HH62/1/DUMFRI/7

Transcription

[Page] 6

My experience so far leads me to the belief that it would be
well for the health of the County if the powers of District Com-
mittees over insanitary houses were extended. They certainly
ought to have at least equal powers with Burghs, and ought to be
able to prevent the erection of new buildings, whether they are
dwelling-houses or farm steadings, that are not planned and con-
structed on sound sanitary principles. Several factors and
builders have already begun to consult, in a somewhat desultory
fashion perhaps, the Sanitary Inspector and myself in regard to
these, and I do not think it would involve any hardship to have all
builders ordained to submit plans to a regularly appointed Sub-
Committee of the County Council or a District Committee (which
would be advised by the Sanitary Inspector) before erection of
such structures was sanctioned.

WATER SUPPLIES.

These have occupied much of our attention during the year.
The majority consist of springs and surface wells, but in not a few
instances streams and even land drains have to be utilised. A few
deep wells exist, and quite recently a very excellent Artesian well
has been sunk at the Crichton Asylum. Springs and deep wells
usually give a wholesome supply. Streams in upland districts
receiving no polluting material may also be considered as likely to
yield a wholesome, though perhaps not so palatable, water.
Streams in more populous parts, surface wells, and land drains
have to be regarded with suspicion. The River's Pollution Com-
missioners in fact class surface or shallow well water as
"dangerous." They are so situated as to attract all sorts of
impurities both in solution and suspension, and of very few of
those which we examined can it be said that they are safe or above
suspicion. Gravitation schemes have been laid down at Kirk-
connel, Crawick Bridge, Thornhill, Penpont, and Moniaive in the
Thornhill District, at Eaglesfield in the Annan District, and at
Bankshill and Boreland in the Lockerbie District, while a combined
pumping and gravitation supply is to be found at Blackshaw in
Caerlaverock. Of these, Penpont, Blackshaw, Eaglesfield, and
Bankshill are Special Districts under the 89th section of the Public
Health Act, 1867. There is in addition a number of small gravita-
tion supplies to isolated houses.
In the Thornhill District I have had opportunities of examin-
ing the Penpont and Moniaive supplies. The former is brought


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from a spring near the base of Tynron Doon, and appears to be of
a very excellent quality. The latter is really surface water, an
intake well being formed by the side of the Craigdarroch Water,
and a supply collected by lateral filtration. It is, I consider,
liable to contamination, both vegetable and animal, but more pro-
bably the former, as the intake is situated at the lower end of a
plantation. This opinion is to some extent borne out by an
analysis which was made recently at my instigation. I am, how-
ever, bound to admit that the chemical analysis was not so con-
demnatory as a biological examination made by myself. Four
drops of the water put with the usual precautions into a tube of
gelatine produced within a few days a large number of colonies of
putrefactive bacteria which liquefied the gelatine and gave rise to
very unpleasant odours. Four drops of water from the cistern on
the Craigdarroch road had the same effect. Filtration might get
rid of such contamination, but it would be preferable to take
spring water if it can be got, and I should imagine that in such a
district there ought not to be much difficulty in finding one suit-
able for the wants of Moniaive. In addition to the gravitation
supply, Moniaive has several pumps, one of which, situated at the
Cross, is a favourite with some of the villagers. An analysis of a
sample taken on December 22nd showed that there was some con-
tamination. Here again the biological examination was more
condemnatory than the chemical, numberless colonies of putrefactive
organisms having been found. There is a legend in the village
that at the building of the Police Station a well was sunk deep
enough to drain that at the Cross. The latter was sunk deeper,
with the effect of draining the former, which was then converted
into a cesspool. Investigating this point in December, I found that it
was undoubtedly true that the Station cesspool had once been a
well, but could find no confirmation of the statement that it had
been converted to its present use in consequence of going dry.
The result of an experiment I made to determine whether a com-
munication existed between the two, while tending to show that
such might be the case, was not sufficiently decisive, and I purpose
repeating it at a more favourable season. In another part of the
District, the well at a dairy farm was closed on account of its
polluted condition and a new supply ordered to be introduced. A
case of contamination by the discharge from a dipping-trough had
also to be dealt with.