On this day in Yorkshire

February 4, 1875

Dr Britton, medical officer of health for the combined rural and urban sanitary authorities of the Halifax Union, has just issued his first annual report. The district consists of one rural and 16 urban sanitary authorities, covering together an area 40,819 acres, and containing a population in 1871 of 79,944.

They are situated in the valley the Calder, and on the hills on its northern and southern banks, the borough of Halifax forming a convenient centre. With the exception of some portions of Queensbury and Shelf, the natural drainage of the whole district is into the river Calder.

Brighouse, Elland, Rastrick, Sowerby Bridge, and Sowerby have regular systems of drainage into the Calder; but the remainder of the districts have none.

Dr Britton says he has traced several cases of typhoid fever from the top to the bottom of a hill by following the course of a stream of water, which in some has been used as many as five times over for carrying away all the sewage from as many blocks of houses before being used by the inhabitants of the houses situated at the bottom of the hill. In some places drainage is run into old quarries, which is very dangerous, as it often contaminates the water supply of a district.

The local board is contemplating a system of drainage which will make that beautiful suburb of Halifax a most desirable place to reside in.

Brighouse, Elland, Hipperholme, Rastrick, and Sowerby Bridge derive their water supply mainly from Halifax. The supply is good, being soft, pure, clear, and almost unlimited. Dr Britton recommends all local boards to endeavour to obtain a plentiful supply of water from the Halifax Corporation.

Luddendenfoot, Elland, and Shelf have the lowest death rates. Dr Britton has been much struck with the very small number of illegitimate births in the district, which is in marked contrast to the agricultural districts. Out the total 2,948 births, only 74 are returned as illegitimate.

There have been 23 cases of smallpox in the district; 12 of these were removed to the hospital, and in no single case did infection follow. In the 11 cases treated at home, infection followed six, and would have spread further had not isolation been adopted.

Arrangements are in progress to have the Halifax Borough Hospital recognised by the Local Government Board as the hospital for infectious diseases for the various local board districts, which will enable them put to into operation the compulsory clauses of the Sanitary Amendment Act of last session.

Queensbury, Soyland, and Sowerby Bridge have suffered severely from scarlatina, the deaths in the former from this cause being 20, in Soyland 19, and in Sowerby Bridge 38.

During the autumn, measles were almost universal throughout the district; but Brighouse and Rastrick suffered most.

Considering, however, the large number of people attacked, the deaths from measles were not very numerous, being 43. Diarrhoea has been principally prevalent amongst young children, and due mainly to the improper feeding of infants, by giving them food which their delicate stomachs could not bear.

There were nine deaths from typhoid fever, being mostly isolated cases. At Queensbury in August last there was an epidemic of a mild form of typhoid fever, caused by the impure water of a well being used for dairy purposes.

The number of cases was 36, living in 23 houses, 21 of which houses were supplied with milk from the same source.

The sanitary condition of the district is generally good, considerable attention having lately been paid to by the authorities. The report concludes by recommending the adoption of covered ashpits, an effectual system of removal of ashes and nightsoil, the adoption of the Lodging-house Act, and the provision o! public slaughterhouses.

From a tabulated statement it appears that the number of deaths from zymotic diseases was 65, constitutional 34, local 102, developmental 49, violence 4, and one not specified.