The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1881-02-08 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

THZ HRALTH OF TSB BOROUGH.  The Medical Officer of Health presented his annual report on the general health of the borough during the Past year. It was a most exhaustive report, and the following statement will contain the matters of general interest referred to : Berme inspected systematically. with and without your Inspector, the whole of the borough. Ind "pt m/sell Informed of the Millennia which might efect injurious') the public heath therein, 1 beg 0,, held you this, my annual report for the year 1881), respecting the origin and distribution of diseases. 1 em of opinion that one bad C 155 of typhoid fever In Fordington was due to drinking water from an old wet which is used for culinary purposes in the same neighbourhood; there wens two other mildeecesee which originated from inhaling horrible smells, emanating from • hasp of decomposing matter, proper precautions having been at once taken, the further Spread of the disease was prevented in this particular street, in which It might have destroyed many Uvee, being by far the most unhealthy and most densely crowded spot In your borough; one other cam was treated in the hospital, but no deaths from this dews have been re In the newly-built Orchard-strest there have been three {bathe from scarlatina, and his complications during July, brought on by settling out of doors too soon after recovering from the fever; fumigation, disinfection of the walls of the room, he, prevented the occurrence of any other cues, if we except one child under live years of age. The deaths due to diarrhea and Its complications were 10 in number, and were ell under one year of age; of the other children attacked, only one under fire years of age recovered. There were five cases of measles, which terminated fatally, the oldest being two yeah of age One fatal ease of whooping cough, ollowed by oonrubdcns, occurred on June 25,h, the subject being a little girl one year old. In the County Hospital one chill died of croup, after every means had been resorted to in order to save the life. Amongst the chief sanitary rasters that have been done may be mentioned the following ;—Fifteen pig-styes have been so altered as not to be injurious to health; Ave entirely removed, being too close to dwellinghouses ; 10 drains have been put in order; two have been trapped; three oases of over crowding have been abated— in one case I found, on measuring, only 247 cubic feet for each person, which is ilea than half the minimum allowed for soldiers; boiling up of refuse prevented; seuninintions of decaying animal and vegetable meter taken away attar 24 hone' notice, besides some 1,580 loads of refuse carted away by the scavenger; one slanghterhous% not tape a• it should be, greatly improved, ko. Total number of births, 243(108 males, 135 females) ; registered thee t Ist queer, 78(38 males); led, 68(08 melee); 3rd. 46(24 make) ; 4th, 61(21 males • 41 being born alive In the Holy Trinity parish, 14 boys ; Si. Peels, 16 boys ; 25 In All Saint's, 9 boys; 83 in Bast Foedington, 39 boys; 59 In West Fordingteni._3o boys; lashing 142 619 boys) Gil ln Fordingtou and 191 bore) In Dorchester; thus it lbe seen the births exceed the deaths by Mt giving • birthrate of 32.4 per 1,000; respecting the 141 deaths (84 males and Li 7 fema), 19 occurred in Hely Trinity. wish, 24 in Peter's, 14 All fient's, 47 in East Fordii. 24 in West Fo and LI Is the hospital; thorn in West Forth ode the five deaths in the R.H.A. Barracks, also the two who died in the new Infantry Depot—a young soldier of consumption, aged A and • male infant of five months (iliarrhoss and oourWlion2): and in St Peter's the inquest held on the body of a woman who died in EL IL Prison, in December, free chronic disease of liver; there was another inquest over the body of • young man in All Saint's parish, who cow niiitnd suicide by hanging himself to the balusters; both cams were the result or drink ; bronchitis caused 18 tenths ; heart Amass, 13 (in 7 of thee dropsy supervened, consumption, 12; old age, diarrboi I, each 9, he.; the population being at 1ea5t7,435 (census 1871.6,915) gives • death-rate of 181 per I,