[Report 1907] / Medical Officer of Health, Ely R.D.C.

  • Ely (England). Rural District Council.
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1907] / Medical Officer of Health, Ely R.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    re(]uire sanitary attention. Durini*^ the past few years houses unfit for human habitation Imve been in due coui'se reported, and either repaired or vacated, and in some instances have been pulled down, so that there is less defect of this character than formerly. The house accommodation at Littleport has been materially increased, so that the insufficiency adverted to in some of my past reports is not so pressing ; there are in some parfs a few squatters occupying their own houses, which in the nature of things are not so satisfactory as the houses owned by persons of some pecuniary means ; these defects are, however, to a large extent balanced by the open space about the houses, and, indeed, there are very few instances in the villages proper of serious density of population. Where there is ample space the cleanliness of the surroundings varies very much according to the character of the occupants of the houses. Any serious conditions of this kind are kept under conti’ol by the activity of the Inspector of Nuisances. It has become the practice in many parts of the district to cover the thatched houses with corrugated iron, whereby are combined the advantages of the non-conductivity of heat by the thatch, cleanliuesss of the external surfaces of the roofs, and suitability for the collection of rain water. One case of overcrowding at Littleport has been abated by an addition to the house. One case at AVardy Hill, Coveney, has been abated bv the removal of Dart of the family. */ L Houses have been erected during the year at the following villages :—Haddenham, 2 ; Littleport, 17 ; Stretham, 1 ; Sutton, 2 ; Downham, 3. Although there is no official supervision over the erection of new houses, in every instance a certificate as required by Section 6 of the Public Health (AA^ater) Act, 1878, is insisted upon before occupancy. It is worth the consideration of the Council whether they should take advantage of the provisions of the Housing of the AA'orking