Bridgend & Neath Chronicle, and County of Glamorgan Advertiser. — 1892-06-17 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

OFFICER'S ANNUAL REPORT. E. V. Pegge, the medical officel,:s annual ~ePrt, was read, which wam as follows : ,2.eeltleraen,—l beg to 'report that during the year z t-o. .31st December, 1891, there were reaistered in a a 18 chstri_nt ‘.-).1.9 births, 118 being boys anXlOl girls, _s gcanst 82 boys and 99 girls in the previous year, 'ails showing an increase of 36 males and 2 females, • a net increase of 38, the birth-rate for the year d tug 36.5 per .1,000 of the previous year. The r,ea,ths in the same period number 129, 63 being kes and 66 females. The deaths of the previous searsearnumber 112, showing an increase of 17. The ath-rate per 1,000 of 'Life inhabitants was 21-5, as ir• inst 18-6 of the previous year. On analysing de4hs we find that 41 were infants under one *Yoseer °id, 27 were between the ages of 1 and 5 years, or more than half of the whole number of deaths wet the year being under five years old; five deaths e,ire between five and fifteen, six were between 15 640" 25 ; 26 between 96 and 60, and 74 were over littrears of age. The a..yza-age, age at. death was a evCr 23 year, this being a low average, which, 3,lowrill be shown, was due to the /cry high infantile .cou,t,alitY caused by the epidemic of whooping h,da, bronchitis and pneumonia during the second .4111 ~°f the year. 39 deaths were due to bronchitis 4hef Pneumonia. This epidemic occurred towards ye„ cod of the year, and proved very fatal among le"n4 children, 24 out of the 39 being under five °f age. Nine deaths were due to phthisis, and di6e,to heart disease. The deaths from zymotic f re4„Ses number 92, comprising six from scarlet and 16 from 'whooping cough the zymotic ut-rate being 3.4 per 1,000. Four deaths resulted oettn: hijuries, and were inquired into by the coroner. these, a suicide; occurred at the Lunatic e,,,,,,t413. A considerable number of cases of scarlet ` occurred during the beginning of the year, 3 tar 37 and February, six deaths resulting as before ca '• In July five other mild cases of scarlet fever 43,1,ti`e under ray notice, but there were no deaths. , etie case of typhoid fever came under my notice '44e district during the year, but was not fatal. NNe'sring the latter six months of the year influenza as verY prevalent throughout the district, the I t es heino• v s, ery numerous. No de. is were sizi -red as due to the cause, although it s mon, Probable that most of the fatal cases of bronislds:and pneumonia originated with an attack of ~-Isease. During the month of October a number l4;,ses in the lower parts of the towns were for ivas`'-LaYs flooded and rendered inhabitable. This the .ae to the heavy rain-falls at the same time as Prov4eighest tides. Precaution should be taken to fie 46 nt a recurrence of these floods, as in the hot .041f:is,h_pe-Yoxmight prove very disastrous. No case has occurred in the district, but as the rare,res ripe iu other parts of South Wales, it is b ,uty ettiq. to point out to the board the necessity of that° ready to deal promptly with any such case isolatTaY be imported, more especially as regards spr °ll, this being the best safeguard against th e Weeba.d of the disease. I should In tion here that Ivilers've no sanatorium or hospital in the district reee, e " case can be isolated. This matter should 're the attention of the board, and the means for atio ,4.80 • , an infectious disease should ha ready in of tv?' an emergency, as it will be too late to think esc things when we have the disease in our torii.u. Vaccination has been carried out satisfac-400 Ye The water supply has been plentiful and a,..,(1 throughout the year. The slaughter-houses co4raucihouses are kept clean and in a sanitary freji9n- The town on the whole has been very ',_troui. nuisances of all kinds. The scavenging ri7 b 0 nuisances fairly done, but at times there has been .rfreal or improvement. Several cases of choked ti' have been reported, and have received attenh' The cow-houses and dairies are kept in a t'antary condition. he supply of milk is good, no 11°,,e'431.aitits on this ground having reached me, and 4111:,4e88 can be traced to any defect in the milk. Lute houses in the district are occupied, and there .cotl. touch-felt want for more house room. No few •of 'ages have been built during the year. /No cases s•evtltcrowding have come under my notice. Conkli„elitig the low situation of some of our streets in a t;i''''wn, our system of drainage is good. There is 4,l",:e4tiful supply of flushing water, and credit is Ite:: to the surveyor for the care he has exercised in of „.Ping the sewers in working order. The conditien of 'ane of our pavements do not improve, and some . zwour roads should be kept in better ord. A' than th y all° at present. I have not been called upon to visit to Y vessel arriving in port during the year. I beg "eX 4,4„4 the usual table A and B. We have not 11,1)ted the Info Aious Diseases Notification Act. 4eY Other not convey as much information as they erlse might." Perry thought that samples of the water now th•jse 6hould be sent to the medical officer, so that s;', all-10 might be analyzed. . 1 board coincided with Mr Perry. vg.a, e list of defaulters was gone through, and it resolved that the usual course be adopted.