Dr. S. Monckton Copeman's report to the Local Government Board on the sanitary condition of Lakenheath, in the Mildenhall Rural District, with special reference to the recurrence there of diphtheria during a series of years.

  • Copeman, S. Monckton (Sydney Arthur Monckton), 1862-
Date:
[1893?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. S. Monckton Copeman's report to the Local Government Board on the sanitary condition of Lakenheath, in the Mildenhall Rural District, with special reference to the recurrence there of diphtheria during a series of years. 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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    Dr. S. Monckton Copeman's Keport to the Local Govern- ment Board on the Sanitary Condition of Lakenheath, in the Mildenhall Rural District, with Special Reference to the recurrence there of Diphtheria during a Series of Years, R. Thorne Thorne, Medical Officer, January 26th, 1893. For some years past tlie Mildeiiliall Registration District, and more par- ticularly the village of Lakenheatii, has suffered repeatedly from diphtheria and scarlet fever, especially from the former disease. And in the present year (1892), diphtheria having apparently broken out afresh, the Board decided that inquiry should be instituted into the circumstances of this village. Accordingly I was directed to visit and report on the place. Lakenheath is a village in Suffolk, which contains about 1,850 inhabitants, many of whom are in very poor circumstances. With the exception of a few tradespeople the entire-adult male population are either agricultural labourers or gravel-sifters on the Warren. The village, consisting of a long High Street from which short lanes diverge on either side, is situated on a gentle slope above the fen. The dip of the surface toward the fen is in a direction at right angles to the High Street; so that the portion of the village to the west of the main street is for the most part on a lower level than that which lies to the east of it. The soil on which the village stands consists of a layer of sandy gravel, which appears nowhere to extend to more than a few feet in depth. Immediately below this is marl of unknown thickness; it is still found at the greatest depth reached by any of the wells, even in the higher portion of the village, namely, about 40 feet. The sandy gravel and the upper portion of the marl are very pervious, and consequently water, with other substances in solution or even in suspension in it, is enabled to percolate through the superficial soil of the place with facility. At one of the higher points of Lakenheath is the church, standing in an extensive graveyard. Both internally and externally the building is much out of repair, while inside it is very damp, the walls in places being green with mould. This is partly due to the fact that the level of the surrounding churchyard is now considerably higher than it was originally, owing to the vast number of interments which have taken place in it since it first came into use. Not only are the inhabitants of Lakenheath buried here, but also the members of a scattered population for some distance around, and in this way the level of the churchyard has been gradually raised, as I was informed by the vicar of the parish, to a height of about three feet above that of the ground surrounding it. He further stated, that on a particular occasion, a fresh grave being dug, the remains of no less than nine other bodies were disturbed during the operation. Shortly afterwards, an adjoining piece of land about a quarter of an acre in extent v/as added to the graveyard, bringing up the total area to about one and a half acres. This new portion, however, is now nearly full also. I obtained from the vicar the following statistics as to the interments which have taken place during the last 27 years :— Period. No. of Years. No. of luterment.s. Auimal Average. 1865-1881 17 524 30-8 1882-1892 10 .393 39-3 1865-1892 27 917 34 E 74456. 150.—2/93. Wt. 17592. E. & S.