[Report 1908] / Medical Officer of Health, Dunmow R.D.C.

  • Great Dunmow (England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1908
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1908] / Medical Officer of Health, Dunmow R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    total disagreement between the County Medical Officer of Health (a justly esteemed authority on water supplies) and the Analyst of the Local Government Board. On the whole, therefore, I consider Dr. Bulstrode’s report to give a fairly true view of the existing conditions, its few inaccuracies being the natural outcome of an attempt to report on twenty-five parishes from facts gathered in a few days visit. Moreover, it can hardly be denied that he was anxious to see the worst features, and these were unhesitatingly pointed out to him by the Sanitary Inspector and myself. Housing Accommodation and Overcrowding. In this matter Dr. Bulstrode’s report does not materially differ from previous annua] reports I have made to the Council. I have drawn attention to the inferior quality of the houses in some of the parishes (1904), and to the better condi- tions generally prevailing in the more rural places (1907). At the same time I can hardly agree with the statement that “ brick cottages generally prevail.” As regards overcrowding, the house-to-house inspection, at present being carried out, may bring to light unsuspected cases, but that overcrowding, dirt and dilapidation are at all widely spread I entirely disbelieve. Moreover, seeing the close connection between overcrowding and infantile mortality our rate of 5*8 per cent, compares very favour- ably with the general rate for rural counties of 9*9. Whenever it occurs, the difficulty of dealing with overcrowding is increased by the want of cottages with more than two bedrooms. The whole question of the housing of the working classes is difficult of solution, even by much more affluent com- munities than our own, and I would not wish to under-estimate its necessity. Such being the case, I consider that the Council would be well-advised should they deal immediately with defects brought to their notice as the house-to-house inspection of the district proceeds. This inspection will naturally take a long time, during which, existing dilapidations will not rectify them- selves, and, moreover, much useful experience in dealing with such cases will be gradually acquired. In bringing pressure to bear on property owners, one is immediately confronted with the question of rents, but I can- not see that this need interfere with the action of a public body.