Dr. T. C. Langdon's report to the local government board of the inspection of the sanitary condition of the rural sanitary district of Wells.

  • Ballard, Edward.
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. T. C. Langdon's report to the local government board of the inspection of the sanitary condition of the rural sanitary district of Wells. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    503 Mr. T. C. Langdon’s Report to the Local Government Board of the Inspection of the Sanitary Condition of the Rural Sanitary District of Wells. Edward C. Seaton, M.D., Medical Department, September 19, 1879. Correspondence extending over a considerable period having taken place between the Local Government Board and the Wells Rural Sanitary Authority on the sanitary state of the above-named district, especially as to the drainage and water-supply of some parts of it, a complete inquiry on the subject by a Medical Inspector from the Board was determined on, and I was instructed to make the inspection. The Rural Sanitary District of Wells comprises an area of 54,616 acres, District, with a population at the last census of 11,972. It surrounds three Urban Sanitary Districts, viz., Wells, Street, and Glastonbury, containing together a population of 10,343. The extent of the district from north to south is about 16, and from east to west about 15, miles. This area comprises 14 entire parishes, besides a large part of the parish of St. Cuthbert, the second largest parish in Somersetshire (the remainder of which is included in the Wells Urban District) and a small portion of the parish of Glastonbury (the rest of which forms the Glastonbury Urban District). The names of these parishes, with their respective populations, are as follows : — Chewton Mendip St. Cuthbert, part of Green Ore Dinder - - - Priddy - Rodney Stoke W estbury W ookey Pop. Pop. 836 North Wootton - 289 3,175 Baltonsborough - 743 0 West Bradley - - 176 • 187 West Pennard - 794 249 Butleigh - 954 360 Glastonbury, part of - 134 617 Meare - 1,639 1,139 Walton - - 680 The surface of the country is very undulating, extending from the Mendip Topography, Hills in the north, to the low-lying districts around Glastonbury and Meare Soil, &c. in the south-west. The drainage of the district south of the Mendips is from north and east to the south-west, but the portion to the north of the hills named drains to the north-west. The soil, mostly fertile, varies considerably, but it consists chiefly of Carboniferous Limestone and Lias Clay and Limestone in the Mendips, Red Marl at Wookey, Marlstone at Pennard Hill, Lower Lias Clay in the ad- joining parishes of West Bradley, Baltonsboro’ and Butleigh, and Peat in the neighbourhood of Meare. The Sanitary Authority is the Wells Board of Guardians, which meets once Local a fortnight, when sanitary and educational matter share the time which remains Authority. “ after the usual business.” This, the Chairman told me, often lasts for several hours, and as the Annual Report for 1878 of the Medical Officer of Health, dated February 8th last, had not been read when I left Wells on May 9th, it would seem that but insufficient time can remain for such other subjects. The Medical Officer of Health, who resides in Wells, is also Medical Officer of Health for the Urban districts of Wells, Glastonbury, and Street; he has retired from private practice. There is one Inspector of Nuisances for the Rural District, who receives a salary of 100/. per annum; he resides at Glastonbury, and is expected to go on foot (for with such a stipend he cannot keep a horse) over this extensive area. These officers are not required by the Sanitary Authority to attend their meetings, and have no opportunity of talking over with them any of the subjects brought under their con- sideration. M 859. Wt. 4962. A