HH62/1/DUNBAR/41

Transcription

[Page] 40

providing for inspection and general cleanliness, the regulations
insist on byres being paved with concrete or with brick or stone
grouted with cement; on a cubic space of not less than 400
feet per cow; on lighting and ventilation; on a sufficient water
supply of good quality; on the keeping of one boiler entirely for the
purpose of washing milk vessels; on the sufficient separation of
the milk-house from all living or sleeping rooms; on the preven-
tion of any infected person having anything to do with the milking
of cows or the storage or disposal of milk; on the temporary
stoppage of the sale of milk where, owing to infectious disease
in the premises, this may be necessary in the public interest;
and on the owners of milk-shops furnishing, when required, a list
of the sources of their supply.

(2) Slaughter-House Regulations, under Section 30 of
the Public Health Acts. - These regulations are based on the
Model Bye-laws of the Local Government Board of England. The
first twelve have to do with structure, and the remainder with
maintenance. They provide for slaughter-houses being at least
100 feet from dwelling-houses, for water supply, for ventilation, for
paving floors with asphalte or concrete, and for covering walls to a
sufficient height with concrete or some other such material; for
keeping the ventilation, water supply, and drainage in good order,
and for general cleanliness.

(3) Regulations for Houses let in Lodgings, under
Section 44 of the Public Health Acts. - These are, almost with-
out alteration, the regulations suggested by the Board of Super-
vision. The most important relates to air space, which is fixed
at a minimum of 400 cubic feet per adult. The populous
places in which they will take effect - places, namely, having
over 1000 inhabitants at the last census - are, in the Western
District, Jamestown, Alexandria, and Renton. In the Eastern
District, if adopted, they will apply to Duntocher, Faifley and
Hardgate, Old Kilpatrick, Radnor Park, and Bearsden. None
of the villages in the detached portion of the county have the
necessary number of inhabitants. The nearest are Cumbernauld,
with 956, and Twechar, with 887 inhabitants.
These regulations will be of very special importance in the
crowded population of the Vale of Leven, and I am hopeful that

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their enforcement will go a long way to prevent such outbreaks of
typhus as have recently occurred there.

(4) Common Lodging-Houses under Section 62 of the
Public Health Acts. - Here also the amount of air space is fixed
at 400 cubic feet per adult. In addition to ordinary regulations
as to cleanliness and the separation of the sexes a separate
apartment is to be provided for lodgers working at night, and
the duty is laid on the keeper of ascertaining from a medical man
whether any illness among the lodgers is of an infectious nature.
The above sets of regulations have only recently come into
force, and no complete inspection of the places to which they refer
has yet been undertaken, or has indeed been possible by Mr.
Dunbar. And in regard to dairies and cow-sheds, proprietors
have not yet had reasonable time to bring their premises into
keeping with the bye-laws. But with two assistant inspectors, I
hope that it will be possible to overtake the visitations during 1892.
In the Eastern District the question of bye-laws is under the
consideration of a sub-committee.

Bakehouses. - The number of retail bakehouses in the district
is not large, as a good deal of bread is supplied by vans, &c.,
from neighbouring burghs. In the Western District there are
thirteen and in the Eastern District eight. On inspection - which
is almost completed - I have found them in very fair condition,
with the exception of certain defects which have been pointed out,
and especially two untrapped drain connections within bakehouses.
In no case were the provisions of the Factory Acts being infringed
with respect to the hours of employment of youths or boys.

Piggeries. - Here and there in the country villages, people
attempt to help their income, or at least to make a small family
savings bank, by keeping pigs. The piggeries are usually of wood,
both in walls and floor. The interstices of the wood are filled
with filth, and the smell is most offensive. But Local Authorities
can make no bye-laws nor regulations as to piggeries. When a
nuisance exists action can be taken, but no rule can be laid down
fixing a minimum distance from dwelling-houses or public roads.
In one or two cases, however, the circumstances have been such
as to justify an order to remove the piggeries, and this has accord-
ingly been done.