HH62/1/CLACKM/11

Transcription

[Page] 10

Of the 46 above 5, twenty-six were upwards of 60 years of age, six
died from tubercular disease, and three from cancer or other malignant
disease.
There were no deaths from zymotic diseases. Judging by the
mortality, the Burgh of Alva is in a very satisfactory state, and the
deaths have been swelled by influenza and respiratory diseases consequent
to the epidemic. These latter are examples of accidental causes, which
introduce disturbing influences on death rates calculated on too small a
population.

BURGH OF DOLLAR.

I have made only two visits to the Burgh of Dollar, and as far as I
can judge from these a good deal has to be effected in Dollar by the
Commissioners to put the Burgh in a sanitary state.
The Water Supply and Drainage systems are apparently satisfactory,
but the method of Sewage disposal requires improvement, as the irriga-
tion field has been too long in use, and has got into a state in consequence
by which sufficient purification is not secured.
The pail system is being introduced, and through time the ashpits
and privies at present used will doubtless be removed.
Several Common Lodging-houses are not fit to be used as such, and
as far as I can ascertain they have not been registered, and hence their
owners are acting illegally in using them for these purposes.
The Slaughter-houses on my visit were in very unsanitary condi-
tion, and the Commissioners should adopt bye-laws to regulate these and
any others that may be erected.
A considerable number of houses in the Burgh are not in a sanitary
condition, but I have not yet reported on these, but intend doing so.
The population of the Burgh is too small to calculate death rates on,
but the following table will show what deaths occurred at different ages
in the parish of Dollar from 1st July to 31st December, 1891:-

[table inserted]

[Page] 11

BURGH OF TILLICOULTRY.

At the request of the Burgh Commissioners I reported fully on the
Sanitary state of the Burgh. This report dealt specially with the want
of a proper Sewerage system, and the evils of the present system of
Drainage. At the present time Drainage is provided for by surface
channels, and for a town of the size and importance of Tillicoultry this
is a very unsatisfactory method. In addition to the evils of such a
system, the want of proper sewers perpetuates the use of old-fashioned
privies, and the retention for too long periods of dangerous putrescent
matters. However well constructed and well attended to, privies are at
all times most objectionable, but until sewers are constructed no other
system can be carried out, unless the use of earth closets were intro-
duced, but this system is more difficult to manage and more easily put
out of order than the "water carriage" method of sewage removal.
On the principle of the water carriage system excretal matters and
liquid refuse are removed from the vicinity of houses as quickly as
possible; while under the system at present in operation such matters
are stored up, so that they necessarily give off deleterious gases, which
pollute the air, while the liquids soak into the soil and pollute both it
and the ground air. The evils of this system are well known, and
epidemics of typhoid fever and diarrhoea are frequently traceable to the
pollutions of air, water, and soil, which it produces.

WATER SUPPLY.

The Water Supply for Tillicoultry was most severely taxed during
the unusual drought of last summer. This test was probably a more
severe one that may occur for years again, and it may not be a fair one
to judge the sufficiency of the water supply by; but for the exigency
produced by a long drought there is not sufficient storage capacity for a
water supply for trade and domestic purposes, and the former requires
an unusually large quantity. The Ochils form a very fine collecting
ground, and the water derived from them must be of very fine qualify,
as there are no sources of pollution on their slopes, but owing to drain-
age of the fields the ground does not store up the water so long as it
formerly did, but allows it to run away quickly and come down in
greater abundance at times when it is least needed. There would not be
much engineering difficulty in constructing a reservoir in one of the
ravines on the hills, which would provide the storage for which the
Burgh now stands in need.
The want of water power for the machinery in the various manu-
factories was much felt during last summer, and this is a matter which
intimately concerns the welfare of the inhabitants, many of whom are
connected with the staple industry of the town.

INSPECTIONS OF BAKE-HOUSES AND SLAUGHTER-HOUSES.

The Bake-houses and Slaughter-houses have been visited by me,
and I have nothing to report about the former, as they were in con-
formity with the Act. The Slaughter-houses are not in a very satis-