HH62/1/HADDIN/9

Transcription

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found the most economical way in the end to bear its
provisions in mind. By the Act houses can only be
condemned after erection and occupation.

VILLAGES.
Villages.
There are 26 villages and several small hamlets
within the County. I have visited them all, with
a few exceptions, inquiring into their Drainage and
Water Supply. While many are almost models of
cleanliness, others will require immediate attention
before they can become sanitarily passable. The
movement now on foot to acquire the power to form
special cleansing and scavenging districts will, it is
hoped, be successful. At present there is no fixed rule,
sometimes neighbouring proprietors, or the ratepayers,
voluntarily undertake these duties with markedly good
effect.

Defect of Privy Accommodation.
In all the villages there is a great want of privy
accommodation. The ashpits and dustbins also require
attention, being badly kept, and often too near shallow
wells and pumps.
Various sections of the Housing of the Working
Classes Act, 1890, will require the immediate attention
of the Local Authority in hamlets and small villages.
The clauses are most stringent, and a systematic
inspection must be carried out when other more
pressing general insanitary conditions have been cor-
rected.
In some few cases sewers will have to be constructed
by the Local Authority under Section 73 of the Public
Health Act. In this connection the villages of Gifford
and Westbarns both require the early attention of the
Local Authority.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
Infectious Diseases.
The adoption of the Notification of Infectious Dis-
eases Act is a matter of urgency, and I trust this ques-
tion will be satisfactorily settled at the next meetings of
the District Committees, when the subject comes up for
consideration.
By this Act, both the attending physician and the
head of the family or house must notify to the District

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Medical Officer of Health the existence of any disease
to which the Act applies.

Procedure under Notification Act.
By isolating the patient as
far as possible at an early stage of the disease; by
correcting any glaring sanitary defects; by communicat-
ing with Board and Sunday School Teachers, and by dis-
infecting, or giving directions for the use of disinfectants,
the Sanitary Inspector acting under the Health Medical
Officer can do much to prevent the spread of infectious
disease. As valuable time is often lost by the delay of
a few hours, the following case which I specially
investigated shows the necessity of the early recognition
of the disease, and of prompt measures being taken. The
County Inspector reports:- " R. T. occupies a house in
"the village of - with his wife and five of a family,
"viz., A. (17), M. (14), R. (10), B. (7), and J. (5). On
"Saturday, 16th January, the boy B. became ill, and was
"confined to bed. The following day, the youngest girl,
"J., also became ill, and on Thursday, 21st January, the
"Doctor was called in, who pronounced them suffering
"from scarlet fever. The house consists of one apart-
"ment, and there are two beds in it. The man and his
"wife, and the girl J., sleep in one bed, and A., M.,
"and R. (all girls), sleep in the other, along with the sick
"boy B. Owing to the small accommodation it is im-
"possible to isolate the sick persons. The house is very
"low in the roof, and seems to be damp. There are no
"drains in connection with the house, and all refuse, etc.,
"has to be carried to the garden at the back. The house
"is one of a row on the face of a hill, and the ground at the
"back of them is higher than the back wall; it is faced
"with a stone wall, and a gully about 3 feet wide is
"formed between it and the back wall of the houses.
"The bottom of this gully is laid with flat, hewn stones,
"and a gutter is formed in the centre along which there
"is a constant flow of clean water from field drains which
"must cause dampness by the water soaking through
"between the seams of the stones. No precautions were
"being taken to prevent the disease from spreading. I
"could find no trace of how the disease originated.
"There are no other cases of scarlet fever in the village.
"The two sick children had been attending the public