Medical Officer’s Report For Rushden

One of the most striking points touched upon in the annual report of Dr. Owen, medical officer of health for the urban district of Rushden, is the fact that during 1897 the death rate was considerably higher than in 1896. The rate was abnormally low in 1896 – only eight per 1,000 of the population – whereas it has now reached a trifle over fifteen per 1,000. Even with those figures, however, Rushden compares very favourably indeed with other towns. Dr. Owen states that the deaths in 1897 numbered 164, of which 59 were infants under one year old, 62 children between one and five years of age, nine young persons between five and fifteen years old, eight between fifteen and twenty-five years of age, 29 from 25 to 65 years old, and 33 who were 65 years and upwards. We gather that five of the deaths resulted from typhoid fever, six from diarrhoea, 17 from consumption, 29 from pneumonia and bronchitis, ten from whooping cough, two from scarlet fever, three from diphtheria, eleven from heart disease, three accidental deaths, two suicides, and 77 from all other diseases. The inhabited houses in Rushden number 2,190, and, allowing the usual proportion of five persons for each house, the average population would be 10.950. This brings the death-rate to 15·4 per 1,000. Births numbered 393, of these 198 being boys and 158 girls. The birth-rate is thus 38·8 per 1,000.

Dealing with the causes of mortality, Dr. Owen points out that there were 20 deaths from zymotic diseases, including the five from typhoid fever, two from scarlet fever, three from diphtheria, and ten from whooping-cough. It is worthy of note that Dr. Owen regards whooping-cough as being of a more serious character than is generally considered. It is very contagious, he says, and yet hardly any precautions are taken to isolate or disinfect. Having pointed out that the increased death-rate of the present year hag been caused by the presence of zymotic disease, the medical officer shows that there have also been more deaths from bronchitis and pneumonia and that there has been a marked increase in the demise of persons over 65 years of age, the number of old people taken off being 33 against ten last year. Consumption has secured about the same number of victims as in 1896.

Scarlet fever, the doctor reports, appeared in March and reached an epidemic stage in October and November. As most of the cases occurred in families where children had been attending school, he suggested the advisability of having the floors, desks, and forms washed frequently with disinfectants, urged that the schoolrooms should be well aired by having all windows left open while the children were absent, and pointed out that, in the presence of an epidemic, condensed air would be liable to spread disease. The Council approved of his suggestions and directed that they should be forwarded to the schools and after they had been carried into effect the fever soon abated. Last June there were three cases of diphtheria resulting from sewer gas. In one instance the sink drain was in direct communication with that of the sewer, and in the other case the children had been playing in the yard while the drain, which was out of order, was being repaired. At this period the man holes of the main sewers were very offensive, and he thereupon advised systematic flushing. At the present time a flushing van is in use.

Describing the introduction of typhoid fever into Rushden, the doctor says that in July there was a case in West-street, a child returning from Little Addington with the fever. The patient had been visiting Addington for several weeks. The well water she had been drinking at Rushden was condemned as being unfit for use some months previously. Three fresh cases occurred in August in the same house; about the same time a boy named Dix, living in Washbrook road, who had been at work near West-street, also had the fever. A boy named Gilbert, of Melbourne-terrace, Victoria-road (near West-street), another patient, had been drinking the well-water that supplied Melbourne-terrace. At the time Dr. Owen tested this water he failed any organic matter, but surface water is liable to become contaminated at any moment. In October there were four fresh cases of typhoid-one in West-street, the second in Washbrook road, the third in Melbourne-terrace, and the fourth in Delve Close. The doctor had condemned the water in Delve Close some time back and had a notice to that effect on the pump. The patient suffering in Delve Close had previously been doing washing for the typhoid cases in West-street, where she doubtless contracted the fever. In November there were four fresh cases – three of them in South-terrace and one in Washbrook-road.

The fresh cases in South-terrace were doubtless from drinking the water which had been condemned as decidedly bad. The medical officer had brought the insanitary condition of this place before the notice of the Council a few months prior to the outbreak and pointed out that there were a number of piggeries in dangerous proximity to the well. In December there were ten fresh cases all located in Melbourne-terrace, Victoria-road. The water, which the doctor tasted and which was bad, had been supplying the whole terrace, and these cases clearly show the danger of drinking surface well water. Another patient, a boy named Clark, of Moor-road, had been drinking the water that supplied Mellbourn-terrace. The fever now seems to have ended, but Dr. Owen adds the suggestive note that if the persons who suffered from the fever had availed themselves of the town water most of the cases would not have occurred.

At the request of the Local Government Board, whose letter appeared in the columns of the Echo a few weeks back, Dr. Owen appends a special report on the water supply, in the course of which he says:- “The present water supply is from surface wells (28 feet in sand) situated in the parish of Wymington. They were sunk by the Local Board in 1893. The quantity then was at the rate of 100,000 gallons in ten hours’ pumping. This has since decreased, and at the present time it is only 50,000 gallons in 24 hours’ pumping. A fresh well was sunk near the above well in the Northants sand last year, producing at the beginning 15,000 gallons of water in 24 hours’ pumping. This, however, is rapidly decreasing, and necessitates the Council seeking another source. Tenders have been accepted and the Council are now about boring and probably will have to go through the lias clay about 250 feet, where it is hoped an abundant supply will be found. That the boring scheme should be proceeded with at once is evident to all. This should be done to prevent serious results that are likely to follow from insufficient water. Most of the houses now use town water, both for domestic purposes and as a direct supply to the water closets. In the latter case a diminished quantity would be a very serious matter, as the sewers would not be properly flushed. We have now only about eight gallons per head, whereas 16 gallons per head ought to be the minimum, and about 25 gallons is necessary as a general supply. The present wells are so circumstanced that they run no risk of contamination, the village of Wymington being about half-a-mile distant. At the same time it behoves the Council to prohibit Wymington parish from emptying any organic matter into their brook, as in that case it might prove dangerous to the wells.” The doctor proceeds to state that he examined 17 samples of well water, eight of which were bad, and notices to that effect were placed upon the pumps.

In concluding his interesting and exhaustive report, Dr. Owen eulogises that faithful services of Mr. Martin, the sanitary inspector, who during the year has repaired 72 drains, fumigated about 100 rooms, supplied disinfectants in about 90 cases of fever, destroyed the bedding from six houses, removed twelve pigstys, and attended to other sanitary work. In addition to the Urban Council and the County Council, a copy of the report will be presented to the Local Government Board.

Medical Officer’s Report For Rushden
Epidemic of Measles - Proposed Closing of Schools

Dr. Owen presented the following report at a meeting of the Rushden Urban Council on Wednesday:-

“There are three fresh cases of scarlet fever to report, two in a house on the Newton-road, the third in the next house, the latter case probably occurring from the children playing together at the back. As infectious diseases are constantly arising with which it is necessary to deal at an early stage, I advise the putting in force of the Notification Act. Were the Act in force it would be compulsory for parents to notify any case to the medical officer and when necessary instructions would be given and precautionary measures taken. I have twice previously urged the advisability of your adopting the Act.”

Having given the opinion of the County Medical Officer on the question, Dr. Owen proceeded:-

“There are several cases of measles to report and as this has all the appearance of

Becoming an Epidemic

I advise the closing of all the schools. I should also recommend the same measures being taken as in the last scarlet fever epidemic – that the floors, desks, and forms be frequently washed with disinfectants; also that the school-rooms should be well-aired by having all the windows left open. I examined three samples of drinking water and found them good.”

The Chairman (Mr. J. Claridge) thought the children would be better in school than playing about the streets.

Mr. Spencer agreed with the medical officer that the children were more likely to catch measles in the schools.

Dr. Owen said that most of the cases were at the Alfred-street and Moor-road schools.

Mr. Denton : Are there 100 cases?

Dr. Owen : It is no use closing the schools when there are 100 cases. You want to prevent them.

The Chairman : Unless the measles are very bad it would be

A Pity to Close

the schools before the holidays, which come in a fortnight’s time.

Mr. Denton : If the schools are closed by order of the Sanitary Authority, the school managers would not suffer, the grants being paid under certain conditions.

The Sanitary Inspector (Mr. Martin) said that when one child in a family suffered from measles the rest of the family stayed away from school. There were 150 children absent from the Alfred-street schools consequent on the measles though the children were not all suffering from it themselves.

It was decided to bring the matter before the school managers to see if they could not arrange the holidays a week or so earlier.

Some discussion took place with regard to the adoption of the Notification of Diseases Act.

Dr. Owen advocated its adoption on the ground that it would help to

Prevent the Spread

of infectious diseases. Without compulsory notification, prompt action was impossible.

Mr. Wilkins said he was sure that many of the Councils which had adopted the Act would like to get away from it if they could.

Eventually the Chairman ruled the discussion out of order as the Council had already decided not to adopt the Act.

On the motion of Mr. Skinner, seconded by Mr. Miller, Dr. Owen was re-appointed medical officer and it was stated that he would in future keep in a book a record of all infectious cases.

This, the chairman thought, would meet the case instead of adopting the Act.