[Report 1927] / Medical Officer of Health, Middlesbrough County Borough.

  • Middlesbrough (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1927
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1927] / Medical Officer of Health, Middlesbrough County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    21/94 (page 19)
    INFECTIOUS DISEASES. During the year 1,113 houses have been inspected, incurring 2,709 re-inspections, owing to cases of Infectious Disease (including Tuberculosis), and reports made to the Medical Officer of Health. The number of dwelling houses disinfected owing to cases of infectious disease occurring was 1,726. REFUSE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL. A regular weekly collection is made from the 28,880 houses and shops within the Borough. The collection is made by 14 horse-drawn vehicles and 9 motor vehicles (consisting of 6 Ford Tonners and 3 S.D. Freighters). During the year 26,816 loads of refuse were collected ; 14,139 loads representing 16,967 tons by horse-drawn vehicles; and 12,677 loads representing 17,952 tons bj^ motor vehicles. The motors are worked in those outlying districts where the time taken in disposing of the load is greater than the time taken by the loaders in loading the vehicle following up. 34,919 tons represent 262.55 tons per 1,000 population per annum. This figure is 17.17 tons per 1,000 population per annum less than last year, and cannot be considered high ; it is considerably below the average, particularly for the North-East, and even so, too much valuable cinder is wasted by the housewife which means an added cost of 35% to 40% in the household coal account. 70,725 bags of Waste Paper and Light Refuse matter were collected free of charge from the shops within the Borough. This is disposed of chiefly at the Swimming Baths and undoubtedly is a cheap fuel whereby the whole of the steam raising plant is fed. Household Refuse was disposed of by barging to sea and tips. Two hoppers were employed for the disposal of refuse at sea, and 65 trips were made, 17,399 tons of refuse being disposed of. 16,463 tons of refuse were disposed of at the Tips, and 1,057 tons were sold to Farmers as Manure. Barging to sea is an excellent method of disposal, but without wishing to qualify as a prophet, I do think that in the immediate future our methods will be considered wasteful, as other means more profitable to the Ratepayer will be evolved.