[Report 1899] / Medical Officer of Health, Darlington County Borough.

  • Darlington (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1899
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Report 1899] / Medical Officer of Health, Darlington County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    were 4 deaths and 26 recoveries among the 30 cases of Enteric Fever treated in the Hospital, or a percentage mortality of 13-8. There were 11 cases of diphtheria treated in the hospital, of whom 6 were from the Borough and 4 from the Rural District. One of the cases from the Rural District died after injection of anti- diphtheritic serum, and tracheotomy; all the other cases were subjected to serum therapy alone and recovered. SLAUGHTER-HOUSES. The slaughter-houses have been regularly inspected during the year, and as a rule have been found clean, well ventilated, and in good order. In a few cases; where the houses were not cleaned satisfactorily after slaughtering was completed, or the offirl, &c., not removed at once according to the bye-laws, an informal notice by the Inspector was sufficient to procui;e the abatement of the nuisance in every case. BAKEHOUSES. The bakehouses have been found clean and regularly limewashed according to the bye-laws, and no interference by the Inspector was required. On several occasions the subject of ice cream manufacture, and its possible pollution has been before the attention of the Committee, and some difficulty has been e-\perienced in determining the standard of cleanliness required, or the pollution necessary to constitute an idictable offence. The opinion is generally entertained that much of this commodity is of doubtful purity or cleanliness, and one can only hope that a standard of purity may soon be found. SCAVENGERING. The cleaning and watering of the streets, and also the cleaning of the back streets, has been excellently carried out. I am not satisfied that the ashpits have been emptied as frequently as they should be. These should be emptied at least once a fortnight, as the drains in these deep open ashpits are liable to get blocked by the ashes, and thus prevent the water from getting away. This wet condition favours the decay of the vegetable matter thrown into them, making them smell, and vitiating the surrounding atmosphere. DRAINAGE. There is nothing of a radical nature to report under this subject. The main drain conveying the sewage to the farm is as it has been, and only some new drains from new streets which have been laid down during the year have been connected with those already laid. FOOD AND DRUGS. During the year .60 samples of different kinds of food, drugs, and milk have been taken for analysis by the Inspector. All these were reported by the Analyst to be pure and of standard quality, except one sample of milk, which contained 40 per cent, of added water, and one sample of spirit, which was 35 degrees under proof The vendor of the milk was fined £5 and costs, and of the spirits £1 and costs. There were three samples of water analysed from private wells, and one of these was condemned as unfit for use.