Report of a committee on a plan for cleansing the drains of Black Town.

Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of a committee on a plan for cleansing the drains of Black Town. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of Scavengers is extensively required lor the streets and open drains, but that the main drains have always been defective in their operation. 4. The project under consideration is to provide such a head of water, as to secure a current of water through the drains and sewers of all the districts, sufficient to keep them constantly clean and sweet; and taking for granted the feasibility of securing such a quantity of water as will attain this object, the important question now submitted for the consideration of the Medical Board is, whether more effectual cleansing is really needed, and whether scouring or flushing, by water, would accomplish this more efficiently than by means of Scavengers ; and it would be of great value, if the Board could state any facts to prove the necessity for greater cleanliness, and whether, after a long conti- nuance of dry weather, the offensive exhalations increase, and consequent there- on, disease ; and whether the facts that, after a fall of rain, the Sea along the beach is more than usually saturated with filth, discharged from the sewers of the town, does not prove the necessity for more constant scouring; so as, if possible, to carry off all refuse quickly and before entire fermentation has com- menced. The cost at which this project can be carried out is an important point for consideration, and as the works, for the water, for the sewerage can be added to without any great outlay, in proportion to the additional store of water to be secured, it would be economical to make the works useful for other purposes than the mere cleansing of Madras : probably the attention of your Board may have been given to the sufficiency or insufficiency of water for do- mestic uses, and they may be enabled to state, whether water is in general de- ficient, or only in particular localities deficient j and whether if an ample sup- ply of good water, in far greater quantity than hitherto, were supplied, un- nealthmess and inconvenience would be alleviated. 5. This Board would be obliged by being furnished with an estimate of the quantity of water consumed by the people in different parts of Madras fheWelqU Y' S°UrCe °btained' andfr°m What ^ance from wntinfTati°n W0Uld be USeM aS a^uide for estimating the quantity of ^ require, different districts for domestic purposely comparing t pt h u eTstgenerally —d at from £ to 65 gallons L nf , J SallonsPer individual per diem, equal to about 2 cubic ^^£^™J^^«^ of water for each house^ aiem, would be an approximation. * household toTe^eMfa„TVn T> ™h 1 ou chatties of water daily, or about the Home eonsump.
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