Report of the Medical Officer of Health / Municipality of Colombo.

  • Colombo (Sri Lanka). Public Health Department
Date:
[1911]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Medical Officer of Health / Municipality of Colombo. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    12/74 page 30
    Compared with 1911 there was an increase of 1,660 in the number of cattle and of 5,256 in the number of sheep and goats slaughtered. There was, however, a decrease of 89 in the number of pigs slaughtered, but whether this is due to a lessened consumption of pork, or to an increase in the amount of illicit slaughter, I am unable to say. 18.—Registered Trades. (a) Dairies.—There were 38 dairies on the register at the beginning of the year, 9 of which were discontinued, while 10 new registrations were granted, leaving 39 on the register at the end of the year. During the year the Colombo Ladies’ League, which was started at the instance of Lady Clifford, offered a number of medals and prizes for the best kept dairies and bakeries. Committees of ladies were appointed for the purpose of inspecting and judging the premises of competitors, and the medals and prizes were awarded at the end of the year as the result of these inspections. The effect of this was to set up a beneficial rivalry amongst the competitors, which it is hoped will be maintained. The advantage of this work does not however end here, for it has the effect of bringing the best kept places to the public notice in a way which cannot be done officially, and this in turn brings the tradesmen an encouraging increase of trade. It is sincerely hoped that the Ladies’ League will continue this most useful work. An advance in the matter of dairies, which was undertaken by this department during the year, was the examination for enteric “ carriers ” by the Bacteriologist, of the blood of all milk vendors prior to granting registration. No “ carriers ” have so far been discovered. (b) Bakeries.—There were 56 bakeries on the register at the beginning of the year, 8 of which were discontinued, while 11 new registrations were granted, leaving 59 on the register at the end of the year. -There are still a number of bakeries in most unsuitable situations, but it is difficult to get them removed, although it is clearly in the best interests of the public health that such places should, after a reasonable period of grace, be closed. The decision on such matters should be based entirely upon sanitary grounds. It may at times seem hard upon individual bakers, who have carried on their trade for a number of years in a certain locality, and have so acquired a local trade connection, to be tinned out ; but many of these places have, since the bakeries were started, become overcrowded with buildings and otherwise insanitary, as the result of the uncontrolled and improper development of the locality, and the standard now set for bakeries is undoubtedly much higher than it used to be ; but this is in my opinion no proper reason for allowing these insanitary bakeries to remain indefinitely as a menace to the public health. The sword must fall sooner or later, and the sooner the better for the public health. (c) Laundries.—Apart from the fact that the work of getting the floors and walls of the laundries cemented and the provision of separate dwelling and working rooms has been continued, there is no improvement to record in regard to laundries. It is a most difficult problem. Recently, however, the question of providing a sufficient number of Municipal dhobi khanas .to serve those who wash in the lake has been and is still under consideration, and it is hoped that a scheme will ultimately be evolved which will make it possible to put a stop once and for all to washing clothes in the sewage contaminated lake. The difficulty of supervision, and of getting improvements effected, is greatly increased by the fact that dhobies having practically no stock in trade are constantly changing their houses. During 1912, for instance, 98 were discontinued, while 110 were granted registration for new houses. There were 285 dhobies’ houses on the register at the end of the year. (d) Eating-houses.—It is only by constant inspection and, where neglect is foimd, by prosecution, that eating-houses, especially the small ones, can be kept in anything like a satisfactory condition. The mess in which they are sometimes found is often the fault of the customers who are careless and dirty, throwing scraps of food upon the floor, spitting, &c., and the keepers and their inadequate staff of servants are so busy attending to them that they neglect to keep the place clean. This is especially the case in the poorer and more crowded parts of the town. There are, however, a number of very well conducted eating-houses. Like the dhobies, the eating-house keepers are constantly changing their places of business. During 1912, 102 were discontinued while 118 new registrations were granted, leaving 303 on the register at the end of the year. (/) Aerated Water Factories.—There were 15 of these on the register at the end of the year, 10 being in Slave Island alone. Some of them are very well kept, while others are a constant source of trouble to this department. Just as in the case of most other trades, it is the petty trader who gives most trouble and requires the greatest amount of attention from the sanitary staff. 19.—Cemeteries. The General Cemeteries are Kanatta, Madampitiya, and Liveramentu. The Council’s staff control only so much of these cemeteries as has not been handed over to the Episcopalians and the Roman Catholics. A good deal of improvement has been effected in the appearance of the General Cemetery by the construction of the lych-gate and by the work of the garden staff. It is hoped that in time this may become one of the most beautiful spots in Colombo, as it ought to be. Madampitiya and Liveramentu cemeteries are both in a very neglected condition, and it is hoped that the appointment of the two new keepers will improve matters. Already Madampitiya shows signs of improvement ; but both there and at Liveramentu it will take some time and money to put them into a satisfactory state. 20.—Work Statements. (a) Sanitary Inspectors (14 men and 1 woman Inspector).—It is the duty of Sanitary Inspectors to be constantly finding fault with and getting those punished who do not comply with the sanitary laws. Therefore the more energetic and fearless an Inspector is in carrying out his duty the greater is the number of persons against whom he has to proceed. It is thus obviously impossible for a good Sanitary Inspector to escape making enemies, especially in a place such as Colombo, where a very large section of the population is not only grossly careless in sanitary matters, but resents being compelled to observe the sanitary regulations. As everyone knows, the very first weapon which is generally used here by an enemy is the false charge, and it is not therefore surprising that not a year passes without the Sanitary Inspectors as a class being assailed with charges of blackmailing and other misconduct. The result of this is that a well-nigh intolerable atmosphere of suspicion and distrust has arisen around these men, making it extremely difficult for even an honest man to carry out his duty without the risk of being made the subject of attack. How far this distrust is justified it is exceedingly difficult to say, but personally I think the Inspectors as a class are a much maligned body. Nevertheless the feeling undoubtedly exists. That being so, it is hard to understand why one of the most effective means of checking the Inspectors, viz., a Chief Sanitary Inspector, has been denied this department, in spite of my repeated requests that such an officer should be appointed. This is, I should think, almost the only town of importance in the world which does not employ a Chief Sanitary Inspector, and I must again repeat my request that such an officer be appointed. Not only is it most depressing for the staff to have to work in an atmosphere of bU p cion and distrubt, but, if matters are allowed to continue as at present, it will become impossible to get good men to come forward as candidates for inspectorships. Nothing but a grave concern for the future of this d par' meat would have induced me to bring up this most distasteful subject; but I feel that it is only fair to the m n under me that their side of the case should be represented. [ 314 ]
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