Report on sanitary matters in the districts of Grand Port and Savanne / by Andrew Balfour.

  • Andrew Balfour
Date:
[1921]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on sanitary matters in the districts of Grand Port and Savanne / by Andrew Balfour. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The Market is fairly satisfactory but the roof leaks and requires attention. Beef and fish are not sold in it. The Slaughter House is a very creditable place and is drained to the sea. Some cleaning up was required in the neighbourhood. Rather remarkable features are the deep covered pits for offal. They are well constructed, well managed and appear to give rise to very little nuisance, save possibly when they are emptied. I was very glad to find in Mahebourg a small open air Laundry, the waste from which passes dirctly to the sea. There are two Bake-houses, neither of them satisfactory and both which will have to conform to the new regulations. The solitary Aerated Water Factory is fairly good. ‘The proprietor agreed to get rid of a sand and charcoal filter which he was using and which was unnecessary and a possible source of contamination. The Manioe Bisewt Factory is a primitive kind of place some distance from the town but there is no nuisance there. The deep pit latrine which serves the employees is distinctly better than any pail system could be. A cover should be provided for the opening. There seems no danger of the well being contaminated from the latrine pit. A Swamp at Ville Noire has been drained and no longer breeds mos- quitoes but stegomyia larve were found in vases at the Parish Cemetery despite the presence of a notice regarding the use of sand. At Pointe des Regates there is a nuisance owing to the improper use of rubbish for reclaiming low-lying land. This was pointed out to the Sanitary Warden. Four Schools were inspected. In all, the latrines were very unsatisfactory, the buildings being either defective and unsuitable or the closets being in a filthy condition due, in part, as is always the case, to their faulty construction. In the case of the Boys’ Government School the accommodation for pupils is inadequate while the premises of the Boys’ R. C. Aided School were in such a disgraceful condition that it was felt necessary to submit a special memorandum regarding them. (My 161/R/57 of 9.7.21.) of The following Statistics regarding the Schools are of some interest : tirls’ Government School: Pupils on roll 183, Average attendance 145. Boys’ Government School: Pupils on roll 282, Average attendance 168. Girls’ R.C. Aided School : Pupils on roll 213, Average va ftoneenice Lae Boys’ R.C. Aided School : Pupils on roll 130, Average attendance 81. The Police Station was found to be ina very cleanly condition but the kitchen required whitewashing. The Hospital will be considered in the medical report which will deal with hospitals and dispensaries. Here all that need be said is that the disposal of sullage water left much to be desired as pointed out in my No. 160/R/56 and Hen of 9.7.21 and 18.7.21. Rose BELLE. ;is a village of the usual type containing about 6,119 inhabitants. The Sanitary Staff consists of a Sanitary Inspector who has to look after a district LO miles by 15 miles with a population of 26,000, one sanitary guard and five labourers who attend to rat-catching amongst other duties. The District Board supplies an Inspector and a sanitary guard who have no special training. Notes have been kept regarding all the places visited but here I would only mention that the Railway Camp isa place unfit for human habitation with dark, ill-ventilated, back-to-back dwellings recalling caves rather than houses for human beings, filthy latrines and a defective catch-pit for urine in which mosquito larvee were swarming; that the latrines nearly everywhere are unsatisfactory and that flies abound. The main Water Supply, of good quality, is derived from Rivulet Casse Couteau, a feeder of the Citron River. The dam was visited. It is remote from any road and the only risk of contamination is from “chasse” parties. This element of danger should certainly be eliminated for there is no filtration plant. A subsidiary supply is obtained fram the Mahebourg pipe line. The Night Soi Service is carried out by a contractor who for 300 pails employs 2 carts and 6 men. The place of disposal is an open Engrais at Rose Belle Estate. There is a daily removal in the case of government buildings and the usual unsatisfactory tri-weekly removal elsewhere. The Scavenging Service is stated to be well performed. One cart and 5 men are deemed adequate. The Bake house, in which fowls were found, required whitewashing. Market. Slaughter house Laundry. Bake-houses Aerated Water Factory. Biscuit Factory. Cemetery. Schools. Police Station. Rose Belle. Sanitary Staff. Water Supply. Night soil service. Scavenging service. Bake house.
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