Volume 2

First-[second] report of the Royal Sanitary Commission.

  • Great Britain. Royal Sanitary Commission
Date:
1869-1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: First-[second] report of the Royal Sanitary Commission. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

    276/418 (page 256)
    Constitution of Local Authority. Districts. Officers. Medical Advice. Inspection. Hospital Accommoda- tion. Treatment, &c., of Disease. Sewerage, &c. Water Supply, &c. qns. 1, 8>12. 2-1, ft9-50. 3.3-15, 19. 16-13, 20-28. 29-34. 35 38, 57. 6ft. Batley. (Yorkshire,W.R.). P. H. Act applied b J Order in Coi ncii, upon the petition of the i nhabitants, in 1853. The district was divided into wards, and the number of mem- bers of the board increased from 9 to 15 by Provisional Or- der in 1863. The district (a municipal borough) is contermi- nous with the township of B.^TLEY. A. - - 2,038 0 0 R.V. - £52,680 0 0 P. (now about) 20,000. H. (1861) 2,990. There has been a great and rapid increase since last census. D.R. (about) 25. All the adjoining dis- tricts are govei-ned by local boards. [See No. 81.] Inspector of Nui- sances, 21s. per week. There is no health officer. A factory inspec- tor for a large district which included this township. There is a certify- ing surgeon un- der the Factory Acts for the township. No advice from a medical source. There is no regu- lar inspection. Powers for in- specting food are efficient. No contribution to hos- pitals. Carbolic acid, disinfect- ing powder has been and is frequently used. Infected patients are con- veyed by private con- veyances and hackney cabs. Coroner not a medical man. No sanitary reports by the guardians. No registration of disease. Epidemics ascertained by report of the sanitary inspector. Means suf- ficient and immediately acted on. A record of death and disease is published by the guardians. There have been three outbreaks of scarlatina and diseases among children such as mea- sles and small-pox. The sewerage and drainage can scarcely be said to be sufficient, as the population is much scattered. The drainage has, however, pro- gressed, and most of the populated portion of the bo- rough is now tolerably well drained. House drains are ventilated by rainfall pipes and the grates in the streets. The solid sewage is taken away by farmers and others, the liquid principally drains into the neighbouring ' beck ' or watercourse, which runs through the town. Houses are generally supplied with privies not capable of being flushed with water. Some with waterclosets. Houses generally drain into the sewers. Water supply is principally by towns water under the Dewsbury, Batley, and Heckmondwike Water- works Acts, and partly from private sources. Water is laid on to most of the houses, but there is not a constant supply. Rain- fall is partly taken into tanks and rain-butts. The to^vn water is of excellent quality. Tenements without water supply, and needing it. No abandoned works. No imperfectly construpted works. The expenditure by Batley for permanent works of water sujjply has been near 60,000?. ; the works are to supply Dewsbury, Batley, and Heckmondwike. The Batley Board has authority over the works within their district. 65. Bedford. (Bedfordshire), Mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of the borough. The L. G. Act was adopted un- der \ 12, partly April 1862, wholly January 1864. A provisional or- der under § 77 has been made. The horougli of Bedford is conterminous with five Poor Law parishes. A. - - 1,902 0 0 R.V.(abt.)f51,583 0 0 P. (1861) - 13,412. H., no answer. f Burials in ceme- tery, 1866, 249. P, P J 1867, 272. ^•'^•l 1868, 312. Other burials about 10 a year. There is no adjoining dis- trict which should be included. Treasurer''s Clerh, 250?. ; Surveyor, 250?.; Manager of land used for irrigation, 2?. 2s. per week; Iii- spector of Nui- sances, 201. per annum ; Engine drivers, 24s. and 21s. per week, respectively. iVb health officer. A factory inspec- tor visits the district. No certifying sur- geon. Mem- bers of the medical profes- sion have been employed on special occa- sions. There is no in- spection made except by the Inspector of Nuisances. Powers for in- specting food are believed to No contribution to hos- pitals. Infectious cases are ad- mitted in an hospital within the district. No disinfecting appa- ratus. A conveyance for infec- tious patients is provided at the hospital. Coroner is a medical practitioner. Not known whether guardians have ob- tained sanitary reports. Registration of disease has not been attempted. No specific means of as- certaining the presence of epidemic disease. Means might be but have not yet been found in- sufficient. Information given is acted upon. A record of diseases and deaths is kept at the in- firmary. Typhoid fever is occasion- ally prevalent, but the complaint has been pretty evenly distributed throughout the neigh- bouring villages. No difficulty in meeting the outbreaks. No unhealthy districts. Sewerage and drainage of the district is considered suffi- cient. Subsoil is not water- logged. Sewers are venti- lated, partly by special pipes, partly by rain pipes. Sewers and house drains are carefully trapped. Sewage is disposed of by irrigation upon land leased by the local authority. No change has been made. No legal difficulty has arisen. Houses generally have water- closets or privies capable of being flushed with water, and drain into the sewers. Water supply is by water- works. When the rental is under 20?. the board have power to compel water to be laid on, and where it is laid on there is a constant supply. -Rrt/n/a?? is utilized to some extent (? privately). \ 76 P. H. Act and 5 51 L. G. Act have not been acted upon. No abandoned works. Works constructed are be- lieved to be well done, and sufficient for the purposes intended. No district beyond that of the local authority is supplied with water. 66. Bideford. (Devonshire). TheL. G.Act was adopted under § 12, Jan. 1869. No provisional order under § 77. The district is contermi- nous viiVn ihc parish of BiDErORD. A. - - 3,190 0 0 R.V. - £14,578 9 6 P. - - 6,742. H. (Large increase within last 10 years). D.R. There is no adjoining dis- trict which should be included. Surveyor, 100?. per annum. Inspector of nui- sances, 8?. per annum. There is no public health officer. No advice from a medical source. Annual inspec- tion from house to house. Powers for in- specting food are efficient. No contribution to hos- pitals. No disinfecting appa- ratus. Coroner is a medical practitioner. Epidemics ascertainable through the report of the inspector of nui- sances. Means sufficient. Infonuation immediately acted on. No special outbreak of disease since 1853. No unhealthy district. The L. B. are now carrying out a general system of drainage for the whole town. Soil is not waterlogged. Seivers ventilated partly by charcoal ventilation, partly by rain pipes. House drains are carefully trapped. Drainage is carried into the river Torridge, which flows through the town. No change has been made, and no difficulties have yet arisen. Houses do not at present drain into the public sewers; but it is intended to connect the whole of houses and closets with the main sewers now- being laid. The local board are now carrying out a system of water supply. The supply will be constant. A large reservoir, capable of holding 22,000,000, will be con- structed on a stream near the town. No drainage runs into the stream. No abandoned works. No imperfectly constructed works. The waterworks are all within the district.