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 hamlet of Hoddesdon and the parish of Broxbourne, in the county of Hertford / by William Ranger, Superintending Inspector.

  • William Ranger
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

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 hamlet of Hoddesdon and the parish of Broxbourne, in the county of Hertford / by William Ranger, Superintending Inspector. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Condition of the Dwellings. Fever . Apoplexy Paralysis Disease of the Hea Debility from Birth Convulsions . Consumption Old Age Hooping-cough Dropsy Sudden Total 2 2 1 2 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 16 i : Mr. Gosse stated that he had known the parish for thirte years, and without exception he did not, as a medical mi know a more healthy locality. There was no epidemic nor endemic disease, although, casionally, there was small-pox and scarlatina, but it was gei rally amongst the children. During the whole period of ] residence in the hamlet, he has never seen a case of typh fever in the place, except in one instance, i. e., about six ye; ago, when he had one fatal case. Mr. Horley (medical officer of the Hoddesdon district,) cc firmed Mr. Gosse's statement as to epidemic and enden disease, and stated there was little disease from local causes. Overcrowding.—Mr. Horley said there were many instan< of overcrowded rooms in his district, where large families liv in one room. But as the district alluded to extended over part of the parish of Amwell, and the petition for inquiry h; been signed by inhabitants of the hamlet of Hoddesdon excl sively, I did not consider myself authorised to enlarge t boundary of my inquiry in the absence of the notices duly giv\ pursuant to the Act. Mr. Gosse, upon being questioned as to his knowledge instances of overcrowded rooms, stated :— I cannot say that t rooms in my district are small, but they are, at times, ov\ crowded. Privy Accommodation.—Mr. Gosse stated that in t division under his charge, he had found the privy accommod tion defective and incomplete. At the entrance to Lord-stre on the right-hand side, it was particularly bad, and that he h I made complaints to the landlord upon the su: ject, but wi what success was not shown. At Chapel Hill, there is a block of houses without an privies, the tenants of these houses throw their slops into t street, and one of them stated in explanation,— We go to t: privy at the public-house, across the other side of the street. II