Dr. Parsons's report to the Local Government Board on a re-inspection of the sanitary condition of the Godmanchester Urban District, with especial reference to the prevalence of diphtheria there in 1883 / [H. Franklin Parsons].

  • Parsons, H. Franklin (Henry Franklin), 1846-1913.
Date:
[1884]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Parsons's report to the Local Government Board on a re-inspection of the sanitary condition of the Godmanchester Urban District, with especial reference to the prevalence of diphtheria there in 1883 / [H. Franklin Parsons]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1/6
    Dr. Parsons’s Report to the Local Government Board on a irL Re-dpispection of the Godmanchester Urban District, with LCb especial reference to the Prevalence of Diphtheria there sacral C aS£3|B83. George Buchanan, Medical Department, October 2, 1884. The borough of Godmanchester is contiguous to that of Huntingdon; the river Ouse, crossed here by a bridge, forming the boundary between the two. The two places together form the parliamentary borough of Huntingdon, but for municipal purposes they are distinct. Though possessing the dignity of a corporate town, Godmanchester is a mere agricultural village, of 2,188 persons in 1881, having declined from 2,363 at the previous census. The population consists principally of farm labourers. Entering Godmanchester from Huntingdon, we find, just across the bridge, two or three rows of cottages—Bridge Place and Adelaide Terrace. Here also are the railway station and some mills. Following the high road, which crosses some marshy meadows, we come to the most populous part of the borough, which lies about half a mile south of the bridge, and consists of a compact nucleus of radiating streets connected by cross lanes. The whole town stands on a marshv site but little elevated above the m adjacent river, by which, in wet weather, it is liable to be flooded. The subsoil is river gravel above Oxford clay. The cottages are, many of them, old and dilapidated, built of mud, with thatch roofs. Overcrowding is frequent. Godmanchester, with other parts of the Huntingdon registration district, was inspected by me in August 1880, on account of the prevalence of scarlet fever. The following is the precis of my Report made after that visit:—“ A mere village, in a “ low-lying damp situation, subject to floods. Cottages old, dilapidated, ill-ventilated, “ and overcrowded. Sewers of defective construction. Water-supply from shallow “ wells liable to pollution; some houses unsupplied. Offensive midden and cesspit “ privies very close to houses. Great accumulations of filth. No proceedings taken for the abatement of nuisances. No public scavenging, byelaws, or hospital ** accommodation.” To this Report were appended certain recommendations from the Board towards remedying the defects mentioned. These recommendations are reproduced as an Appendix (I.) to the present Report, being equally applicable now, since, as will be seen from the following account, the Town Council have taken no steps whatever towards remedying the unwholesome conditions previously described. The only alterations in this respect are, that through the decline of the population some of the oldest and most dilapidated houses have become vacant, and that eave- spouts have been put to many of the roofs. The latter are an improvement in keeping the walls dry, but unless the fall pipes are disconnected from the sewers (which they are not in all cases) they introduce a source of danger in another way, by delivering sewer air just below the bedroom windows; most of the cottages in Godmanchester having windows in the roof. The sewers in Godmanchester are of common agricultural pipes 10 inches in diameter. They have very little fall, and at the time of my visit the mouth of the sewer was standing half full of water. Part of the system can be flushed from the river, the water being allowed to run through the sewer in a continual stream ; other sewers are flushed by a water-cart. The principal outfall is into a semi-stagnant ditch, full of black stinking sediment. Stoppages in the sewers are frequent, owing to the liquid portion of the sewage leaking out at the open joints and leaving the sediment behind. So far are the Town Council from appreciating the proper principles of sewer construction, that when recently it was found necessary to take up the sewer in East Chadley Lane, which was choked with sediment, and was found to have been laid with a fall the wrong way, it was relaid with the same unjointed pipes, and three catchpits were made in its course to retain the sediment. A 14152. 150.—10/84. Wt. 9408. E. & S. A Previous inspection. House ac¬ commoda¬ tion. Sewers.