Dr. R. Deane Sweeting's report to the Local Government Board upon the general sanitary circumstances and administration of the borough of Poole, with special reference to dealing with infectious diseases.

  • Sweeting, R. Deane.
Date:
[1913]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Dr. R. Deane Sweeting's report to the Local Government Board upon the general sanitary circumstances and administration of the borough of Poole, with special reference to dealing with infectious diseases. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    period of three years. This was increased in 1905 to £135 for the borough, making in all £1G0. Finally, in 1908 his salary for the borough was raised to £260, that for the port remain- ing at £25, whilst he was to receive £15 as medical attendant at the Infectious Diseases Hospital, and £200 as medical officer tor the inspection of school children, which duty he has recently undertaken. This appointment bringing in £500 a year is for seven years from July 1st, 1908, and half of the salary for the borough port (£285)- is repaid by the County Council of Dorset. Mr. Carrington ceased private practice from the above date and began to devote himself entirely to public health work, the new appointment necessitating his whole time. Mr. Carrington, preparing an annual report, presents a monthly report at each monthly meeting of the Sanitary Committee. This meeting he always attends as well as that of the Education Committee. These annual reports are fairly full but some of his monthly reports are somewhat meagre. This journal has improved in character lately, thus in 1910 there were 200 entries, in 1911 300, and in 1912 (to June 18th) 500. He now makes notes in the journal of matters relating to the hospitals and schools. His register of notifications has of late been more fully kept like the journal. (Comment on Mr. Carrington’s work is reserved till later.) Mr. R. Smith is the chief inspector of nuisances. He holds the certificates of the Hoyal Sanitary Institute, including that of meat inspection. He is 51 years of age, and began life as a plumber in Poole town. He has been in the service of the corporation since 1893, being at first assistant to the then borough surveyor and inspector at a salary of £80. He became a full inspector in 1896 at a salary of £100, and is now receiving £175, viz., £150 for the borough (half repaid by the county council), £20 for the port (also half repaid), and £5 for services under the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act. * With some exceptions, Mr. Smith’s books and records are satisfactorily kept. He presents a monthly report to the Sanitary Committee, which he attends. The entries in the new forms as to house-to-house inspections under the Housing Act of 1909 are, however, meagre and incomplete. No particulars are given in the journal as to visits paid to houses invaded by infectious diseases. No record is kept of meat inspection. The register as to cesspools gives no information as to their abolition or filling up when houses are connected to the sewers. The book called “ Sanitary Condition of Premises ” contains only four entries, referring chiefly to smoke testing of drains. Mr. Smith is active and industrious, and his work impressed me favourably on the whole. In 1910, 224 informal notices as to abatement of nuisances were given, of which 174 were completed with; in 1911 the respective figures were 353 and 260. Again, in 1910, 12 statutory notices were given of which ten w^ere completed with; in 1911 the numbers were 34 and 30 respectively. Six proceedings for enforcement of nuisance abatement notices were taken in 1910 and five in 1911. In 1911, 138 samples were taken under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, of which 99 referred to milk. Of the total 138, 15 were found adulterated and 14 of the 99 milk samples.