KIRKLEATHAM – Committee Meeting, Local Board Medical Officer of Health Report

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 26/03/1887

Extracts from the annual report of the Medical Officer of Health, to the Kirkleatham Local Board, for the year ending 1886.  

          There were 53 deaths and 133 births, a death rate of 13.25, and a birth rate of 33.25 per 1,000 per annum. The death and birth rate for the previous year (1886) was 18 and (28.25) respectively; 12 of the deaths were under 1 year, 7 between the ages of 1 and 15, 17 between 15 and 60, and 17 upwards of 50 years. Of the 53 deaths, 5 of them did not belong to the district (and were due to injuries or drowning) deducting these 5 the death rate was only 12 per 1,000 per annum, which is most satisfactory. The only deaths from zymotic disease were one from diphtheria and one from a ling complication after measles, a zymotic death rate of 5 per 1,000 per annum. The cases of sickness during the year consisted of scarlet fever 7 cases, 3 of them in one house, the other 4 sporadic. Enteric or typhoid fever some times called one case only, due to the stoppage of drains for several weeks of which no notice was given. Measles there was an epidemic in Warrenby of upwards of 30 cases. One death occurred only in the Convalescent Home form Pneumonia.

           With regard to the sanitary condition of the district great improvements have been made. Warrenby continues to be well drained; owing to the means we now have of flushing the sewers by diverting the water of the beck into them from the fields, as suggested by Mr. Rutherford. Kitchen gardens now are substituted for stagnant pools of water.

          During the year seven cess pools have been converted into ventilating and flushing chambers combined. Two new ventilating and flushing chambers combined have been constructed; one Adam’s self acting siphon has been put in for sewer flushing, and a 4in, water main for salt water has been laid for watering the streets, and put on to the Adam’s siphon. Eight 9in earthen pipes have been taken from crow of sewers to road level, and finished with ventilating covers. Eleven 6in. cast iron pipe shafts have been taken up from the sewers, up to the gable ends of houses. The ventilators are at a distance of about 100 yards. About 30 of the ash pits in Dunsdale which were below street level have been raised.

          These have been inspected and do not fulfil the requirements; certain structural alterations will have to be made, to which the Surveyor is attending. No complaints were made about any unwholesome food during the year.