[Report 1913] / Medical Officer of Health, Chatham Borough.

  • Chatham (Kent, England). Borough Council.
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1913] / Medical Officer of Health, Chatham Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    16/66 (page 16)
    the Borough is a, good one, but that it is s])oilt by reason of the appli- ances in whi('h tire refuse is placed on the edge of the pavement to await the visit of the dust cart. When the construction of fixed ashpits ceased to- be com- ])ulsorv, there was far too* loose an interpretation of the clauses of the Pul die Health Act which permit owners or occupiers to use other receptacles, and the consequence is that in this imj^iortant matter every individual has liecome a law to- himself, and provides any article that he can best spare for the purpose.’’ The truth of this statement is apparent in the infinite variety of unsuitable receptacles which dis- grace our streets for several hours a week, and which, besides being unsightly, ('reate a nuisance, and may be dangerous to health. My first point is Thai no individual should he able to prescribe the hind of receptacle he chooses. The work of removal from beginning to end has to be carefully organised, and its efficient and economical working depends largely on the machinery used in every part of the process. A part of this machinery, in the shape of men, horses, carts, etc., is provided bv the Local Authority, representing the community, and a part is pro- vi(ied by the individual occupier or owmer, the whole work lieing in the interest of the public health. If the machinery provided by the owners or occupiers is ineffective or unsuitable, delay in handling must occur, extra lalxiur becomes necessary, and fewer houses per hour can lie attended to-, obviously increasing the cost to- the rate- payer, besides which unsuitable and uncovered receptacles render the contents liable to- saturatio-n liy rain, forming masses of deco-nijiosing hlth, they are accessible to dogs and cats, and to children, and they become infested by insects which may convey infectious particles to food. The contents leak or are spilled on the road, and have to be swept up by the Co-rporation men, which takes up extra time. The sections under the Public Health Act. 1875, gi^■ing powers to Local Authorities are ; — Section 35, which renders it unlawful to erect a new house, or to- rebuild one partly demolislied, without a proper ashpit. Section 36, which states that the L,ocal Authoritv. if there is default, shall require the owners or the occupiers to- provide, but in the event of non-compliance they may recover expenses from the (Owner, or may by order declare the same to be private imjiro-vement expenses. St'ction 45 gives Urlian Authorities, if they think lit, power to provide in proper and convenient situations, recejitacles for the tern porary deposit and collectio-n of dust, ashes, and rubbish.