Dr. F.W. Barry's report to the Local Government Board on the general sanitary circumstances of the Walker urban district / [Fred. W. Barry].

  • Barry, Frederick W. (Frederick William), 1850-1897
Date:
[1883]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. F.W. Barry's report to the Local Government Board on the general sanitary circumstances of the Walker urban district / [Fred. W. Barry]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    2 Some houses have no means of drainage whatever, and the inhabitants are obliged either to throw their slops into the road or into the middens. Examples of these are to be found at The Hemmels, East Pit Houses, &c. A number of ashpits have been connected with the sewers, a course of procedure which will undoubtedly in time lead to the silting up of the sewers, and which, from the putrid nature of the liquid running in from the middens, will give rise to most offensive emanations from the ventilators. In such houses as have been furnished with waterclosets the soil pipes do not appear in any instance to have been efficiently ventilated. The utmost that has been considered necessary is the carrying of a pipe of small diameter from the highest point of the soil pipe to the roof. The byelaws at present possessed by the Sanitary Authority will, if properly carried out, enable them in future to enforce an efficient method of ventilation both of soil pipes and house drains. Y. Excrement and Refuse Disposal.—The uncovered midden privy constitutes the usual means of closet accommodation in this district, and, as elsewhere in the Tyne¬ mouth. Union, is so constructed and managed as to give rise to very considerable nuisance. The middens are nearly all unroofed and sunk below the level of the ground, and frequently, in addition to the rain falling into them, they receive all the slops and liquid refuse of the household. Hence wetness and rapid decomposition of the con¬ tents, together with saturation of the soil near the foundations of houses, are ensured. The nuisance and danger to health from these middens is very great, especially when they are situated in close proximity to the windows of houses and to highways. Many of them are of enormous size. The privies are almost universally constructed so as to prevent the proper mingling of ashes with excreta. Many of the middens are in a most dilapidated condition, and in consequence the ashes and refuse overflow into the yards, which are, as already noticed, frequently unpaved. Several were noticed which were leaky, and in consequence the liquid filth was running across the roadway. The following examples may be cited from a list of similar cases :— Low Walker. Porter’s Buildings, Fisher Street; new houses built in flats. Large uncovered privy middens ; leaky ashpits; liquid filth oozing into back street. Western Glower. Houses furnished with enormous ashpits ; doors for emptying them very high above the level of the street, and in consequence the outer wall in the street is coated with filth; a most disgusting sight, and a great nuisance. The Corner. A huge privy midden of about 1,000 cubic feet capacity. Ashes and filth all over the yard. The closet attached to the midden in a most disgusting state, the floor, seat, &c. being covered with excrement. Back Victoria Street. A number of leaky ashpits noticed. The Point. Dilapidated middens. Filth overflowing into unpaved yards. Con¬ siderable nuisance stated to be caused here from the sulphuretted hydrogen evolved by the decomposition of the old alkali heaps. The Authority by their present byelaws have ample powers to deal with the con¬ struction of these receptacles, and it is much to be regretted that in some property that has been recently erected, since the byelaws came into operation, these regulations have not been enforced. In the property in question, the midden was so constructed as to be common to four closets, and measured 18 feet in length, 6 feet in width, and 4 feet in depth, which represents a capacity of 432 feet. The byelaws limit the size of middens to 8 cubic feet. Further comment on this is unnecessary. The Sanitary Authority undertakes the removal of the midden contents, but from the accumulations which existed at the time of my inspection it was evident that this had been very badly carried out. There can be no question that the inhabitants themselves are not very anxious to have their receptacles cleared oftener than is abso¬ lutely necessary, as, from the present construction of the middens, there is undoubtedly more nuisance caused to the surrounding houses when, after scavenging, fresh excreta and the sodden walls of the middens are exposed to the sun and rain than when they are covered up by large heaps of ashes and dry refuse. Considerable difficulty also arises in this district in effecting sufficiently frequent scavenging, owing’to the large amount of waste coal which the inhabitants obtain at a very low price. The method of scavenging also demands special notice. The contents of the middens, which, as already stated, are always in a more or less sloppy condition, are thrown out, not into the cart, but into the back street, whence they are afterwards (in some cases, it is stated, after an interval of two or three days) carted away, although this method of 22502707979
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