Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the township of Baildon, in the county of York / by William Lee.
- Great Britain. General Board of Health
- Date:
- 1852
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants of the township of Baildon, in the county of York / by William Lee. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.
19/30 (page 17)
![I am manager of the weaving department at Clapham and Whitaker’s worsted-spinning and stuff-weaving mills. They have a great deal of wool-washing with soap, and they use the Fcir-well water for that purpose. A large quantity of soap is used in wash- ing wool. The cost of that aihicle to the firm is 7/. 185. 4,d. weekly, or 411/. 12s. Zd per annum ; and therefore, if they could have a softer water for such purpose the saving would be very con- siderable. “ Some little of the water has been boiled, and consequently softened. If for this, we were to make the same proportionate allowance as above, for washing powder, the saving in a year would be about 176/. 85. 2d. The saving in the operation of wool- washing in the remainder of Baildon would be an equal amount in addition or more. “ Mr. Jeremiah Ambler also uses soap for the same purpose, and if he could get a softer water, it would be a considerable saving to him. There is also a wash-house, called the Town wash-house, belonging to the Lord of the Manor, where the wool-combers, who are mostly poor men residing in the town, go to wash wool. The Great-well is 10 yards olF, and the water is hard. They have not to find soap, but if the water was softer it would improve the colour of the wool, and make it work better. The workman works by the piece, and he would be able to complete his work sooner, and con- sequently would earn more money. There are instances in which people find themselves damaged iii health by using this hard water. In one instance, a man and his wife have said, that after using Lane- spout water for a week, they had much difficulty in the evacua- tion of urine ; but by using Acre-well water they found relief, and the difficulty removed. Another instance is that of a man, who often uses Far-well water; he sometimes finds himself in a similar condition. On one occasion he stated he had become so bad as only to be able to pass a few drops at a time, and with much pain. He knew the reason, and one day took a walk up to the Acre-well, and drank three times heartily of that water, and in ten minutes after- wards was able to evacuate quite freely, and the urine clear, and almost colourless. ‘‘ There are some instances in which poor persons have paid as much as 10</. and I5. per week for water. They have large families, and live where water is difficult to come at, and therefore buy all they use. They also bake oat-cakes. Those who take in washing for hire are obliged to buy a large quantity of water. The large tin cans used for carrying water cost when new 2s. 6c?. each. They are generally painted, and with care will last ten years ; they would cost about each per annum in repairs.” This evidence is very clear and important. It shows the bad quality of most of the water; the inconvenience and difficulty of obtaining it; its great cost, even to the poor; the pecuniary loss from using hard water in domestic arrangements, and for manufacturing purposes; and the prejudicial effect of its use upon the health of the inha- bitants. [19] B](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24996567_0021.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
