The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-07-23 00:00:00

RO A(LitY LOCAL BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of this Board, was
held in the Board Rom, Old Hill, on Monday last.
Mr. Barker presided and there were also present
Messis Green, Connop, Robertson, Bennett, Penn,
and Guest.

The minutes of last meeting were read and con-
firmed.

FINANCE CONIMITTEE.—The Committee reported
that the Surveyor's books were examined and
pa=sed, and it appeared that the wages spent on the
Highways account during tha past m•nith amounted.
to £llO ss. sd. and that he had a balance ot
a 17s. 4d It also reported that he required to
defray the current mouth's expenses on the same
account for wages the sum of £l2O.
INSPECTOR% REPORT. This reportl was read
from wiiich it app-ared that the wages spent on the
nightsoil account during the past month amounted
to £l7 17s. 6d. and that he had a balance of
.£8 178. 11d, in hand. He also reported that he
required to defray the cm rent month's expenses
for wages, the sum of £l7 Os. Od. It further
reported that the cash collected for ashpits amoun-
ted to ..£5 10s. 6d. and that during the past month
69 ashpits attached t-) 73 closets, had been emptied
at a list of 7s. sd. per ashpit. Accounts amounting
ta £237 Is. Od. were examined and recommended
tor payment.

The-report was adopted.
THE MEDICAL OFFICERS REPORT.-Mr. J B easley
medical officer ifor the upper district, said that
he had great pleasure in reporting to you a very
low death return for the past month, viz :-29,
on an annual average of 13-9 per 1.000, and with
the exception of January (10.2) is the lowest they
had had this year, and strange to sty the numbers
for this month, and the corresponding period of
last year, were exqctly Vie same. Five deaths
had ovurred from zyuaotic disease, viz : —Three
from whooping cough and two from diarrhcea.
The other chief causes of death are as follows :
Marasmus, 4 ; oebility from birth, 4 ; convulsions,
3 ; phltusis, 2 ; pneumonia, 2; and bronchitis, 1.
Twenty deaths occurred under five years of age—
fifteen of them being under one year, and six of the
fifteen under one month.—Mr. 14'. S. Goulder,
assistant medical efficer, reported that in the lower
district, in the last four weeks 16 deaths have
taken place in the district from all causes so that
he was able to repott a cc,mparitively low average
of mortality; also an almost entire immunity from
any zymotic disease, there having been only two
deaths from that class of disease, both being due
to whooping cough. The weekly average this
month is 3'7, compared with 4'2, and 4, the two
previous months; the mean annual rate per 1,000
being 13. The death-rate among children still
in tintains rather a high average, 10 were regestered
' under 5 years of age, Bof which were under the
year. The chief causes were convulsions, whooping
cough, dentitism and manumit's. Convulsions
destroyed 3 children soon after birth. The two
cases of whooping cough were in young children.
That disease is frequently fatal when the vety
young are affected with it. Consumptions of the
lungs proved fatal in two cases of adults. Old age,
apoplexy and Hernia are certified as the cau,e in
three instances. He may fairly say the health of
the district, just at the present time is very good.
Independently of the evidence this report offers,
from inquiries he had made, he believed the
medical men of the neighbourhood have not had so
little to do for some time past. The death-rate
was really not amongst the grown up population,
but amongst the children.
Mr. S. Cave appeared before the Board and said
he was anxious to see the minute book. He had
made several applications the last week or two en
put pose to see the minutes of the last meeting but
he had been unsuccessful. He came again that day
about twelve o'clock and made application, as he
was entitled to see them, and he was told by the
deputy clerk that he could not see them till Mr.
Wrigiat came. He waited till Mr. Wright came
and could not see them then. He aske I hitn the
rta,son and be said they were not confirms 1 and
consequenrly he c -add not see them. He felt
griored at that, and contended that he was en-
titled to see them before they were confirmed, lie
wanted to know whether he had always to go fol. a
month before he could see the minutes.

Mr, A. Wright (clerk) informed him that they
were not minutes until they were confirmed. He
charged Mr. Cave 3d for a copy ot the minutes
when he did pay, but he owed him for a number of
copies, and he did not mean to let him have any
more c,pies until he paid before hand. Mr. Cave
was entitled to see the minutes as soon as they
were confirmed by paying for it.