HH62/1/FIFE/23

Transcription

[page] 22

The parish of Flisk has 13.6 acres for each person. Newburgh
has the smallest mean of acre to person.

GENERAL SANITARY CONDITION OF DISTRICT.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT.

In accordance with the Regulations of the Board of Supervision for
the Reports of District Medical Officers, the remainder of this Report
will follow the order prescribed, and the general sanitary condition of
the District is first in order. On referring to certain statistics of popu-
lation and acreage of the District, which form the preliminary part of
this Report, it will be understood, that although the population is a
small one, it is scattered over a wide area (and this, of course, from a
sanitary point of view, is much in favour of the people.) The difficulty
of obtaining information of all factors which may affect the public
health are very great, and cannot be ascertained in so short a time as I
have had.
I therefore shall not even attempt generally to write a report of
the sanitary condition of the District, but, following the plan I have
adopted in dealing with other Districts, take up the important subjects
of water supply and drainage of villages and hamlets, and only refer in
very general terms to house accommodation. This last section will, in
future Reports, doubtless occupy a more prominent place, judging by
the information I have got on this subject while enquiring into the two
other subjects referred to.
It will be the most convenient arrangement to deal with villages
and hamlets in alphabetical order, rather than in order of importance.
Auchtermuchty. - The town is not under the District Committee,
but what may be called the suburbs are. The water supply is by wells,
and apparently good, as they are not situated as to be liable to
pollution. Drainage is generally by side gutters. Many of the houses
are in indifferent order.
Blebo Craigs is supplied with water from shallow wells. There is
no attempt at sufficient drainage, but as this is a very small place it is
of less consequence.
Ceres. - The water supply is almost entirely by shallow wells, close
to houses, and to the various pollutions which accompany them.
Drainage has not been attempted. Many of the houses are not fit for
occupation. A good gravitation water supply is much needed for this
village, and improvements on many of the houses, so as to render them
at least free from damp, will have to be effected.
Chance Inn and Craigrothie are in very much the same position
as Ceres in regard to water supply.
Cupar Muir get its water from shallow wells near to the houses.
There is little or no attempt at drainage.
Dura Den. - This village has apparently a good water supply, and
fair drainage by surface channels. There has been an improvement in
removal of accumulating refuse matters.
Dairsie Village. - This is supplied by water from shallow wells,

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but as a rule, somewhat further removed from houses than usual. The
condition of the houses is fairly good.
Dunshalt is supplied by shallow wells, fitted with iron pumps.
The wells are near to houses, and are suspicious sources of water supply
in consequence. There is little attempt at drainage, and many of the
houses are in bad repair.
Freuchie has a gravitation water supply, apparently of good quality.
There are a few drains in the village; but no proper drainage scheme
has been attempted. Scavenging is very badly attended to, and many
of the houses require structural alterations to make them habitable.
Gateside. - The water supply here is by wells, and of a suspicious
quality. Nuisances are very common. This place has attracted special
attention, from the occurrence of several cases of diphtheria in the hamlet
and near to it. A proper supply of water for the school is much needed,
also the substitution of the huge privy and ashpit for a trough closet,
with an automatic flushing tank.
Kettle is supplied by artesian wells in part, and the water is doubt-
less of good quality; but there are various pump wells in the village in
close proximity to dwelling-houses, and thus liable to pollution, and this
danger is increased by the absence of drains. Many of the houses are
in a bad state of repair. Scavenging is not attended to,
Kettlebridge. - This village derives its water from shallow wells in
close proximity to houses, with their ashpits and pigstyes. An additional
source of supply is the burn which runs through the village, and which
receives a considerable portion of the sewage of the village which
gravitates into it. This subject was specially reported on before, and a
recommendation made that a water supply by gravitation should be got,
as the only likely means by which a pure supply of water could be got.
Kilmany. - The village is supplied by water from wells, and from
the nearness of houses to these, and the conformation of the ground
I would hesitate to describe the water as good. A recent analysis of
one of these wells, which I saw lately, was decidedly bad, the analyst
stating that the well was polluted by sewage. There is no system of
drainage, and nuisances are abundant. Many of the houses are in very
bad order indeed; and unless they are improved, it will be my duty,
under Section 30 of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, to bring
their condition before the notice of the District Committee.
Letham is supplied by water from wells, but these are well removed
from houses, and as the little village is very well kept, I have no reason
to suspect the purity of the water.
At the school certain insanitary conditions were pointed out, but
these have now been removed.
The hamlets of Logie, Lucklawhill Feus, and Luthrie, do not
require any separate notice; the water supply is from wells, and there
are no drains.
Newton of Falkland has a small gravitation supply, but the drainage
is very defective.
Pitlessie has a gravitation water supply, and the quality, I believe,
is fair. The drainage is very defective, and the outlet is a ditch which
passes through the village.