[Report 1898] / Medical Officer of Health, Hetton U.D.C.

  • Hetton (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Report 1898] / Medical Officer of Health, Hetton U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/20 (page 5)
    * 0 The scavenging of the greater portion of the district Scavenging, is carried out by contract, and, generally speaking, the existing arrangements are satisfactory. There are, how- ever, certain localities where no direct access to the con- veniences is provided, and which are not included in the existiug contract. The houses in these localities are there- fore not scavenged by the contractors, consequently mauy of the privies and ashpits are never thoroughly cleaned out. I think it highly desirable in the interests of the public health that such a state of affairs should be remedied.* There is need for a good system of surface water Surface Water drainage in many portions of the district. Many of the drainage, drains at present used for surface water are the old sewers, the sides of which are constructed of rubble,and the cover of rough flat stones or wood. In a dry season, such as we had last year, these old drains are very offensive at times, and are very likely to originate and perpetuate Zymotic diseases. Drains constructed thus would retain the infection for a long time in an active condition, and it would take years before such could be considered free from noxious and dangerous material. The following paragraph appeared in my report for slops in 1897 :—“The practice of throwing slops into ash closets Ash-closets, may have lessened a little, but is still largely practised, and contributes to, or causes the insanitary condition in which ash closets are sometimes found. The practice is probably pursued through ignorance, but whatever the cause the result is the same, a likelihood to engerder and foster disease.” The practice is less general but still frequent. The water supply of the district is sufficient. It comes Water from a feeder which is tapped in the shafts of Eppleton Supply. Pit and Elemore Pit. The water is pumped into two reservoirs, one at the Downs kit and the other at Easing- ton Lane, and is distributed by pipes to each house in the district. The supply is from the same source as that distributed by the Sunderland and South Shields Water Company. The sewerage of your district is of modern construe- Sewerage, tion, and is very efficient. *At the Council meeting of February 14th, and prior to the read- ing of this report, it was agreed that arrangements be made in the ensuing contract for the scavenging of the whole of the district, except- ing farm houses and farm labourers’ cottages.