Dr. Blaxall's report to the Local Government Board upon a wide-spread epidemic of scarlatina in the urban sanitary district of Lower Brixham (Devonshire), and upon the general sanitary condition of the town / [F.H. Blaxall].

  • Blaxall, F. H.
Date:
[1889]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Blaxall's report to the Local Government Board upon a wide-spread epidemic of scarlatina in the urban sanitary district of Lower Brixham (Devonshire), and upon the general sanitary condition of the town / [F.H. Blaxall]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ■U,LvO iiCB XBRARY Irene ral JDrJBlaxalFs Report to the Local Government Board upon wide-spread Epidemic of Scarlatina in the Urban Sanitary District of Lower Brixham (Devonshire), and Collections +P ipon the General Sanitary Condition of the Town. 261 George Buchanan, Medical Department, March 8th, 1889. The parish of Brixham, situated on the south side of Torbay, contains the small towns of Higher and Lower Brixham, which so far as continuity of streets is concerned might be regarded as one town, but for “ sanitary purposes ” the two parts of the parish are under separate jurisdiction, Higher Brixham being under the Totnes Rural Sanitary Authority, and Lower Brixham under a local board constituted in 1862. Lower Brixham, with which this report is concerned, covers an area of some 399 acres, situated partly at the shore end of a deep narrow valley that extends in a south-westerly direction from the sea up to Churston, and partly in a second valley that goes southward up to Higher Brixham, the two valleys intersecting each other about the middle of the town of Lower Brixham. The hills at the shore end of the Churston valley rise to an •elevation of 160 feet above sea-level, and their summits are about 480 vards apart. At the low level near the quays the dwellings stand thickly packed in courts, alleys, narrow lanes, or streets, but on the slopes of the hills they are built in zig-zag streets, tier upon tier, until the summits are reached. Two small streams enter the town, one from each valley. The geological formation is limestone, the rock frequently cropping up to the surface. Lower Brixham is the principal seat of the Torbay fisheries, and is pro¬ vided with artificial harbours and quays partially protected from the force of the sea by a breakwater. It possesses numerous trawlers and other fishing boats which bring their cargoes here, and the landing of the fish on the ■quays, together with the selling, cleansing, packing, and despatching of it presents a strikingly animated scene. In 1881 the population was enumerated at 5,366, and is now estimated to have increased to some 5,800 or 6,000 persons. Nearly all the men and growing lads are engaged in the fishing trade. Upon arrival at Brixham I called upon the chairman of the Authority, and put myself in communication with the several officers, medical practitioners, and head teachers of the various schools. The medical practitioners courteously supplied me with lists of cases of scarlatina that had come under their notice, and the teachers with lists of children who left school through sickness during the two months that intervened between the time of re¬ opening of the schools on the 3rd of September after the summer holidays, and the time of closing of them again on the 2nd of November on account of the prevalence of scarlatina. The returns showed that a very large number of families had been invaded with scarlatina, and that scarcely any part of the town had altogether escaped. I propose to report, first, on the sanitary conditions under which the people live. Sanitary Circumstances. V . i Sewerage and Drainage.—Some years ago the Authority carried out a system ■of sewerage, laying down Jenning’s patent glazed pipes of various calibre in the several streets, and connecting them with the main sewer, which is con¬ structed of brick, egg-shaped, and measures 5 feet by 3 feet 4 inches. This sewer receives the water of the two streams already mentioned, at their junction in the centre of the town near the Local Board Office, and is then led along the back of Middle Street, past the gasworks, to a place outside the quay on the sea shore, where it discharges above low-water mark, the outlet E 57337. 150.—3/89. Wt. 20729. E & S.