Report by Professor W.J. Simpson on sanitary matters in various West African colonies and the outbreak of plague in the Gold Coast.
- William Simpson
- Date:
- 1909
Licence: In copyright
Credit: Report by Professor W.J. Simpson on sanitary matters in various West African colonies and the outbreak of plague in the Gold Coast. 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.
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![Even if a pail system were substituted the latrines with the pails in them should not be nearer than this minimum distance to the places mentioned. Suhdivkion of buildiiKj pLots (lisoruamzes all arraiiijeiaents for excreta disposal. (oO) It will thus be seen that the dividing up of plots and building on them causes something more than overcrowding and difficulties in drainage and scavenging, for it renders a satisfactory arrangement for the excreta of the dift'erent households an impossibility unless a water carriage system is introduced, which for Freetown as a whole, with its scant supply of water, its financial position, its varied population, and its crowded areas, is at present quite impracticable. This is an additional reason that a law should be introduced to prevent building plots from being divided. Retention of cesspools^ introduction of pail sijstciu^ or adoption ofhotJt si/stcnis. (31) The method of dis])osal of excreta and suUiage water in Freetown resolves itself into either the retention of cesspools under improved conditions or the introduction of a pail system or the adoption of both systems according to circumstances. Disadvantages of a pail system,, for the whole of Freetoion. (o2) The introduction of a pail system for the whole of Freetown would involve a very large expense to the householders in buying a double set of pails, in maintaining the pails, which soon get worn and out of order, in filling uj) the existing cesspools, and con- structing proper latrines for the pails. The system Avould also involve a large establish- ment maintained by a munici})al rate for the daily removal of the soiled pails from every house and the substitution of clean pails at the time of removal. This establishment would have to be maintained, because in a po[)ulation such as that of Freetown, with its 40,000 inhabitants, not brought up by custom as in some places to remove its own excreta, the laying of the burden of removing the night soil from the premises upon the servants of the household, or on the children, besides being very undesirable would also turn out to be most unsatisfactory. Private pail removal frovn houses is seldom satis- factory or efficient. A special establishm.ent has to be kept for the purpose. Over 250 men would have to Ije specially employed in removing the pails in Freetown were the pail system introduced, and these would have to be supervised by well paid and trust- worthy inspectors. About one tliird of the pails would re(|uire to be renewed every year. Methods ichich mat/ be adopted. (33) For the present, then, and for many years to come until there is a very abundant supply of water, the situation resolves itself into an improvement in the cesspools for the native population, the use of the pail system with dry earth for the Europeans, who are a small connnunity, as well as for any of the better class natives who may prefer it, also the adoption of the pail system for ])ublic latrines. When Freetown has such a water supj^y as was once proposed by Mr. Chadwick, as it may at some future time, and when its finances have recovered from the expenditure involved and are once more in a flourishing state, then the central part of the town might easily have a water carriage system, but it would be unsuitable for the rest of the town. There are only eight public latrines in Freetown. There should be at least forty. Methods to reduce the risk to health due to cesspools. (3-1) In some respects Freetown has not the disadvantages that would accrue to other towns with a cesspool system, viz., cesspools in an earthy soil, which favours the breeding of an enormous number of flies. It has a rocky soil which is more or less porous and with the abolition of wells, which should be compulsory, the danger of a contaminated water sup})ly is removed. The underground water is undoubtedly polluted by the cesspocjls, as shown by the bacteriological analysis of the King Jimmy \^alley and the liobo Combo Springs by Professor Hewlett, sam})les of which I had sent to him. The report is as follows :— Dkpaiitment of Gekdkal Pathology and Bacteriolo(;y, King's College (Univeksity of Loxdon). Siu, ' Strand, AV.C. I beg to report results of bacteriological examination of two samples of water received in sealed bottles (seal unbroken) on December lUtli, I'JOS. I. Labelled Specimen of water taken ivom the King Jimmv Valley spring, Freetown, on the 20th November, 1008. R. H. Kenuan, Ag. P.M.O. 1. The number of micro-organisms developing on a gelatine plate at 2LfC. averaged 300 per cubic centimetre (about 16 drops).](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21365398_0035.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
