[Report 1896] / Medical Officer of Health, Penzance U.D.C. / Borough.

  • Penzance (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1896
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1896] / Medical Officer of Health, Penzance U.D.C. / Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    3/12
    Annual Aeporl of lie pieilcal oificer ol fleam TO THE PENZANCE URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL FOE THE YEAE 1896. Gentlemen, Introductory, I beg to present my first Annual Report. The change in the office I represent, due to the lamented death of my predecessor on September 17th, necessarily renders it imperfect in many particulars; but the fortunate circumstance of the material for the former part of the year having been handed on to me in good order permits of my adding to my account of the short period covered by my services (since November 3rd) useful comments and statistics based on a consideration of the events of the entire year. Inspection of the District. House Accommodation and Repairs. The short time elapsing since my election has allowed of but a very partial inspection of the Borough. My attention has been in the main directed to the poorer districts. It cannot be denied that the cottage accommodation, if sufficient in quantity, is here and there sadly deficient in quality—many of the old tenements tending to fall more and more into disrepair. I would therefore desire to give my assent to a note which I find in the Sanitary Inspector’s “ preliminary form ” for the year, that cottages of a rental below £10 are greatly needed in the neighbourhood. Meanwhile it is satisfactory to remark that 24 new cottages have been, during 1896, erected in the Town, and that 19 old tenements have been repaired on the demand of your Authority. Three cases of overcrowding were dealt with during the year. Common Lodging-houses. There are two common lodging-houses in the Borough. One is registered, inspected, and well kept. The other I found on visiting in a dirty condition, and needing sanitary improvement prior to registration. Drainage. The new sewer at Penrose and Trewartha Terraces, replacing the old defective one, has removed from that locality a perpetual source of danger to the inhabitants, and the advantage to the public health is cheaply purchased, even at the considerable outlay your Authority was compelled to bear. You are to be congratulated, too, on having resolutely set your face against the proposed erection over a sewer in another part of the town.