HH62/1/ABERD/5

Transcription

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GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE SANITARY STATE OF THE
DISTRICT.

Following the order adopted in my other District Reports,
I shall deal first with the villages.

AUCHMILL. - The village with the largest population in the
district is Auchmill, the Waterton District as it is now
called, since its formation into a Special Water and Drainage
District. At two or three points in the village the main
sewer will require to be extended to secure connections with
some of the houses. The water supply has been exceedingly
deficient in the past, but works are in process for increasing
it considerably.
Few villages in the district stand in greater need of systematic
scavenging. The urgent necessity for this was shown by a
Report, prepared by a Sub-Committee, on the condition of the
village. The District Committee determined to petition
Parliament for scavenging powers, being of opinion that the
power under the Act was insufficient for the purpose. Cases
of typhoid fever and diphtheria have occurred in consequence
of the insanitary surroundings of some of the tenement
houses. The attention of the Sanitary Inspector has been
constantly directed to these places, and considerable improv-
ments have been effected, though nothing but systematic
scavenging will be effectual.

SUMMERHILL. - The drainage of this village is at present occupy-
ing the attention of the District Committee, who have under
consideration its formation into a Special Drainage District.
Attention was specially called to the need for this by cases
of disease which were clearly traceable to the want of proper
drainage. The water supply, which is from deep pump wells,
is plentiful and of good quality, except where, as in one or
two of them, it has been contaminated by sewage, due to
defects of drainage.

CULTS. - This important village, the population of which is in-
creasing rapidy every year, claims attention both as regards
drainage and water supply. There is no drainage system
whatever. Cesspools are the only means of disposal of the
sewage. As the water supply to most of the houses is from
pumps, and as the soil is sandy and porous, the danger of
such a condition of matters is at once apparent. The water
supply is also exceedingly deficient towards the end of the
summer, as many of the pumps become dry. The only
remedy for this condition of matters is the formation of a
Special Water and Drainage District.

CULTER. - The drainage of this place will require attention.
The only sewer existing in the meantime is that belonging to

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the Culter Paper Mills Company, who decline to allow any
connection to be made from the houses not occupied by their
own employés, on the ground that the sewer is already in-
sufficient in size to carry away the sewage from the houses
of their own work people. Several of the houses in the
village have accordingly no means of disposing of slop and
waste water, and a nuisance has been created by the discharge
of it on the roadside. A good sewerage system is necessary,
and the village should be formed into a Special District for
Water and Drainage.

PARK. - I may just state shortly that the drainage of this
hamlet is being put into a thoroughly satisfactory condition,
and improvements are being carried out in regard to ashpits
and privy middens.

HATTON OF FINTRAY. - Defects exist in regard to the drainage
and ashpits of several of the dwelling-houses in this small
village. Legal steps are being taken to have these remedied.

BLACKBURN. - Improvements in regard to drainage and water
supply are under consideration. An increased water supply
is to be introduced.

These are all the villages in the district.

FARM STEADINGS.

In connection with the farm steadings the most impor-
tant matter for consideration is the sleeping accommodation
provided for unmarried men. This is a matter not peculiar
to the Aberdeen District, and the following remarks are
applicable to many of these places in every district in the
County. The chief sanitary defects found in connection
with these are:- (1) Bad position, and (2) bad ventilation.
They are generally placed above the stable or byre, connected
therewith by a trap-door. As this stands always open, the
foul air rises from the stable into the room. In fact, this
is the only source of air supply, when, as in winter the
invariable skylight is closed to keep out cold and rain.
The foul hot vapours from the stable find their way also
into the sleeping room through crevices or holes in the
floor. (3) Insufficient size. Not only are these sleeping
apartments in a bad position and badly ventilated, but they
are often insufficient in size. I have measured many of
them and found the cubic space allowed for each man
totally inadequate. In many cases they do not have one-
half, occasionally even not one-third, of what is enforced by
law for a tramp in a common lodging-house. (4) Dampness.