At the meeting of the Rushden Urban Council on Wednesday, Dr. Morris, Medical Officer, presented his yearly report :-

I have the honour of submitting to you my annual report upon the health of the Urban District of Rushden. The estimated population is 15,817. The majority of the inhabitants are engaged in the manufacturer of boots and shoes and processes incidental thereto. The growth of the town has been very rapid during the last twenty years, and consequently the greater portion is new. Some of the older portions, however, leave a great deal to be desired, and attention will have to be paid to the condition of the older houses running off the High-street to Rectory-road, and also in Duck-street.

There were registered during the year 284 births, or at the rate of 18.018 per 1000, as compared with 310 at the rate of 20.9 per 1000 last year.

The deaths from all causes numbered 129, or at the rate of 8.15 per 1000 of the population, as compared with 121, or at the rate of 7.9 per 1000 last year.

Only two midwives are on the Register.

of the infants under one year of age there were 31 deaths, or at the rate of 109.5 per 1000 registered births, six of which were premature, as compared with 35 deaths at the rate of 112.9 per 1000 last year.

The total number of Infectious Diseases notified during the year is 132 – 49 during the first quarter, 27 in the second, 34 in the third, and 22 in the last.

Small-pox. – No case has been notified.

Diphtheria and Membraneous Croup. – Fifty cases were notified, with nine deaths (two under five). During the Easter Holidays I recommended that the Infants’ School, Newton Road, should be thoroughly fumigated, and this was done under the supervision of the Sanitary Inspector.

Scarlet Fever. – Sixty-three cases were notified, twenty being under five years of age. All these cases seem to have been of an exceedingly mild character, as no deaths have been recorded. In connection with this outbreak I recommended that the women’s department at one of the factories should be fumigated, and this was done.

Enteric Fever. – One case was notified, with one death.

Puerperal Fever. – No cases were notified.

Erysipelas. – Eighteen cases were notified, with one death.

Whooping Cough. – No deaths were notified.

Diarrhoea and Enteritis. – Five deaths, all under one year of age.

Measles. – No deaths have been recorded.

Bronchitis and Pneumonia – Twenty-six deaths have occurred, seven under one year and nineteen over.

Phthisis – Eleven deaths have been recorded, all between fifteen and sixty-five years of age.

Other Tubercular Diseases – Six deaths have been recorded.

Influenza – No deaths have occurred.

Heart Disease – Sixteen deaths have occurred, one between five and fifteen, one between fifteen and twenty-five, eleven between twenty-five and sixty-five, and three over sixty-five years of age.

Cancer and Malignant Disease – Six deaths have occurred, five between twenty-five and sixty-five and one over sixty-five years.

Accidents have been the cause of two deaths.

It is satisfactory to note that the death-rate remains very low, amounting to only 8.15 per 1000, the average for the whole of England and Wales being 15. This shows that the sanitary condition of the town has been well looked after.

Infantile Morality is slightly lower, being 109.5 per 1000, as compared with 112.9 per 1000 last year.

Three voluntary notifications of Consumption have been received from Medical Practitioners and three under the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, 1908, for the notification of poor persons suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis. All the houses in which deaths have occurred and which have been brought to the notice of the Department have been fumigated with the consent of the owners. Other cases have been visited from time to time, simple directions given, and fumigation carried out.

I have analysed two samples of well water during the year. No exception could be taken to the use of these for drinking purposes, although, with the plentiful supply of excellent water available, it would be better for all the remaining private supplies from wells to be abolished.

Sewage and drainage is under constant supervision and shows a marked improvement. The great majority of pail closets have been abolished, and, with the necessary addition of a large number of water closets, great pressure has been brought to bear upon the limited capacities at the sewage farm and a new sewage purification scheme is under consideration.

Two houses in Duck-street have been pulled down and four have been put into a state of repair. Two houses in Beaconsfield-place have been closed as unfit for human habitation.

All the milch cows at the farms in the district are regularly inspected by the Veterinary Surgeon. All the dairies, cowsheds, and milkshops are also regularly inspected.

All the slaughterhouses are regularly inspected and the meat examined at the time of slaughtering. Before closing my remarks I cannot refrain from speaking of the exceedingly able manner in which your Inspector (Mr. W. G. F. Kingston) has carried out the very heavy duties of his office and thank him for the assistance he has so courteously rendered in carrying out our united duties.

At the meeting of the Rushden Urban Council on Wednesday the Sanitary Inspector (Mr. W. G. F. Kingston) presented his annual report as follows :-

I have the honour of submitting for your consideration my report of the sanitary condition of the Urban District of Rushden, and of the work executed under the provisions of the Public Health Act, 1875, and other Acts, for the year ending 31st December, 1909.

The most important piece of legislation in connection with the Public Health work passed during the year under review was the Housing and Town Planning Act. The L.G.B. in a Memorandum addressed to the Councils of Boroughs and other Urban Districts particularly draws attention to the provisions of Sections 14 and 15 which imply a contract between landlord and tenant of all houses where the rent does not exceed £16 for the former to keep the houses during the tenancy in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation. The Council are given powers of entry for the purpose of viewing the state and condition of any house to which these sections apply, and the Board lay particular emphasis on the desirability of the provisions of the Sections being carefully carried out.

House to house inspections have been made in the “Rock” district and Higham-road, and other parts of the town. No friction has so far been caused in connection with this part of the work. 550 houses were inspected and a considerable number of nuisances arising from structural defects, as well as from carelessness on the part of the occupiers, were discovered and dealt with.

Two houses in Beaconsfield-place have been closed as unfit for habitation, and two houses in Duck-street have been demolished. One notice was served under Part 1., Section 32, of this Act, referring to Nos. 1 to 17, Sussex-place, and the houses have been closed with the object of putting them into habitable condition. Six of the houses have since been renovated and our now fit for habitation.

Preliminary Notices, numbering 412, were served, and 108 letters were written to owners and agents re nuisances. In most of these cases the complaints were rectified, but in 25 cases, acting on your instructions, statutory notices were issued. In one case proceedings were instituted against a dealer for keeping pigs within a distance of 80feet from a house in contravention of the Nuisance Bye-laws. The case was proved, but the action was dismissed, having regard to the extenuating circumstances under which the offence was committed.

House drainage has received careful attention. The smoke test has been applied to old drains on 34 occasions with the result that in some cases very serious defects were discovered and made good. The drainage of 45 houses has been taken up and re-laid. 61 water-closets have been connected to the sewer. All the factories in the town have now adopted the water carriage system for the disposal of excremental matter, the last two having been converted this year. It was found that the drainage of one factory was still connected to the storm-water drains and this has now been cut off and connected to the foul sewer.

Attention has to be drawn to many of the closet conveniences in the cottage property. They for the most part consist of a pan and trap. These are “boxed in,” that is to say encased with a wooden covering or box, with the result that the box becomes in time a receptacle for all kinds of foul matters, and a source of very serious nuisances. It is impossible for the most cleanly housewife to wash under and round the seat of the convenience. Access should be obtainable in order that no foul matters are allowed to accumulate.

The water supply is excellent in quality and abundant in quantity in the district. Two samples of water from surface wells have been submitted for analysis but in each case the water was found to be wholesome. There are only a few surface wells used for drinking purposes at the present time, but in view of the serious risk of surface pollution owing to their unsatisfactory construction it would be more conducive to public health if nothing but Town water was used.

I am indebted to the Surveyor to the Water Board for the following particulars. The average daily consumption of water was 9.43 gallons per head of the population. This is an exceedingly low average, taking into consideration the quantity used in manufacturing processes, and is probably due to the fact that so few of the houses are fitted with baths.

All the houses in the town, with the exception of a few isolated houses, are now connected to the sewers and town water laid on.

Thirteen new supplies from the water mains to houses, etc., and 33 extensions of services to supply w.c.’s in houses, factories, etc., have been completed during the year.

The rainfall for the year in Rushden has been 21.37 inches.

During the year 1,761 loads of house refuse have been removed, giving an average of about 34 loads per week as compared with 1,457 loads at an average of 28 loads per week last year.

The work of refuse removal would be greatly facilitated if occupiers would burn all the refuse possible. It would be a perfectly simple matter to burn the greater proportion of the kitchen refuse, such as animal and vegetable waste matter, old papers, etc., instead of placing it in the refuse receptacles. This simple sanitary precaution would not only facilitate the work of refuse removal but would do much to reduce the numbers of those notorious food contaminators, the house fly, which are so prevalent at certain seasons of the year. Another point which calls for remark in this connection is the habit of throwing away partly consumed coal and cinders. A large amount of the refuse carted away could be profitably consumed by the house-holders. The work of providing the houses with suitable receptacles is progressing in a satisfactory manner. During the year 470 houses have been supplied with galvanised sanitary dustbins with covers in lieu of cardboard boxes, tin pails, wooden boxes, and other undesirable receptacles.

The refuse is carted to a tip on the boundary of the District. The present site is anything but satisfactory and it is hoped when the contract comes up for renewal, this matter will be taken into consideration, and other arrangements made. The existing heap should be removed and utilized on the land at the earliest possible time.

A considerable amount of work has been accomplished in this connection, but much remains to be done. 35 yards and approaches have been paved or repaired during the year. Some of the passages at the rear of rows of houses are at present in a most unsatisfactory condition and the work of getting these made up should be taken in hand at once.

A total of 132 cases of infectious disease have been notified during the year. These have all been kept under observation and disinfectants supplied to infected houses. Attention should be drawn to the want of care on the part of parents and guardians who, not seeming to realize the danger of imparting infection, allow children to run out before the house has been fumigated and declared free by this department. In one case which came under my notice a child who had been suffering from scarlet fever was taken on a journey by train two days before the house was fumigated. Difficulty is also experienced in preventing children from infected houses attending Sunday school and also, although debarred from attending day school, from lingering round the school gates and mixing with other children who attend the schools. Much good might be done if teachers in the day schools would impress upon the children the danger of carrying infection by mixing with others.

Ninety-one houses and rooms have been fumigated after convalescence. During the Easter holidays, acting on the advice of the Medical Officer of Health, I fumigated Newton-road Infants Schools, and also in February I fumigated the women’s department in one of the boot and shoe factories.

Three voluntary notifications of consumption have been received from medical practitioners, and three under the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations 1908. Nine houses and rooms have been fumigated from which patients have been removed.

The Small-pox Isolation Hospital has been regularly inspected and a number of repairs have been carried out. It was noticed in the early part of the year that the hospital was becoming overrun with rats from the adjacent refuse heap, and steps have been taken to remedy and prevent a recurrence of this evil.

There are eight slaughterhouses on the register, of which three only are subject to annual licence. Some of the older premises are of a very poor description structurally, but all are kept in very good condition as regards cleanliness. Visits are made while slaughtering is in progress and the meat is carefully inspected. The quality of the meat slaughtered and sold in this district is maintained at a very high standard. 419 visits have been made to slaughterhouses and 473 visits to butchers’ shops, fishmongers, fruiterers, etc. The total amount of meat voluntarily surrendered, seized, or destroyed was 2 cwts. 71 lbs. In addition to that, 45 lbs. of unsound plums were seized and destroyed under a magistrate’s warrant.

During the year the premises coming under these Acts have been periodically inspected.

One notice was received from one of H.M. Inspectors of Factories calling attention to insufficient and unsuitable water closet accommodation at one of our factories. This has been remedied by the re-adjustment of the existing accommodation. In two factories the conservancy system of refuse disposal has been replaced by the adoption of the water carriage system. All the factories in the town are now on this system. In two factories proper precautions had not been taken to screen off the w.c.’s for the use of the women workers from those allocated to the men or from the workrooms, and one factory had no closet for the use of the female workers. These matters have been brought to the notice of the employers concerned and remedied.

Fifty-eight lists of out-workers have been received relating to 880 out-workers. These figures include one list relating to one out-worker received from another local authority. Forty lists relating to 148 out-workers have been forwarded to other local authorities.

The work at which the out workers were engaged was principally connected with boot and shoe making and processes incidental thereto.

There are 18 bakehouses on the register and these are regularly visited. It has been necessary on several occasions to draw attention to the necessity for white-washing and this has received prompt attention.

There are 48 names on the register carrying on the trade of cowkeepers, dairymen or purveyors of milk, 30 being cowkeepers and dairymen and 15 purveyors of milk, six of the latter residing out of the district. One cowkeeper and two purveyors of milk have been added to the register during the year.

The cowsheds are for the most part in good condition, and a marked improvement has taken place in the condition of the cow-yards. Much still remains to be done in this connection. Another matter which calls for attention is the habit of wet milking, i.e., continually dipping the hand into the milk pail during the milking operation. This is a most objectionable practice from every point of view and should be discontinued. Greater attention should be given to the provision of sub-section 5 of Section 17 of the Regulations, relating to the cleanliness of the udders and teats of the animals and of the hands of the person milking.

Two cowsheds have been both redrained and re-floored. Two new cowsheds have been erected.

The cows are examined quarterly by Mr. J. Bainbridge, M.R.C.V.S. It will be seen by examining the figures for the three years that a marked improvement has taken place in the state of the health of the milch cows of the district.

One knacker’s business is carried on in the district under an annual licence. The situation of these premises is excellent, being right on the out-skirts of the district.

One offensive trade is carried on in the district, that of blood and bone boiler, in conjunction with the knacker’s yard. In August of this year a tallow melting business was commenced in Washbrook-road without the consent of the Council. On this matter being brought to the notice of the Council a notice was served on the proprietors calling upon them to discontinue the business and warning them of the necessity of making application to the Council for permission prior to commencing an offensive trade and of the penalty involved in not making that application.

The drainage, sanitary appliances, and fittings at all the schools have been periodically examined. The attention of the School Managers has been from time to time drawn to the unsatisfactory sanitary accommodation at the Alfred Street Schools and also at the National Schools, and a scheme is under consideration for improvement in both cases.

Six licences have been issued for the sale of petroleum and eight for carbide of calcium. The stores are kept in conformity with the Regulations in force in this district and are periodically inspected.

In conclusion I should like to express my thanks for the support I have received from my Committee and the Council, and also for the kindness and courtesy I have received from my brother officers.