[Report 1906] / Medical Officer of Health, Tipton U.D.C.

  • Tipton (England : Parish). Urban District Council.
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1906] / Medical Officer of Health, Tipton U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    4/24 (page 4)
    especially, to the sanitary conveniences being built too near to the living rooms of the houses, and in such a position that it is impossible to reach the living rooms without necessarily passing in too close contact with such conveniences. In course of time, when the deep sewerage scheme has become more general, we hope that the use of water closets will supplant the present insanitary and unsightly privy cess¬ pit accommodation which holds, as a rule, in the district. The ashpits, as at present arranged, are often dangerously near the houses, serving, as they do, as a receptacle, not only for ashes, but for all kinds of organic refuse, the proper place for which is on the fire, and not to be thrown out to decompose and pollute the atmosphere surrounding the ashpits. This condition can be easily remedied by the use of galvanized iron bins of sufficient size to hold the refuse of three days, and then to be removed by the scavengers. There were difficulties in the project for making a bath in the Park, due, principally, to the difficulty of the water supply, the proposed water supply being inconstant and not always of sufficient purity to insure a water at times not contaminated with organic matter. The provision of public baths has often come under discussion, and it is only the question of expense that has prevented them being built. A considerable improvement has been effected by the purchase, by the Council, of some very insanitary property, and its subsequent demolition by order. I refer, more par¬ ticularly to “ the City,” and to some properties in Watery Lane. Nothing could have made these properties sanitary, and for years they had been an eyesore to the district. It must be recognised that it is impossible for any sanitary authority to completely abolish old and more or less insanitary dwellings. There are two classes that have to be dealt with, the improvident, who will not pay any or a very small rent, and the abjectly poor, who cannot afford to pay more than 2/6 or 2/- per week rent. If all of the poor class of property was demolished, there would be no place for these people to live in, and the result would be that two families would live in one house, and the creation of a worse sanitary condition than before. It is of no use to build a house which cannot be let under 4/- or 4/6 a week rent; they cannot afford the rent, and if they could they would not. As sanitarians I think that the most we can do for such tenants is to see that they are provided with pure water, that good arrangements are made for the removal of their dejecta and sewage, that their drains are kept clean, and that their landlords are compelled to periodically white¬ wash their dwellings, and to keep them water-tight.