HH62/1/HADDIN/5

Transcription

[Page] 4

GENERAL SANITARY STATE OF THE
COUNTY.
Sanitary State of County.
The County of Haddington is almost purely agricul-
tural, and its sanitary condition, on the whole, is in a
very satisfactory condition.
With the exception of the Beltonford Paper Mills
and the Glenkinchie Distillery, there are no factories
under the jurisdiction of the County Council.
The Tyne - the only river - flows in a state of con-
siderable purity throughout the whole length of the
County.
There are no Common Lodging-Houses.

Dairies.
The Registered Dairies - 3 in the Eastern, and 43 in
the Western - are all reported to be in a satisfactory
condition.
I shall treat of the sanitary state of the County
under the headings of:-
I. WATER SUPPLY.
II. VILLAGES.
III. LABOURERS' HOUSES.
IV. INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
V. MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY STATISTICS.
VI. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

WATER SUPPLY.
Water Supply.
The most important of all the duties to be overtaken
by the District Committees is the improvement of the
water supply. An impure water supply means a
lower standard of health of the people drinking it, who
readily become victims to infectious and other diseases.
A water-contaminated area is thus a veritable plague
spot, from which every man, woman, and child may
eventually suffer during general epidemics. Though
I know no County where the water supply generally is
of such purity, I have to point out the need that exists
for still greater precautions being taken to maintain
that excellence.

Water Analysis.
The water supply is plentiful, principally by gravi-
tation, and with one exception no new water
schemes are likely to be required. A very char-
acteristic quality in the water is the great amount

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of hardness which is found on analysis by Dr Aitken,
the County analyst.

Effects of Hardness.
Water of such great hardness
is extremely unsuitable for cooking and washing, and
may be a frequent cause of dyspepsia. Waters,
over 20 grains to the gallon of total solids, are
termed "hard." The following tables of analysis of 5
waters will show the general characteristics of the water
extensively used in the County, wherever, in fact, the
lower ("calciferous") sandstones are found:-

[Table inserted]

The presence of so much lime - 18 grains per gallon
in No. 4, and 19.6 grains per gallon in No. 5 - especi-
ally renders these waters most unsuitable for boilers
where incrustations must be quickly formed. No. 1 and
No. 2 both suitable for drinking and dietetic purposes;
both hard, especially No. 1. No. 3 is a suspicious
water, and is very hard. No. 4, extremely hard; no
evidence of pollution. Its use cannot be forbidden on
sanitary grounds, unless it is found that the large
amount of mineral matter is injurious to health. No. 5
contains a very large amount of organic matter of vege-
table origin, therefore not suitable for drinking. They
cannot be absolutely condemned on sanitary grounds for
drinking purposes.

Large Amount of Solid Residue.
Another marked feature in the above analysis is the
large amount of solid residue. For purposes of com-
parison, I shall show in tabular form the total solid
residue in 5 other samples expressed in grains per
gallon:-

[Table inserted]