[Report 1898] / Medical Officer of Health, Penzance U.D.C. / Borough.

  • Penzance (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1898] / Medical Officer of Health, Penzance U.D.C. / Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [2] School Buildingrs. At the (otherwise well constructed) new St. Mary’s National Schools, I note that the cloak-rooms for scholars are unventilated and unwarmed. Wet cloaks need drying, and it would be wise to prevent the admission of infectious germs, from time to time present, into the class-rooms through the cloak-room door-way. At the old St. Mary’s National Schools, intended for the occupation of the Infants’ Department at an early date, I note with satisfaction the improvements being effected by the remaking of the closets and urinals under the advice and supervision of our Sanitary Department. Here the previous archaic arrangements are being replaced by an installation of Twyford’s Syphonic Latrines, automatically flushed. Common Lodging: Houses. I have pleasure in reporting the closing of the Common Lodging House referred to as unsatisfactory in previous Reports. The one remaining is registered, periodically inspected, and at all times maintained in good condition. Drainage. Since the diversion of the sewer at Stanford Terrace I have heard no complaints of flooding in the properties below. It is to be hoped that the new Surface Drainage in the neighbourhood of the Railway Station will be attended with like happy result. Water-Supply. In a year of exceptionally small rainfall (the first nine months yielding under 17 inches), our water-supply (in so far as quantity is concerned) has answered admirably, inasmuch as our storage reservoirs, replenished from the Boscathnoe Well, have given us a constant service throughout. I am pleased to hear a suggestion that the storage in the reservoirs be heightened a few feet. Should this be found practicable I am of opinion that, while materially increasing the quantity of water at our service, it will improve the quality by causing a lessening of the amount of vegetable growth in the reservoirs. Against the expense may thus be fairly set off some part of the present annual cost of cleansing. During the year the water-supply has been laid on to 41 new houses within the Borough. Public Urinals, Closets, &c. I congratulate your Authority on having during the year made proper provision for the accommodation of women at the Morrab Gardens. The dark, ill-ventilated, ill-flushed, Davy urinal remains unaltered—an un¬ mitigated public nuisance. The Railway Station closets and urinals are maintained in very good condition.