Report of the Commissioner of Health, Kingston, Jamaica / [James Scott].

  • Scott, James.
Date:
1876
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Commissioner of Health, Kingston, Jamaica / [James Scott]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    29/36
    the Board, wlxo liiive no doubt thought over, but should not be misled on the question, that the healthiness or unhealthiuess of Kingston is not to be determined by unfair and crude calculations of death-rates, not based upon a correct numerical statement of the population and a legal registration of deaths, nor with a due regard to any recorded facts, explanatory of the circumstances nuder which the several deaths occurred. 96. That improvement has taken place, during the last few years in the sanitary condition of the city and parish of Kingston, is indisputable, notwithstanding as shewn in this Report, par- ticularly with regard to its drainage, much remains yet to be done in furtherance of such an object. 97. The operations that have been going on uninterruptedly from year to year since 1S73, when Law 6 of ] S67 came into active operation, and officers were appointed, could determine no other result than unquestionable sanitary progress. It is quite true that before that time, partial measures had been em- ployed in that direction by a former Local Board of Health, and for a short period by the present Board. But reference to my interim Report of date 25th August 1873, describing the state of the city , will shew that its sanitary defects were such (and they could not have been otherwise, after so many years of neglect) as to demand an exercise of the greatest possible amount of en- ergy on the part of those,, who had just been appointed to direct and carry out the work of sanitary reform. Through past neglect and indifference about Sanitation, the City abounded in filth of every description, and the masses of the people seemed as yet to have no real conception of the meaning and object of Sani- tary Laws and Regulations. This alone constituted a difficulty, to surmount which, much perseverance and the exercise of a sound judgment on the part of the officers were required. It was found impossible, at first, to bring the people to a due knowledge of the requirements of the Sanitary law, and to convince them of the advantages to health, to be derived from the canying out of sanitary measures. Through steady perseverance, however, they have become better informed on the subject, and it is pleasing to remark that a large number of them have shewn not less desire to see those measures carried out, than has been evinced by many of the more intelligent members of the community. The com- plaints and representations made, from tune to time, by some among the humbler classes, shew that they are becoming en- lightened as to what is meant by public nuisances, injurious to health, and in many instances, have shewn a willingness and anxiety to have tliem abated. Even among many of the very