Administration report / Public Health Department, Colombo Municipality.
- Colombo (Sri Lanka). Public Health Department
- Date:
- [1920]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Administration report / Public Health Department, Colombo Municipality. Source: Wellcome Collection.
41/78 page 12
![source of infection of the 3(59 cases acquired outside the town attributed to 85 uiiieient places in ad parts of the Island, the worst places being as follows :_ Malaria. Place of infection. Kurunegala Anuradhapura Chilaw Polgahawela Maha ra Mirigania Heneratgoda Puttalam Rambukkana Kegalle No. of Cases. 40 35 29 2i] 1(5 12 10 10 9 9 For an account of Mosqaito Prevention work, see section 20. II. ADMINISTRATION. 18. GcUGral Sanitary W^ork.— Ihe details of the work carried out in each ward by the Sanitary Inspectors are given in Statement 30 and include 41,606 domiciliary inspections, the service of 699 notices, the institution of 2,119 prosecutions, with 1,986 convictions, and the imposition of fines amounting to Rs. 15,035/75. 20 insanitary tenements were closed ; 1,651 filthy premises were cleansed by the Public Health Department staff ; 8,932 premises in plague areas were pesterined ; 2,873 were claytonised : 2,291 were partially unroofed and re-roofed in searching for rat nests; 35,145 rat holes were fumigated during the course of which 2,828 rats were killed ; 2,137 dwellings were disinfected ; 6,066 buildings were limewashed by the owners at the instance of the Department; 20 dangerously polluted wells and 21 cess-pits were filled up ; 134 loads including 5,154 articles were passed through the steam disinfector during the year. 19. Latrines and Cesspits.— Municipal Latrines and Bathing Places,—Three new public latrines were opened during the year, situated at Vuistwyke Road, Leyden Bastian Road and Hunupitiya, bringing the total in the town up to 32. The total accommodation thus provided in the town is as follows :— Accommodation. Latrine?. Seats. Urinals. Bathing Places. Men. Women. Men. Men. Women. 32 312 140 236 155 69 The sanitary condition in which these latrines were maintained was very satisfactory, although the accommodation in some of them is very far short of the requirements. More of these very useful public conveniences are certainly required. Cesspits.—A recent survey disclosed a total of 531 cesspits in the town, all of which will have to be closed in view of the decision to abandon the night-soil trenching ground at Narahen- pitiya, which has been rendered possible by the construction of tipping depots where the contents of closets not yet connected to the sewers can be discharged into the sewers instead of being carted out to and buried at Narahenpitiya. 20. Mosquito prevention.—2,070 premises including 4,770 tenements were inspected in connection with mosquito breeding, with the result that 90,398 potential and 3,907 actual breeding places were found, all of which were abolished or oiled. 79 complaints from householders were received, in connection with which 363 premises were inspected, with the result that 1,530 actual breeding places were found. The services of the small Anti-mosquito gang have been much appreciated by the house-holders, and many communica¬ tions expressing thanks have been received, in which connection I have much pleasure in recording the excellent work done by Relief Inspector Anthonisz and the men of the Anti¬ mosquito gang. Although the sanctioned mosquito prevention staff is one Sub-Inspector, six Overseers and 12 coolies, the Sub-Inspector has seldom had at his command more than two Overseers and four coolies, for the reason that since Plague appeared most of the Anti-mosquito staff have had to be employed on Plague work. The Council has however recently sanctioned the appointment of a small special staff for Plague work which will it is hoped make it possible to relieve the mosquito men to some extent and enable them to give more attention to their mosquito pi-evention work. Major James, I.M S., after studying the mosquito problem in Colombo for a year, reported that “ in Colombo the climatic and other conditions are peculiarly favourable to the presence of mosquitoes in great variety and abundance. The mosquitoes of Colombo comprise at least 50 different species, of which no fewer than 15 are either dangerous or so numerous and troublesome as to be a pest He recommended the passing of an Ordinance to deal with the prevention of mosquito breeding, but although such a measure has already been adopted in nearly every other tropical Colony in the Empire, no legislation has yet been sanctioned for Colombo. Major James calculated that provided an Ordinance such as he recommended were adopted, making the house¬ holder and land owner responsible for preventing the breeding of mosquitoes on his premises, a prevention staff of one special Inspector, two Sub-Inspectors, 32 Overseers and 40 coolies would be required to deal with Colombo, while without the backing of a special Ordinance, it would require not less than two Senior Inspectors, nine Sub-Inspectors, 130 trained overseers, 280 coolies, and several skilled mechanics.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b31753516_0041.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
