[Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, St Albans City & R.D.C.

  • St. Albans (England). City & Rural District Council.
Date:
1949
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1949] / Medical Officer of Health, St Albans City & R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    between the refuse and the underground water which is their main source of supply. The danger of disease germs thereby getting into the water is not by any means the whole problem. As you are aware many things go into household refuse and it may well be that some poisons, metallic or otherwise, could get into the water. These are much more difficult to eliminate than bacteriological contamina¬ tion. On the other hand, if these gravel pits are simply left they will be used for the uncontrolled disposal of all sorts of things and this might well prove to be more dangerous to the water than properly controlled tipping under proper supervision. The whole matter is engaging the earnest attention of the higher authorities and a final decision may take some time. Personally I have had considerable experience of controlled tips situated within half a mile of a main pumping station deriving its water from the chalk—chalk which is known to be badly fissured—but I have had no evidence of any danger to the water from these tips, either bacteriologically or chemically. Disposal of Household Refuse—Pigbins. The use of pig bins whereby material suitable for conversion into pig food is put in these bins which are placed over a wide area of the City had led to very many serious, and I think justified, complaints. Every endeavour has been made by the City Surveyor to mitigate the nuisance but the fact remains that these pig bins are insanitary and in my opinion a nuisance. The alternative of having small bins, one to each household, v’ould be expensive, though it would probably result in a greater collection, but with the present difficulty in obtaining workmen to deed with the ordinary refuse I am convinced it would be quite impossible to operate any such system in St. Albans. The City Council have, in fact, made representations to the Ministry that the obligation to collect pig swill should be cancelled but I very much regret to have to report that this very reasonable request has been turned down. Swimming Baths. The public swimming baths in the area—one in the City and two in the Rural District—have at all times been well maintained. Continuous filtration and chlorination is carried out at all three and the bacteriological results which are checked frequently throughout the summer, have proved very satisfactory. Mortuary. The following bodies were removed to the mortuary :— Adult—Males . 40 ,, Females. 31 Children—Males 2 ,, Females . 1 No. of Post Morterns ... 74