HH62/1/CAITHN/1

Transcription

COUNTY OF CAITHNESS.
REPORT BY MEDICAL OFFICER - 1891.

TO THE HONOURABLE
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISION
and to the Members of the Council and District
Committee of the County of Caithness.

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,
In accordance with the Regulations of the
Board of Supervision and the Bye-laws of the Council, I have
to submit the following report as to the Sanitary condition of
the County.
Since entering upon the duties of Medical Officer in
August last, I have examined all the villages and visited most of
the districts, and have called the attention of the Local Authority
to the necessity of putting in force several of the
Statutory Enactments
set forth in the Public Health Acts, more particularly those
relating to Common Lodging Houses, Dairies, Milk Shops, and
Sellers of Milk.
I would also impress upon the Council the great impor-
tance of adopting the "Infectious Diseases (Notification) Act"
at an early date. It will be impossible to control the spread of
Contagious diseases and to prevent epidemics unless early know-
ledge of the first cases be obtained, so that isolation and super-
vision can be at once adopted - both as to those attacked and as
to those exposed to infection. This matter has doubtless mixed
up with it the question of Hospital accommodation which will
require sooner or later to be taken into consideration. Notwith-
standing however that Hospital provision in the meantime is
insufficient, much benefit must accrue from the adoption of the
Act. It will bring the Sanitary Officials more directly in contact
with the people, and with places in an insanitary condition where
disease may actually exist, Slaughter houses should be licensed.
and bye-laws regulating them issued. Several of these in the
villages are situated too near dwelling houses; they are all
defective in structure, are badly drained, without water
supply, and their condition generally is unsatisfactory.
The Council is further empowered by the Local Govern-
ment Act to make bye-laws "for nuisances not already punishable
"in a summary manner by any Act in force." It would be well if
bye-laws under this head could be made, for instance, regarding
piggeries which are a frequent source of nuisance, being often
attached to the walls of dwelling houses or situated in byres, &c.,
and are generally found to be in a filthy condition.
Nuisances committed by exposure of the person near
houses and alongside dykes and roadsides could also be reached
by similar bye-laws. Cleanliness and decency around dwellings
could in this manner be ensured, more especially in the vicinity