaths occurred from Diphtheria, 3 from Measles, 1 from Whooping Cough and 1 from Puerperal Septicœmia. 5 NOTIFIABLE INFECTIOUS DISEASE. The total number of cases of Notifiable Infectious Disease in 1917 was 283 of which 184 were measles or German measles; the remainder, 99, shows an increase on the 57 for 1916 but a deorease on the 174 eases in 1915. The 39 cases of Diphtheria does not compare favourable with the 17 of 1916. An increase is also shown in the number of Scarlet Fever cases, being 39 against 6 in 1916. 10 cases of Tuberculosis occurred as against 12 in 1916. MATERNITY AND INFANT WELFARE. Miss Massie has made excellent progress and has done very good work. The Baby Welcome Institution, under a Visiting Lady Doctor Consultant, Or. Grace Banham, has shown good results. FACTORY AND WORKSHOPS ACTS. 4 Contraventions with regard to Bakehouses were discovered and remedied. SALE OF FOODS AND DRUGS ACTS. Allowing for War Conditions, the storage and exposure for Sale of Foods has been fairly satisfactory. One whole carcase of a sheep and one crate of herrings were condemned and destroyed. No Contraventions of the Slaughter-house Bye-laws were discovered. RAG AND BONE STORES. 3 Contraventions of the Bye-laws were discovered and remedied. SANITATION. 344 nuisances were discovered and abated. 147 Intimation notices and 11 Statutory notices were served. 6 The following is a list of the principal items of works which were included in the above figures:— New drainage systems provided 2 Drains cleaned and repaired 31 New sinks and lavatory basins provided 2 W.C's cleansed, repaired or renewed 97 Additional W.C. accommodation provided 3 New soil pipes and vents 3 Waste water preventors repaired or renewed 15 Rain water gutters and pipes 20 Defective sink wastes repaired 12 Houses requiring walls, ceilings, floors, etc. repaired 74 Premises limewashed 20 Verminous conditions 15 Yards paved 9 New inspection chambers, etc. 15 New dustbins provided 56 Damp conditions remedied. 21 Foul dung pits and manure heaps remedied 12 Overorowding remedied 2 DISINFECTION. 150 Rooms were disinfected and 89 Rooms stripped and cleansed. COMMON LODGING HOUSES. 2 Contraventions of the Bye-laws were discovered and rectified. WATER SUPPLY. This has throughout the year, been sufficient for the needs of the District. W. TOWNSEND DOBSON, M.R.C.S. (Eng.), L.R.C P. (London) Acting Medical Officer of Health. 7 TABLE I. CAUSES OF DEATH DURING THE YEAR 1917. Name of District—UXBRIDGE URBAN. Causes of Death (Civilians only). Males. Females. All Causes 96 81 1 Enteric fever — — 2 Small-pox — — 3 Measles 2 1 4 Scarlet fever — — 5 Whooping cough 1 — 6 Diphtheria and croup 6 2 7 Influenza 2 1 8 Erysipelas — — 9 Pulmonary tuberculosis 3 5 10 Tuberculous meningitis 1 — 11 Other tuberculous diseases 1 — 12 Cancer, malignant disease 8 11 13 Rheumatic fever 1 — 14 Meningitis — 1 15 Organic heart disease 9 11 16 Bronchitis — 2 17 Pneumonia (all forms) 7 5 18 Other respiratory diseases 1 — 19 Diarrhœa, Ac. (under 2 years) 1 — 20 Appendicitis and typhlitis — — 21 Cirrhosis of liver — 1 21a Alcoholism — — 22 Nephritis and Bright's disease — 11 23 Puerperal fever — 1 24 Parturition, apart from puerperal fever.. — — 25 Congenital debility, Ac. — — 26 Violence, apart from suicide 2 1 27 Suicide 1 — 28 Other defined diseases 28 26 29 Causes ill-defined or unknown 2 2 Deaths of infants under 1 year of age 9 7 Total Births 94 91 8 TABLE II. TABLE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE NOTIFIED DURING THE YEAR 1917. Name of District—UXBRIDGE URBAN. DISEASE. AT ALL AGES. Small Pox Cholera — Diphtheria 39 Erysipelas 1 Scarlet Fever 35 Typhus Fever — Enteric Fever — Relapsing Fever — Continued Fever — Puerperal Fever 1 Cerebro-spinal Fever (Spotted Fever) — Poliomyelitis — Ophthalmia Neonatorum 1 Tuberculosis 22 Measles 138 German Measles 46 Total 283 9 Uxbridge, October 23rd, 1918. Re Inspection of Dairy Stock and Cowsheds, Dairies, etc. Gentlemen, I beg to report that during the past year I have made the requisite inspection of the Cows, Sheds, and Dairies within the Uxbridge Urban District Area. The health of the Cows has been extremely good, and I have not met with a single instance of either Tuberculosis of the Udder or the generalized form of the disease. The Order that was in force previous to the war, having been suspended, no notification of eases has occurred, but they would (had they been in existence) . have been seen in the routine of practice. It will be noted that there are fewer Milch Cows in the sheds, and changes as regards Ownership of premises in one or two cases. The condition of the Cowsheds as regards ventilation, drainage, and general cleanliness has been fairly good. The same remark applies to the Dairies and washing up places. Any complaints it has beeu necessary to make have been found on a later inspection to have been remedied. No instances of Contagious disease have existed in any of the holdings excepting one or two outbreaks of Swine Fever, and no extension took place in either outbreak. They were, of course, taken in hand and dealt with by the Board of Agriculture. I remain, Your obedient servant, W. A. HANCOCK, M.R.C.V.S., Inspector. To the Chairman and Members of The Uxbridge Urban Council. 10 1918. List of Gowkeepers, Dairymen, Etc. Uxbridge Urban Area. Name. Address. HYDE, P. W. Moor Farm, Uxbridge Moor. BISHOP, F. Hillingdon House Farm. FASSNIDGE, S. Harefield Road. BARCLAY & WILSON Cowley Road. KELLY, J. Montague Road. JUDD, A. The Lynch. SHERWIN, G. High Street. COLLINS & BIGMORE Rockingham Road. SELWAY, R. Colne Farm. POOL, C. St. Andrew's. UXB 5