ISLE OF WIGHT RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH INCLUDING THE REPORT OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTORS FOR THE YEAR 1965 ■ '-*■ ISLE OF WIGHT RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL THE ANNUAL REPORT of THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH including the Report of THE PU5J.I0 HEALTH INSPECTORS FOR THE YEAR 1965 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Wellcome Library https://archive.org/details/b29499380 ANNUAL RE PONT on the HEALTH OF THE RURAL SANITARY DISTRICT of the ISLE OF WIGHT County Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight. Tel: Newport 2261. To the Members of the Isle of Wight Rural District Council i'ir. chairman, Miss Brimacombe and Gentlemen, I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the health of the District for the year 1965. The Birth Rate rose from 13.O to 14.1. The Stillbirth Rate fell from 16.3 to 11.2. The Death Rate fluctuated slightly from 14.8 to 14.9. The Infantile Mortality Rate fell from 12.A to 11.3. Deaths from all forms of cancer totalled 6l. (1963 - 54, 1964 - 55) Deaths from cancer of the lung rose from 11 to l8 cases. Coronary artery disease accounted for 59 deaths, a decrease of 6 cases on 1964. 1I0 deaths occurred from pulmonary tuberculosis, but one patient suffering from the disease died from another cause. No cases of diphtheria or poliomyelitis were notified. During the year two children died from measles with chest complications. Measles vaccination has proved successful in America and Australia; pilot schemes are under way in certain parts of England but so far the "all clear" has not yet been given for all local health authorities to act. Brucella Abortus was found in six samples of milk. The position in respect of brucellosis will not improve to any marked extent in raw milk until a reserve of brucella-free animals has been built up for the replacement of infected herds. This is going forward but will take about five years to complete. J There is much doubt and difficulty in determining the amount of ill health due to the drinking of brucella infected milk or close contact with infected animals. It would be a step forward if brucella infection in humans was made notifiable. In the meantime for maximum safety all milk should be pasteurised. Water Supplies The v/ater supplies in the Rural District have been satisfactory in quality and quantity. The results of bacteriological examination of water supplies were :~ Suspicious 80 6 4 It is probable that at least some of the unsatisfactory samples were occasioned by sampling errors since in all cases check samples taken a few days later were satisfactory. The water is not liable to be plumbo-solvent and no contamination occurred. There are a few properties in the District, possibly about twenty, which have not a main water supply. Removal of Persons in Need of Care and Attention It was not necessary to invoke the powers contained in Section 4-7 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, during the year. Acknowledgements It is a pleasure to again thank the Chairman and Members of the Public Health and Housing Committees, the Public Health Inspectors and all members of the Public Health Department for their continued help and co-operation during the year. I am, Mr. Chairman, Miss Brimacombe and Gentlemen Your obedient servant JOHN MILLS Medical Officer of Health. J PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICERS, 1965 MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH :~ John Mills, M.D.,Ch.B.,M.R.C.S.(Eng.),L.R.C.P.(Lond.),D.P.H. PUBLIC HEALTH INSPECTORS C•V. Smith, M.R.S.H.,M.A.R.D.C.S. (West Wight) L.J. Lewis, A.R.S.H.,M.P.H.I.A. (East Wight) CLERK :- Miss R. Harding TEMPORARY TECHNICAL ASSISTANT G. Woodcock (commenced l8.lO.65) GENERAL STATISTICS Population (Registrar General's figures) Area (in acres) ' ••• • • • Number of habitable dwellings end of 1965 Rateable Value, as at 1st April, 1965 Sum represented by a penny rate (1964/65) EXTRACTS FROM VITAL STATISTICS OF THE YEAR Live birth rate per 1,000 of the estimated resident population Comparative factor ... Comparative Birth Rate ... Stilloirtn Rate per 1,000 total (live and stillbirths) ... Crude Death Rate per 1,000 of the estimated resident population Comparative factor Comparative Death Rate %. -**.*- • Maternal Mortality Rate per 1,000 (live and stillbirths) Death rate of infants under one year of age •- All infants per 1,000 live births Legitimate infants per 1,000 live births ! .* *. Illegitimate infants per 1,000 illegitimate live births Deaths from Measles (all ages) Deaths from Whooping Cough (all ages) Deaths from Cancer (all ages) BIRTHS 18,790 58,127 7,725 £630,682 £2,493 14.1 1.31 18.5 11.2 14.9 0.73 10.9 11.3 12.4 2 Nil 6l The total number of live births was 265 of which 24l were legitimate an 24 illegitimate. The live birth rate was 14.1 per 1,000 living: the birth rate for England and Wales being l8.0. INFANTILE MORTALITY .. Tdf Mortality rate was 11.3 per 1,000 registered live births: the rate for .England and Wales generally was 19.0. DEATHS /ot'al number of deaths was 280 which gives a death rate of 14.9 per Wales beingeilS5imated resident PPulation; the death rate for England and CAUSES OF DEATH Measles ••• ••• Other infective and parasitic diseases Cancer of stomach ... ••• Cancer of lung and bronchus ... Cancer of breast ... ••• Cancer of uterus ... ... Other malignant and lymphatic neoplasms Leukaemia, aleukaemia ... Diabetes ••• • • •. Vascular lesions of nervous system Coronary disease - angina ... Other heart diseases Other disease of circulatory system Pneumonia ... • • • Bronchitis ••• • • • Other disease of respiratory system Ulcer of stomach and duodenum ... Gastritis, enteritis and diarrhoea Nephritis and Nephrosis • • • Hyperplasia, of prostate ... Congenital malformations Other defined and ill-defined diseases Motor vehicle accidents All other accidents ... Suicide • • • • • • • • • • • • Male Female 1 1 5 13 16 16 41 14 3 3 7 2 2 1 2 6 4 1 2 1 3 5 5 2 12 1 1 31 l8 24 2 12 2 3 1 2 1 1 10 2 1 Total: all causes 140 140 NOTIFICATIONS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE RECEIVED DURING THE YEAR, 196.3 Age Dysentery Meningo-• coccal Inf. Food Poisoning Scarlet Fever Whooping Cough Measles Erysipelas Pulmonary Tuberculos- is Under 1 year 1 - - - 1 2 - - 1 and under 2 years - - - - — 17 2 " 1? 3 " - - - - 4 19 — — 3 " it 4 » _ — - - 2 30 - — 1 4 m 11 c; 11 1 — — - 3 29 - - 5 M t! 10 " 4 - 8 11 171 - - 10 » II 15 " 1 - - 2 3 23 - - 15 " i? 25 " 2 1 j “ 1 2 — 1 25 " II 35 " 1 " ' "I 1 JL. - • — - ““ 35 " II 45 " j - - - — — *• 45 " II 65 " - - - — — — 1 1 65 years and over — — 1 " Total : 8 2 1 11 ‘24 293 1 2 All other Notifiable Diseases ... NIL. EAST WIGHT WATER SUPPLIES Public water supplies over the whole area are provided by the Isle of Wight Water Board, an Authority which is responsible for supolies to the whole Island. During the year no complaints were received by the Public Health Department of the Rural District Council. PUBLIC CONVENIENCES Public conveniences are provided at Bembridge, Brading, Niton and Godshill. All these conveniences are small, and there is no justification for employment of full-time attendants. In the past they have been maintained by part-time attendants, but this has not proved satisfactory. During the year a man was appointed by the Council for full-time service on this and certain other works. The arrangement for the public to use conveniences at the Buddie Inn, Niton, continued to function without difficulty. Work in connection with provision of additional public conven- iences at Forelands, Bembridge, and Lane End, Bembridge, was put in DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE _ , ,jjain seweraSe systems are provided at Apse Heath, Brading, Bembridge, Blackgang, Chillerton, Godshill, Niton and Whitwell. Disposal of sewage Apse Heatn: to small sewage purification works. Bembridge; Since the new scheme came into operation in 1959 all sewage from the Village has discharged by way of the sea outfall at Ethel Point. The holder tank in the Lane End outfall has provea very satisfactory in operation, and no iurther complaints of sewage discharge on to the beach have been confirmed. Further extensions of the sewer have been laid by developers at:- Stone Farm, Bembridge Lane End Close, Bembridge Hayes Estate, Bembridge /and Bembridge: Brading: Blackgang: Chillerton: Godshill: Niton .and Whitwell: Small sewage Housing Estates at and will in due course be taken over by the Rural District Council. Excessive rainfall on one occasion in April caused the complete surcharging of the Bembridge sewers, the outfall being unable to deal with the abnormally high flow. Owing to considerable development in the Brading area, the S.D. Works in Wall Lane have been giving some trouble. These works serve the northern part of the Parish, and when they were reconstructed some eleven years ago it was realised that, owing to site limitations the works would not be capable of much additional loading. During 1S&5 it became obvious that this increased load was beyond the capacity of the present plant, and instructions were given to the Council's Consultants to prepare a scheme for the enlargement of the works. The new scheme for the southern part of the Parish comprises a system discharging to a Pumping Station at Horton, from where sewage is pumped to the Sandown/Shanklin sewage disposal plant. Sewage discharges inbo a tank at the head of the Chine from where it is pumped to a disposal works at some distance from the inhabited area. To settlement tanks and land irrigation system. This functions without trouble but cannot be considered as meeting the demands set by modern standards. To sewage disposal works. This plant is approaching the stage when enlargement will have to be considered. Electricity has been brought to the site at Godshill and the petrol driven pump, after over 30 years service, has been replaced by an electric motor. The sludge drying beds have also been enlarged and reconstructed. To disposal works. This plant is approaching the stage when enlargement will have to be considered. During the year, the sludge drying beds were reconstructed and enlarged. disposal plants are provided for a number of the /Langbridge, Langbridge, Newchurch Two Firs, M The Bower, " Main Road, " West View, Chale South View, Chale Green Dovecotes, Merstone Station Site, Merstone Hazely Combe, Arreton Pagham Place, Rookley St. George’s View, Rookley. These small plants are desludged at intervals of 6 - 9 months and give rise to very little trouble, but it has been found necessary to give increased attention to these plants. A system of drainage serving a few cottages in Highwood Lane, Rookley, discharges into a settlement tank and thence by means of an effluent drain into a watercourse. Instructions wrere given to the Council's Consultants to prepare a scheme for sewering of the Winford area. REFUSE COLLECTION The refuse collection service continues to function in a satis- factory manner. The service covers the whole district. A weekly collection is given in the Parishes of Bembridge and Brading and a fortnightly collection in all other parts of the district. EAST WIGHT No* of Vehicles Mileage Disposal One S & D rear loader BEMBRIDGE and BRADING 4733 To Wall Lane Tip, Brading. One 20 Y.C.S. & D. Pakamatic. S.ARRETON, NEWCHURCH, GODSHILL, NITON, CHALE AND GATCOMBE. 9246 To Bleakdown Tip, Godshill. Bleakdown tip has continued to operate with one full-time attendant. This tip receives a very large amount of trade and other waste. A small Schmiedag tractor was purchased to assist levelling on the tip. Litter Baskets Requests for the provision of additional litter baskets still increase and during the holiday period dealing with litter is becoming a serious problem. In a spread-out rural area where there is only a fortnightly refuse collection, very considerable difficulty is experi- enced in giving the necessary attention to litter baskets. Emptying of litter baskets is still carried out by local labour supplemented by some assistance from the Council's workmen and County Council roadmen. The growing problem of litter is making heavy demands on these services, and the time is approaching when a special service of collection will be necessary during the summer season. CESSPOOL EMPTYING SERVICE The Council do not own a cesspool emptier but hire a machine when required from Ryae, Sandown or Ventnor. A routine service is not in operation but pits are emptied upon application - (a) if they have not been emptied within the last 12 months (b) if they are overflowing or are likely to overflow in the near future• As we have to depend on hiring from other Authorities there are times when we have no machine available for urgent work. Delays are, therefore, unavoidable and although they are kept to a minimum, there have been occasions when pits have been awaiting attention for several weeks. The total demands on the Rural District Council are not sufficient to justify the purchase of an emptying machine. No. of cesspools emptied (cost borne by rate charge) - 395 " n " (applicant bearing cost) - 60 HOSTELS East Wight W.H.A. Hostel, Whitwell. Mains water. Drainage to cesspool. Public refuse collection. HOUSING East Wight Thirty-seven new dwellings were erected by the Council during the year in the East Night. HOUSING (continued) Slum Clearance (East and West Wight) No. of unfit houses demolished No. of unfit houses closed * * * No. of families rehoused from these unfit houses 1 12 8 Improvement Grants The Rural District Council continued their policy of making Improvement-rants and during the year 24 properties were improved un this scheme. Assisted House Purchase and Loands to_Carry Out Repairs (East and West Wight; During 1965 loans were made in respect of the purchase, construction, repairs, improvements or alteration of 86 properties. The total amou paid in this respect was £149,030. CARAVAN SITES AND CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENT ACT, I960 (East and West Wight) One caravan licence was issued. An appeal court upheld the conviction in the previous year, in respect ofPuse of land as a caravan site without a licence. The summer holiday season showed a continued increase on tented camping. There are two fairly large licensed sites available, but quite t number of smaller sites used within the exemptions un Section 269 of the Public Health Act, 193°• Such sites can well cause considerable trouble, and the exemption clause of Section 269 leaves us without adequate control. The policy of certain of the licensed caravan site operators to replace caravans by chalets of a more permanent " -suited in a number of caravans being offered for sale at comparatively low prices. Cuite a number of these vans have found their way into gardens of fom!stic presses where they are used for additional holiday^— dation. The exemptions in the Caravan Act make it y exercise effective control of vans so stationed. REGISTRATION OF PREMISES FOR THE SALi wi I^E CRaku No. of premises registered (East and West Wight) 137 ANIMAL BOARDING ESTABLISHMENTS Two licences were issued during the year. OFFICES, SHOPS AND MILLAY PREMISES ACT: Particulars as at 31st December, 196 Noo of premises registered during the year No. of persons employed Offices ... ... Retail shops ... Wholesale shops, warehouses Catering establishments open to the public; canteens Fuel storage depots ... 18 62 27 128 14 36 Mr. G. Woodcock was appointed for duties under this Act. WORK OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF Houses inspected ... ... Houses reinspected ... • ... Cowstables and Dairies Food preparing premises Meat and other foods inspection Drains and sewers ... ... Water supplies ... ... Refuse collection ... ... New buildings and alterations Various ... ... ... 31 28 54 138 275 5 196 733 331 Total number of visits of inspection made: 1831 ' FACTORIES ACT: 1961 Particulars of the administration of the Factories Act, 1961 Part I and VIII administered by the District Council :- Inspections: Part I of the Act. For the purposes of provisions as to health (including inspections made by Public Health Inspectors). /cont. Premises Register Inspections written notices prosec- uted (1) Factories in which Sections 1,2,3,4 and 6 are to be enforced by Local Authorities i|f> 19 - - (2) Factories not included in (1) in which Section 7 is enforced by Local ! Authority 1 35 42 (3) Other premises in v/hich Section 7 is enforced by Local Authority (excluding out- workers' premises) - - Cases in which defects were found (If defects are discovered on the premises on two, three or more separate occasions they are reckoned as two, three or more cases.) Particulars Number of cases in which defects were found Found Remedied Want of cleanliness (Sect.l) ... 1 ... 1 Sanitary conveniences (Sect.7) ••• - ... unsuitable or defective Part VIII of the Act (Outwork) Sections 110 and 111 ... ... NIL INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD The amount of unsound food dealt with during the Tinned fruit: 25 lbs. Canned meat: year was as follows:- 84 lbs. 11 WEST WIGHT WATER SUPPLIES The rainfall for the year was 36.8? inches and the average water consumption for the West Wight area was 630,000 gallons per day. One hundred and thirteen samples of water supplies were examined for bacteriological analysis of which nine wer^ classified as unsatis- factory. The supply to Yarmouth was improved by the renewal and enlarge- ment of the Wilmington Lane main approximately 4,200 yds. long. About 1 mile of mains were laid to serve new housing developments in the Rural District. PUBLIC CONVENIENCES Public conveniences are provided at Freshwater Bay, Freshwater (2), Totland, Totland Bay, Colwell and Alum Bay (by arrangement with the Needles Hotel). All the conveniences are well maintained by a full- time attendant. Public conveniences (chemical disposal type) are provided at Compton Bay* These are maintained by a part-time attendant. DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE Main sewerage...systems are provided at Freshwater, Totland, Colwell Bay, Yarmouth, Shorwell, Brighstone and Caibourne. Disposal of sewage Freshwater: l8" diameter sea outfall at Norton, extending 700 feet out from shore (including Honks area). Totland: 12" diameter sewer sea outfall, extending 1,400 feet out from shore. Yarmouth: Sea outfall discharging 500 feet from shore near end of Yarmouth Pier. do. 6" diameter sea outfall, taking the drainage of four dwellings at top of High Street. Shorwell: To sewage disposal works with purification by settlement tanks and aeration beds* Brighstone: ditto*, Calbourne: To sewage disposal works with purification by- settlement tanks and aeration beds. Bouldnor area: ditto. (Shalfleet Parish) Brook: (former Estate By settlement tank (anaerobic treatment) sewer) Newtown: (Old Vicarage To sewage disposal works with purification by settlement tanks and aeration beds. Estate) Small Sewage Purification Plants. There is a small sewage purification plant in Shalfleet Village taking the drainage of some 20 Council houses and private properties. Small sewage purification plants are provided at Porchfield, Thorley and Newbridge Housing Estates, and there is a small sewage purification plant at Alum Bay dealing with the drainage of the public conveniences, the Needles Hotel and Tea Rooms. A scheme for the serving of Newbridge Village is under active consideration. The Council's Consulting Engineers are preparing a report on the modernisation of the system of sewage disposal in the parishes of Freshwater and Totiand and the feasibility of linking the two systems to one point of discharge. The Totiand sewer sea outfall is over 70 years old and is becoming increasingly costly to maintain. REFUSE COLLECTION There is a weekly collection of refuse in all the Parishes of the West Wight. Refuse is deposited by controlled tipping on the land reclamation area on the East bank of the River Yar estuary at Yarmouth, the disused claypits between Copse Lane and Golden Hill Fort, and at Churchills Quarry, Shalfleet. /cont.•. REFUSE COLLECTION (continued) No. of Vehicles Estimated Refuse collected (cu. yds) Mileage Disposal of Refuse Freshwater, Totland and Yarmouth One S. & D. 25 cu.yd. Pakamatic refuse lorry 29,000 1 5,374 Yarmouth land reclamation area. Copse Lane, Freshwater. Agricultural Parishes One S. & D. 20 cu.yd. Pakamatic refuse lorry 11,000 10,959 Churchills Quarry, Shalfleet. CESSPOOL EMPTYING SERVICE Premises are served by a cesspool emptying lorry on hire from Ryde Borough and Ventnor Urban District Council. Total number of cesspools or septic tanks cleansed ... 340 HOSTELS West Wight 'Weston Manor Hostel, Totland: Mains water supply. Main drainage. Weekly collection of refuse. HOUSING West Wight Forty-six new dwellings were erected by the Council during the year in WestWight. Private houses erected in East and West Wight ... 158 Number of plans deposited and reported upon to the Council, East and West Wight ... ... 798 Slum Clearance: - see East Wight Report Improvement Grants: During the year 26 properties in the West Wight were improved under the Improvement Grant Scheme. Assisted House Purchase and Loans to carry out repairs. - see East Wight Report - CARAVAN SITES AND CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENT ACT, I960 Number of licensed caravan sites in West Wight ... 8 COAST PROTECTION ACT Totland Bay - The scheme for protection of some 860 yards of coastline along the bay is now in progress. The scheme provides for drainage of the cliffs to minimise landslip and to protect the base of the cliffs from erosion by the sea by the construction of a concrete sea-wall and groynes. Bad weather and heavy rainfall towards the end of the year has impeded the work and caused a major cliff subsidence at Widdick Chine, v/hich will require additional drainage works to stabilise the cliff. OFFICES, SHOPS AND RAILWAY PREMISES ACT: Particulars as at 31st December,1965 Offices ... ... Retail shops ... ... Wholesale shops, warehouses Catering establishments open to the public; canteens ... Fuel storage depots No. of premises No. of persons registered employed during the year • 20 79 67 231 • • • “ 10 ... 62 1 4 WORK OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF Houses inspected ... • • • 52 Houses re-inspected • • • 50 Cowstables and Dairies • • • 5 Food preparing premises • • • 4o Meat and other foods inspection 32 Drains and sewers •.. • • • 570 Water supplies ... • • • 8 Refuse collection ... • • • 360 New buildings and alterations 820 Various ... ... • • • 440 Total number of visits of inspection made:- 2377 FACTORIES ACT: 1961 Particulars of the administration of the Factories Act, 1961 Part I and VIII administered by the District Council Inspections: Part I of the Act. For purposes of provisions as to health (including inspections made by Public Health Inspectors) Premises No. on Register Inspections No. of written notices Occupier prosec- uted (1) Factories in which Sections 1,2,3,4 & 6 are to be enforced by Local Authorities 63 7 2 - (2) Factories not included in (1) in which Section 7 is enforced by Local Authority 25 1 — — (3) Other premises in which Section 7 is enforced by Local Authority (excluding outworkers’ premises) Cases in which defects were found (if defects are discovered on the premises on two, three or more separate occasions they are reckoned as two, three or more oases Particulars Number of cases in which defects were found Found Remedied Want of cleanliness (Sect.l) ... Ineffective drainage of floors (Sect.6) ... Sanitary conveniences (Sect.7) unsuitable or defective 1 2 • • • 2 RODENT CONTROL: East and West Wight Five hundred and eighteen premises were treated during the year, the Rodent Operator making 1,400 visits, 1,0^3 of which were for routine inspections. The annual testing and treatment of the Council's sewers was carried out and the spraying of refuse tips. No infestations were found. INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD The following amounts of unsound food were dealt with in the West Wight during the year Canned meat ... 5^ lbs. " fruit ... 8 lbs. FOOD AND DRUGS (MILK AND DAIRIES) ACTS, 1933 Samples of milk were taken during the year from herds whose milk is retailed raw without heat treatment. These samples were examined at the Public Health Laboratory, Portsmouth, for the presence of live Tubercle Bacilli. Number of samples taken for T.B. during the year 1965 " " " found to be negative ... ... " " " " " " positive ... ... I! !I in which Brucella Abortus was isolated " " void samples ... ... ... 220 214 6 ************* ... . ' _ • ■ ...