Dr. Blaxall's report to the local government board on the sanitary condition of the rural sanitary district of south Stoneham, Hants.

  • Blaxall, F. H.
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Blaxall's report to the local government board on the sanitary condition of the rural sanitary district of south Stoneham, Hants. 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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    — 3 the bursting forth of the liquid contents at the surface, creating a nuisance which is loudly complained of, persons stating that they not only suffer from the stink but actually walk into the filth. At Woolston a horse broke through the road to one of these dead-wells, and a similar occurrence took place at Freemantle, where a little boy afterwards fell into the same hole. With regard to the cesspits generally, the contents are allowed to accumulate for an indefinite period, varying from three or four months to many years, the process of cleansing being deferred to such time as the pits become filled to overflowing. I visited several of the schools and found the privy accommodation, with one exception, to be of the same objectionable character as that already described, while some of the privies were revoltingly filthy and neglected. This is a state of things the more to be deprecated where children are concerned, as such association with filth cannot but tend to render them callous and indifferent as to habits of cleanliness when they grow up. The notable exception was the privy belonging to St. Mark’s Board School in St. Mary Extra, which was by far the most cleanly of all the school privies visited. Here the privy contents are kept dry by the school sweepings being- thrown on them every evening. I explained to the schoolmaster that it Avould be far better to substitute dry earth for these sweepings. I am informed that in some parts of Woolston a few earth-closets have been introduced, but the only locality in which I met with these desirable innovations was at Sholing. Here earth-closets have been provided for four cottages recently built by Mr. Danneford, and the cottagers highly appre- ciate the advantages these closets possess over the stinking privies to which they had been accustomed. I subjoin some examples of excremental nuisance, combined with occasional water pollution: (1.) Millbrook. (a) Slade’s Cottages. Two privies discharge into one closed cesspit cleared .out about, every 12 or 18 months. The soil-pipe gets choked, causing the contents to overflow on to the yard. (b) Giddon’s House. Privy situated in a confined yard about eight yards from the back door of the dwelling, and at a higher level. The cesspit was so full that the contents might be seen oozing out under the seat, while the yard contained pools of stagnant slop water. (c) Coward’s Cottages. Privy 18 feet from the back doors. Cesspit full, contents oozing out under the floor. The cottagers complained of this three weeks since to the Inspector of Nuisances, but nothing has been done. About 12 feet distant from the privy is the well which supplies the drinking water. Water is sometimes thick and stinking. (2.) Redbridge. Phillips’ Cottages. Five families use three privies which discharge into one closed cesspit, cleared out about once in every two or three years. A short time since the contents overflowed, and to obviate this evil an overflow pipe was led from the cesspit to a drain that goes to the street sewer. The well that supplies the drinking water is situated in the garden, and the water is said to be so bad that the people cannot drink it. (3.) Whimpstone Schools. The privies discharge into a trough, along which the contents pass to a small catchpit, thence by overflow pipes to two covered cesspits, and so on to an open ditch. The privies were flooded with filth, while the pump water which serves for the purpose of flushing the trough is said to partake strongly of the offensive character of the cesspit. Formerly the drinking water was obtained from a well situated about 17 yards from the school privies; but the water was found to be so highly polluted that its use was discontinued, and upon examination it Was found that the bricks of the well in the direction of the privies were black and stinking. (4.) Newman and Green's Cottages. The privies discharge into a closed cesspit which over- flowed, and for weeks the contents filled the pan. The water of the well, situated close to the privy, stinks so much that the people cannot use it. (5.) Whimpstone Square affords exaggerated examples of privy nuisance, together with stagnant slop and waste water in trenches and by the side of the road. (6.) Freemantle. (a) Stanley Terrace. Four privies discharge into one “ dead-well ” situated under the public road called “ Russell Terrace.” The contents overflow at the drain inlet near the back door of Mrs. Herbert’s cottage, stinking fearfully. Mrs. H. complains much of head-ache, nausea, &c. Three other “ dead wells ” are situated in the same vicinity. Recently, one of these burst up, and the contents continued to overflow the road for a fortnight. (b) Gladstone Terrace. Cesspits, situated under the floors of the privies, had not been cleaned out for three years, and were overflowing, creating such stink as to compel the people to keep their doors shut. Formerly these privies were situated close to the dwellings, and the contents soaked under the floors of the dwellings, but upon “ Fever ” breaking out in the terrace about three years ago, Mr. Dayman, Medical Officer of Health, caused the privies to be removed to a greater distance. (c) Millbrook Road. Mr. D. has been obliged to sink a fourth “ dead-well ” in his garden, and he states when that fills up he does not know what he shall do, as he has no ground space available for another well. On the opposite side of the road to Mr. D.’s a “ dead-well ” recently burst up, stinking fearfully. (7.) Sholing, Middle Road. Cross and Giles’Cottages. Privies adjoin the dwellings, and discharge