Dr. R.W. Johnstone's report to the Local Government Board on the sanitary circumstances and administration of the Rural District of Easington.

  • Johnstone, R. W.
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Dr. R.W. Johnstone's report to the Local Government Board on the sanitary circumstances and administration of the Rural District of Easington. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    16 Regulations under the Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops Order, 1885, were made on January 13th, 1887. The district council consists of 30 members, who meet every four weeks, with special meetings occasionally in the alternate fortnights. The sanitary committee, consisting of the whole council, meets every four weeks. The medical officer of health, the sanitary surveyor, and the inspector of nuisances attend all meetings of the sanitary committee and of the council. The Clerk to the rural district council is Mr. J. M. Longden. He was appointed on March 7th, 1901, and receives £255 a year (including office staff, and legal work). The medical officer of health is Dr. James Arthur, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S.Ed., D.P.H. He was appointed on June 7th, 1883, and now receives £280 a year. He is in general practice. Dr. Arthur has a good knowledge of his district, and is quite competent to advise his council in matters of sanitary administration and reform. It is, however, to be desired that he will in future press his views upon his council with greater insistence. Owing to the claims of his practice, and the large area and population of the rural district, it is difficult for Dr. Arthur to devote sufficient attention to detailed inspections. There would be distinct advan- tage in raising the salary of the medical officer of health sufficiently to admit of the employment of a whole time man, who might at the same time undertake similar duties in the neighbouring urban dis- trict of Seaham Harbour. The inspector of nuisances, Mr. W. Emery, was appointed on February 8th, 1900. He receives a salary of £170 a year. Mr. Emery is an associate of the Royal Sanitary Institute. He is an active and intelligent officer, but, owing to the size and population of the district, he is unable to devote sufficient attention to the details of his work. No one man is capable of carrying out the duties of inspector of nuisances with regard to a population of over 50,000 persons spread over an area of nearly 40,000 acres. There is urgent need for increase of staff. Routine systematic inspection cannot be properly carried out by one inspector. To be satisfactorily equipped, a district such as this should have three inspectors of nuisances. The sanitary surveyor, Mr. G. Waterhouse, Avas appointed on October 8th, 1908, and receives a salary of £250 a year. He does not possess any sanitary qualification except his past experience as a civil engineer. He makes out all plans, specifications and estimates required by the council, and sees them carried out. He reports on plans for new buildings and inspects the buildings, and he is responsible for the construction, maintenance, and repair of all works belonging to the council. In general it does not appear that the council have been inactive in the sanitary administration of their district. They have devoted considerable attention to the water supply, sewerage, excrement disposal and housing of their district. In connection with the housing question, it must, however, be mentioned that the county council have found it necessary to bring considerable pressure to bear upon the district council in order to obtain the remedy of grave sanitary faults in the housing of the working classes. Thus in the period 1893 to 1908 (inclusive), the county council have dealt,