HH62/2/LANARK/98

Transcription

[Page] 97

sent on to the Sanitary Inspector, much valuable time
would be lost. It was, therefore, arranged that the en-
velopes for notification purposes should be addressed to me
at the office, 56 George Square, Glasgow, where, in my
absence, Mr. Hay would open them, and at once instruct
his inspectors to take the necessary steps. As in the case
of the other wards, a return is forwarded to me daily giving
details of the results of inspection.

Offensive Trades. - Very soon after my appointment my
attention was directed to various offensive businesses
carried on principally in the neighbourhood of Carntyne
Station. Three of these were engaged in tallow-rendering,
and one in the storing of blood, without other treatment
than exposure to the air, if treatment it can be called.
For the works engaged in tallow-rendering, it soon became
evident that special regulations were necessary, and the
Committee, at my suggestion, adopted the following:-
(a) Fresh fat only shall be melted. No stale or tainted
fat shall be allowed on the premises at any time.
(b) The melting shall be by steam only, and in closed
vats, from which flues, properly jointed with cement or
other material approved of by the Chief Sanitary Inspector,
shall conduct the whole vapour into the furnace, passing
thence into the chimney.
(c) Each vat shall be thoroughly cleansed out every 24
hours.
(d) All floors in those portions of the works in which fat
is dealt with shall be of good concrete, free from cracks,
and shall be thoroughly cleansed at least once daily.
(e) The drains in and from the premises shall be formed
and properly trapped to the satisfaction of the Chief
Sanitary Inspector, and shall be thoroughly flushed once
daily.
(f) The inside walls of the building shall be whitewashed
on the first Monday of each alternate month.
(g) All refuse matters shall be removed from the
premises once every second day (i.e., no refuse matter shall
be allowed to remain on the premises longer than 48 hours).

[Page] 98

In addition to these regulations, which have been rigidly
enforced, causing considerable alterations in the oldest of
the tallow works, as well as in the other two, a special
stipulation was made before granting a license to a new
tenant that the chimney should not be less than 50 feet in
height.
In the case of the other, and, in my opinion, more object-
tionable trade, greater difficulties have been experienced.
As the storing of blood for an indefinite period, without
any attempt at deodorisation, is essentially an obnoxious
trade, an effort was made on the part of the District
Committee to close the premises. The proprietor objected,
and the case ultimately came into Court before one of the
Sheriffs, who referred the matter to Dr. Hay, of Maryhill,
for a report. Some time, however, elapsed before Dr.
Hay's visit, and advantage was taken of this to have the
premises in as cleanly and orderly a condition as possible.
Dr. Hay reported that there was a distinct nuisance within
the building, but that he was unable to say that there was
or had been danger to the health of the people outside the
premises. Acting on this, the Sheriff dismissed the case.
Although the decision was an unsatisfactory one from the
point of view of the Sanitary Authority, the prosecution
has had the effect so far of making the proprietor alive to
the necessity of keeping his premises as free from nuisance
as the nature of the trade will allow.

Nuisances. - The principal nuisances brought under my
notice by the Chief Inspector were two, and both the result
of deposits of ashpit and other refuse by the authorities of
the Burgh of Govan. One was at Merrylands, and the
other at Merryflats, and from both an undoubted nuisance
arose.
Although the "tips" or "coups" were distant in each case
about a hundred yards from a main road, and about a couple
of hundred yards from dwelling-houses, no attempt was
made to minimise the nuisance until the case was taken
before the Sheriff, and remitted to Dr. Russell, of Glasgow.