Dr. Parsons's report to the Local Government Board on some outbreaks of fever and diphtheria in the Romford rural sanitary district, and on the sanitary condition of the district / [H. Franklin Parsons].

  • Parsons, H. Franklin (Henry Franklin), 1846-1913.
Date:
[1884]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Parsons's report to the Local Government Board on some outbreaks of fever and diphtheria in the Romford rural sanitary district, and on the sanitary condition of the district / [H. Franklin Parsons]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    frequent throughout the district, and in some cases of great gravity; thus an out¬ break of enteric fever at Ley Street, Barkingside, seemed distinctly attributable to a nuisance of this kind. For most houses in the district the privy accommodation consists of the old fashioned cesspit privy, but the larger houses have waterclosets discharging into cesspools, similar to those already mentioned ; ventilation of the soil pipe is less frequently pro¬ vided than absent. In some of the modern-built cottages there is an intermediate arrangement; the closet is provided with a hopper, and discharges through a drain into a cesspool a few feet distant. In these cases there is no apparatus for flushing, which is supposed to be effected by pouring the slops into the closet; but in practice this mode of flushing is often not sufficient; the insides of the pans are dirty, and the outlets blocked up. In some instances cesspit privies are built against the houses, the filth and stench permeating the walls. In the village of Hornchurch, the Sanitary Authority are introducing box closets having galvanized wrought-iron rectangular pails under the seats, and they propose extending this system to other parts of the district. It will probably be found a very suitable one in places where sewers are not available, but in compactly built places, where the houses have little garden ground attached, it will need to be conjoined with a system of public scavenging. The Sanitary Authority propose to undertake or contract for the removal of refuse and contents of privies, &c. in the more densely populated parts in the district, but as regards the outlying parts, where the distances to be travelled would make the collection very expensive, and where, owing to the large demand for manure, the occupiers would probably find no difficulty in disposing of such matters, it is proposed to put in force byelaws under section 44 of the Public Health Act, 1875, imposing the duty upon the occupiers. At many cottages the back yard was found littered with ashes and rubbish, owing to the absence of an ash-bin or proper receptacle for such matters. The mains of the South Essex Waterworks Company aro laid down in Ilford, Horn¬ church village, Chadwell Heath, and part of Collier Bow. This Company’s water is taken from wells in the chalk at Grays. In other parts of the district water is usually obtained from shallow wells in the superficial gravel bed. These wells are often liable to pollution; and in some places, as at Barkingside, and part of Ilford, this is so to such an extent that none of the local wells are fit to drink from, and water for drinking purposes is brought in carts from a distance, and retailed by the bucketful. Again, in the clay tract in the north of the district water is scarce; it is obtained from ponds, and in some instances has to be carried long distances. The Rural Sanitary Authority have taken no action under the Public Health (Water) Act, 1878. The Rural Sanitary Authority have been invested with urban powers under sections 42, 44, 157, 158, 169, and 170, of the Public Health Act, 1875, with respect to the parishes of Dagenham and Hornchurch, and the extra urban portion of the parish of Barking, which includes Ilford, part of Chadwell Heath, and Barkingside. Byelaws following the model series I., II., III., IV., and VI., have been adopted by the Rural Sanitary Authority, and await the sanction of the Local Government Board. The duties appertaining to their respective offices are diligently and judiciously performed by Mr. Wright, medical officer of health, and Mr. Hamilton, inspector of nuisances. The abatement of nuisances receives attention, but many of the most serious nuisances existing in the district cannot be effectually dealt with until sewerage has been provided. Nuisances frequently occur in some parts of the district from accumu¬ lations of manure brought from London for use in agriculture, and deposited on road sides, or in the neighbourhood of houses. Houses in which infectious disease has occurred are visited, and, where necessary, disinfectants furnished, with printed and verbal directions for their use, and such measures of isolation as are practicable are recommended. Cases of smallpox requiring isolation are removed, if the patient’s state permit, to the Smallpox Hospital at High- gate, which is 10 or 12 miles from the nearest part of the district; but there is no hospital accommodation available for other infectious diseases. In 1881 the Rural Sanitary Authority proposed to build a hospital on a piece of ground belonging to the Guardians, near the workhouse; but the Romford Local Board, in whose district the ground is situated, refused to sanction the plans, and it is stated that no other available and suitable site can be found. There is no disinfecting apparatus, but the clothes of smallpox patients are burnt, the Sanitary Authority paying compensation. 22502708059