Medical and sanitary report / Government of the Gold Coast.

  • Gold Coast. Medical Department
Date:
[1895]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical and sanitary report / Government of the Gold Coast. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    40/46 (page 38)
    APPENDIX 13. REPORT ON THE HALF-YEARLY INSPECTION OF THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES IN THE ELMINA DISTRICT. Of the villages on the seaboard the most important are English and Dutch Kommenda. The former is the larger of the two and in it the Public Health Ordinance is enforced to a certain extent by the presence of two policemen. I found the town in a fairly clean condition. The pig nuisance, however, still prevails to a certain extent, and a few of these animals as well as some sheep were seen roving about chiefly in the neighbourhood of the beach. The instruc¬ tions given at a previous visit of the Medical Officer in regard to the disposal of rubbish have been carried out and vegetable or other refuse is now either burnt close to the beach, or buried in pits dug for the purpose. Although there are no public latrines in the town the beach was found to be free from objectionable odours, which, however, might be attributed to the high tides prevailing at the time the town was inspected. As the water used for drinking purposes is carried from a considerable distance, its source was not visited. There are a few superficial wells or rather shallow pits which supply water for washing. Vaccination does not appear to have been carried out within recent years; many children and adults were examined but no marks discovered. The Chiefs were interviewed on the subject and I fear that there would be considerable difficulty in getting the people to submit to anything like a satisfactory protective vaccination. The Government quarters in the ruined fort are in good condition as regards stability of structure, but if to be used as a Rest House for Officers travelling they should be provided with more furniture, particularly in the bedroom. The water in the Government tank is grossly impure, having a dark brown colour due probably to tar washed off the roof of the house. The kitchen and latrine attached to these quarters are in good condition. Dutch Kommenda was found to be in a reasonably clean state in spite of the numerous pigs occupying the street. There is a stagnant pond in the centre of the village, which certainly does not improve the salubrity of the locality. As in English Kommenda the houses are lofty, well-built, and not packed together as occurs in many of the villages along the coast. No vaccination has been done in the neighbourhood, nor has any attempt been made to carry out the suggestion previously made to the Chief as to desirability of digging pits to be used as latrines. Nevertheless, the flow of the tide appears to keep the beach in a satisfactory condition. Ampanie.—Houses too close together; pigs in abundance; streets fairly clean; no vaccination; water supply too distant to be visited. Brainie Akinim preserves the excellent reputation accorded to it by a previous Medical Officer and presents a marked contrast to the towns on each side of it. There is an air of comfort and respectability about it which would do credit to a town of sufficient importance. The houses are for the most part lofty, of good structure, and each is surrounded by an open space. The streets are wide and clean and weeds are not allowed to grow in them to any extent. Vaccination appears to have been largely carried out among the rising generation but there are still many children unprotected. There is a subsoil well of excellent construction which supplies water for washing. Drinking water is carried from a source some distance away. The portion of the town known as upper town is evidently the “poor quarter.” It is situated on an eminence overlooking a pretty lagoon. The houses are smaller and more crowded than in the “ lower town,” and the pig forms part of the family and is at liberty to go and come as he pleases. Even here, however, the streets are kept very tidy and rubbish is collected in heaps at some distance from the houses. There is nothing, however, to show how it is ultimately disposed of. Of Anquandah, Akinim, and Bantamah there is nothing to say more than that they are examples of the usual type of duly native village on the beach, no attempt being made either to keep the streets clean or to otherwise conform to the Public Health Ordinance.