Dr. R. Deane Sweeting's report to the Local Government Board on the sanitary circumstances and administration of the Ramsey Urban District, with special reference to the prevalence of scarlatina.

  • Sweeting, R. Deane.
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Dr. R. Deane Sweeting's report to the Local Government Board on the sanitary circumstances and administration of the Ramsey Urban District, with special reference to the prevalence of scarlatina. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Dr. R. Deane Sweeting’s Report to the Local Government Board on the Sanitary Cir- cumstances and Administration of the Ramsey Urban District, with especial reference to the Prevalence of Scarlatina. Arthur Newsholme, Medical Officer, 8th November, 1909. This inquiry was ordered by the Board in consequence of questions addressed to the President in the House of Commons in July, 1909, by the Member for the Northern Division of Hunting- donshire, in which the Ramsey Urban District is situated. The parish of Ramsey, then controlled by a local board, was inspected by the late Dr. Airy in 1875. The following prhis of his report appears in the Medical Officer’s report for that year :— “ Prevalence of zymotic disease, especially of enteric fever. Cottages old and dilapidated, and rendered damp by want of proper eaves-guttering and spouting. Canal rendered offensive by inflow of sewage. Sewers insufficiently provided with ventilation and means of flushing. No regular system of excrement removal. Nuisance from pig-keeping. No hospital accommodation. ’ ’ In 1903 an inspection of the town of Ramsey was made by the Rural Housing and Sanitation Association, and a report was forwarded to the Board which contained severe strictures on its sanitary state, especially as regards working-class housing accom- modation. In November, 1908, the County Council of Huntingdon forwarded to the Board a report by their consulting medical officer of health, Dr. Wilkinson, on “ the prevalence of infectious disease, and “ sanitary conditions existing in the Urban District of Ramsey.” In this report, dated October, 1908, Dr. Wilkinson described in detail a considerable prevalence of scarlatina during the first eight months of 1908, the continuance of which he ascribed to— (1) The absence of any means of hospital isolation. (2) The incomplete isolation of the patients in their homes. (3) The negleet of proper disinfection of clothing, &c. (4) Other secondary causes, including attendance at school of contacts and of recovered patients in inadequately dis- infected elothes ; and predisposition to infectious disease by insanitary vaults and ashpits in confined yards. LONDON: PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY’S STATIONERY OFFICE, By darling & SON, Ltd., 34-40, Bacon Steeet, E. And to be purchased, either dii-ectly or through any Bookseller, from WYMAN AND SONS, Ltd., Fetter Lane, E.C. ; or OLIVER & BOYD, Tweeddale Court, Edinburgh; or E. PONSONBY, 116, Gr.aeton Street, Dublin. 1909. No. 19. Price Threepence. (U220—21.) Wt. 16027—871. 500. 11/09. D & S. A