[Report 1904] / Medical Officer of Health, Bingley U.D.C.

  • Bingley (England). Urban District Council. nb2008024122.
Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1904] / Medical Officer of Health, Bingley U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    provided for by sewers, is conducted in tlie same manner as tliat of liousehold refuse (see below). During the year 44 midden-privies have been replaced by 10 slop-water closets and 34 water-closets, and in addition 20 water-closets, 21 slop-water closets, and 9 dry-earth closets have been erected for new buildings, or added to those already existing. That much still requires to be done in the way of sub- stituting for midden-privies more modern conveniences is evident from Table A which shows the number of the different kinds of closets in each ward. Although the Council has at present no power to compel the substitution of water-closets for midden-privies, it is able, under Sec. 36 of the Public Health Act, to declare privy accommodation insufficient, and considering that in some cases as many as four houses join in the use of one privy, pressure might more frequently be put on property owners to remedy this insanitary and indecent state of things. If owners were informed that the accommodation must be increased, it would often be possible to prevail on them to erect water-closets instead of midden-privies. The latter, unless kept in excellent order, besides being objectionable for other reasons, are known to be dangerous to the public health, by allowing the surrounding soil to be- come impregnated with disease germs, and by affording a feeding ground for flies whose next meal may be from the family joint or milk-basin. I would urge the Council to applj' to Parliament for power to deal systematically with the evil. The sanitary state of the district would be improved by this means and the cost of night-soil removal diminished. V. Removal and Disposal of House Refuse.—House refuse is removed weekly, fort- nightly, or at longer intervals as may be found necessary. The arrangements for the different districts are as follows :—Prom Bingley and Cottingley the refuse is all removed by the Council’s workmen to the tip on the Council’s property at Dowdey Gap. From Crosshatts, Micklethwaite and Eldwick it is in part removed in the same way, and in part is taken by farmers. At Harden and Wilsden it is all con- tracted for by farmers and removed by tliem. At Cullingworth part is taken by farmers and part to tips in the neighbourhood by the Council’s workmen. Complaints are very seldom made by occupiers, so that it may be considered that this part of the duty of the Sanitary Department is satisfactorily performed. Table A, shewing types of houses, of closet accommodation and of receptacles for refuse in each Ward; — Ward. PopuIatioQ (Census). Through Houses. Back-to-back Houses. Water Closets. Slop- Water Closets. Pail Closets. Midden Closets. Open Middens. Covered Middens. Dry Ash Tubs. Dry Ash Places. Central 2738 185 566 189 75 91 265 25 87 48 81 South 2722 356 394 148 173 54 210 35 73 26 165 West 2545 381 285 182 50 41 261 76 62 45 46 North 2803 330 358 201 109 57 357 61 151 73 75 East 3260 824- 154 309 88 247 38 78 41 265 Culling-worth ... 1313 249 84 53 7 67 120 83 71 13 6 Wilsden 3067 656 187 49 26 111 434 212 175 1 54 Total ... 18448 2157: 1874: 976 749 509 1894 530 697 247 692 * The types of houses in the East Ward have not yet been enumerated. :j; Excluding East Ward. Water Supply of the District.—A satisfactory water supply is provided at Bingley, Crossflatts, Micklethwaite, Cullingworth and Wilsden by the Council, either from their own reservoirs or by agreement with Bradford Corporation from their mains. This water has been repeatedly examined for lead by the County Medical Officer and myself, and always with negative results. No complaints have been received during the year as to the water supplied to Cottingley by the Cottingley Water Works Company. Bradford Corporation has accepted its obligation to supply water to Gilstead Moor and Eldwick, and mains will shortly be laid in these districts. I hope that the inhabitants will take full advantage of the supply as the private sources are dangerously liable to contamination. At Harden, although the pollution at Ryecroft, referred to in my last report, has been diverted, I cannot consider the water supply satisfactory. It is impossible to guarantee the purity of the water in the dam which serves the greater part of the village. The conditions at Mooredge are also unsatisfactory, and will continue to be so until sewers are laid and the water piped from the spring. At Wilsden the numerous private supplies are a source of danger and it is to be regretted that the Council’s water is not used b\^ all the inhabitants. VII. Places over which the Council has Supervision—Lodging-houses.—There is only one registered lodging-house in the district. It is conducted to the satisfaction of the Sanitary Authority, and is inspected occasionally by the Sanitary Inspector or myself. Slaughter-houses.—There are seventeen registered slaughter-houses in the district. As some of these are at a considerable distance from Bingley it is difficidt to exercise strict supervision over them, and the difficulty would not be overcome by the establislunent of a public slaughter-house