[Report 1895] / Medical Officer of Health, Consett U.D.C.

  • Consett (England). Urban District Council.
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: [Report 1895] / Medical Officer of Health, Consett U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1/14
    Enteric Fever in the Urban District of Consett, in the County of Durham, during 1895. The town of Consett occupies a very exposed position, nearly 900 feet above sea level, in the north-west of the county, and about a mile west of the town of Leadgate, while the urban district of Ben- fieldside is situated a little to the north-west, at a much lower level. Consett has an area of 993 acres, and at the census of 1891 had a population of 8,175. The working population are mostly engaged by the Consett Iron Company either at their steel works or in the coal pits. Before dealing with the prevalence of enteric fever in Consett it will be advisable to shortly revie w the sanitary circumstances of the town. Hotjs>: Accommodation.—A very large number of houses containing 3 or more rooms have been built during recent years, and these are of substantial construction and have through ventilation, but the sites are not as a rule rendered impervious over their whole extent, and ground air and moisture can therefore gain entrance to the houses. These houses have self-contained yards of fair size, which are sometimes paved or cemented either wholly or in part, but many of the yards are mostly unpaved, and in wet weather water stands in them and they become frequently very dirty and objection- able. This was especially noticeable in Constance Street, Edith Street, and Harvey Street. The older houses in the town usually consist of only one kitchen and an attic, and are mostly of very poor construction. In Pitt Street and Rippon’s Lane there were several occupied houses not in a habitable condition, while in the Cross Rows, Thomas Street, Trafalgar Street, John Street, William Street, Pitt Street, and other parts of the town the dwelling-houses or their sur- roundings are far from sanitaiy, though some of the defects are the result of neglect or wanton destruction on the part of the occupants, some of whom are of a very bad class. Water Supply.—The town of Consett obtains its water supply from the mains of the Consett Water Company, which also distribute the same water to a large population in other parts of north-west Durham. It is a soft moorland water of good quality, but as it is not filtered it is at times somewhat discoloured by particles of suspended peaty matter. The water gravitates from one large distributing reservoir to supply the various districts, and the service is constant. At the present time the company are engaged in increasing their supply and in providing means for filtering the water before supplying it for drinking purposes.