HH62/1/ABERD/55

Transcription

[Page] 54

In the outlying districts, many of the old uncomfortable,
draughty farm-houses have been replaced by new and more
comfortable buildings. The want of a cottage hospital," he
says, "is sometimes felt."

ABOYNE, BIRSE, AND LUMPHANAN. - Dr. Keith describes an
outbreak of diphtheria that occurred in the parish of Aboyne,
and which was due, in his opinion, to pollution of the well
from which the drinking water was obtained. He directed
the well to be disused, and the "house to be pulled down,
as it was at best a mere hovel."
An outbreak of typhoid fever in the village gave rise to
uneasiness regarding the water supply, and several analyses
were made without any result. Dr. Keith regrets the
entire absence of hospital accommodation in the district.

KINCARDINE O'NEIL. - Dr. Cran reports:- "The sanitary
condition of the houses of the working classes is fairly
good, but in many cases they sleep in rooms small, badly
ventilated, and damp, and with no fireplace. I may say this is
quite common. In case of sickness I always insist on the
patient being removed to a larger room with a fireplace.
This is not entirely confined to the working classes. In farm
houses, where one might expect better things, this state of
matters also exists. In many houses the floor of the kitchen
is composed of earth, which is often damp.
"A fortnight ago my attention was called by the Inspector
to two cases. The houses were much in the same condition
- filth, bad smells, dirty beds, and damp, rotten floors. The
utmost confusion existed, and sickness reigned. One of the
cases I removed to the poor's cottages; in the other case, a
room in the house was put in order, fires put in, and a nurse
took charge of the case. I may mention that during the
last fifteen years many of the thatched houses have fallen,
or are not used.
"As far as infectious diseases are concerned, we are
remarkably free from them. Last year at Maldron several
of the family died of enteric fever, all due, in my opinion, to
the damp, dirty condition of the old farm-house. The
drinking water was analysed without results.
"A case of scarlet fever that occurred at Craig was im-
ported from Strichen."

MIDMAR. - Dr. Lawson sends an exhaustive report on this
parish. He describes the sanitary condition of the large
farms as on the whole satisfactory, with the exception of the
sleeping apartments for the unmarried labourers, which he
strongly condemns. His description of these may be quoted:
- "A part of a loft, above a stable, to get to which you

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have to pass along the stable, behind the heels of half-a-dozen
horses, and then up by a rickety stair or ladder. Inside the
room are two or more beds, according to the size of the farm,
and if any space is left, it is nearly all taken up with trunks,
which also serve as seats. Soiled clothes, bits of harness,
&c., are lying about. The floor is often not very clean.
There is no fireplace of any description. The place is
lighted by a sky-light, with one or two panes broken, perhaps,
and filled up with straw or a pair of trousers, which is,
perhaps, of excellent use for ventilation. Such, with varia-
tions, are the sleeping apartments I have visited in the course
of my practice during the last three years. The sleeping
apartments at the farm of Shiels which was on the ground
floor had a large fireplace, but, evidently, never a fire, and
seemed very cold and damp. I am afraid that by far the
greater number of sleeping apartments are of this latter sort."
The cottar houses, he says, are in some cases good, while
others present insanitary conditions, which have sometimes
led to disease.
The crofts and small farms, Dr. Lawson continues, are,
from a sanitary point of view, not nearly so satisfactory
as the larger farms. The buildings are generally of older
date and not in such good repair.
"These small holdings, so important socially, and perhaps
soon politically, are at present a difficulty to the landlord.
I understand it costs much more in proportion to the rent
received to rebuild these than larger farms. The result is
when these buildings get worn down, a small place is either
added to a large one, or two old houses are merely patched
up to serve another period of years; so that to-day we find
them standing pretty much as originally built, and seldom
quite satisfactory in arrangements or condition." There is
no doubt that this fact, taken in conjunction with the
employment of unmarried farm labourers by farmers in prefer-
ence to married men, accounts largely for the diminution of
the country population, and the growing scarcity of labour
in country districts.
Some very old houses exist in Midmar, of the style
common two generations ago. When the thatch is well kept,
these, Dr. Lawson says, are comfortable enough. The
general water supply and drainage in this district are satis-
factory, and, on the whole, the parish is a very healthy one.
"The landlords are, as a rule, liberal and anxious to
maintain good feeling. On the Corsindae estate, the most
backward, a great deal has been done in recent years to
improve the houses of the tenantry.
"Zymotic Disease. - During the last three years no cases of
diphtheria, membranous croup, relapsing or puerperal fever,