Dr. S.W. Wheaton's report to the Local Government Board on enteric fever in the Swanage Urban District in 1910.

  • Wheaton, S. W.
Date:
1911
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Dr. S.W. Wheaton's report to the Local Government Board on enteric fever in the Swanage Urban District in 1910. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    in the district are supplied from cisterns and there are hydrants in the streets, for fire and street watering purposes which are supplied from source No. 1. Sewerage.—Since my last visit the outfall sewer has been com- pleted and carried out to sea along a reef of rocks at Peveril Point. The old sewage outfall has, however, been retained as a storm overflow, and unfortunately it is in the worst possible position, in the most land-locked part of the bay. With this exception there is now no discharge of sewage on the foreshore. Connection of house drains with a sewer has been made in all instances where one is within a reasonable distance. All private sewers discharging on the foreshore have been removed, and pollution of watercourses in the district no longer occurs. There is, however, no detailed plan of the sewers, and the course and structure of some of them can only be guessed at. A number of the old sewers remain and are constructed of rubble only. The sewers are mostly of very steep gradient in the southern part of the town, but in the northern portion the fall is unfortunately very small. Ventilation of the sewers is carried out by means of iron upright shafts. The provision for flushing is very limited and consists of four tanks, one of which is supplied with the company’s water, while the remainder are supplied with water from a well, pond, and stream, respectively. House drainage.—Nearly all houses are now provided with properly trapped gulleys ; sink pipes discharge over gulleys in the open. Excrement disposal.—With the exception of less than a dozen pail closets, and a few pit privies, in the rural part of the district, the whole of Swanage is now supplied with water closets, which have a separate supply of water for flushing. Soil pipes are as a rule adequately ventilated. Refuse disposal.—Refuse is collected in moveable receptacles, and removed thrice weekly to several tips, from which it is taken by farmers for use on the land. Slaughter-houses.—These are two in number and one of them is registered. They are of fair construction and cleanliness, but numbers of pigs are kept on the premises, with the result in one instance, of causing great nuisance from decomposing pigs food. Under such circumstances freshly killed meat hung in the slaughter- house can hardly fail to absorb the foul odours and so to become tainted and liable to premature decomposition. Cowsheds, dairies and milkshops.—These are registered. There are 4 milkshops and 12 cowsheds. The condition of the milkshops is good, that of the cowsheds varies. Of cowsheds some are very satisfactory, others are unsatisfactory. On the whole their condi- tion is greatly improved since the time of my first visit. Water supplies for cows and dairies have been much improved. The principal defects are want of efficient ventilation and drainage, also overcrowding, and accumulations of manure in unpaved fold yards. Bakehouses.—There are eight registered. Their condition appears to be satisfactory and they are now supervised by the urban district council’s officials. There is no common lodging house. Only one registered midwife is employed in the district.