In his third annual report of the Rushden Urban Council Mr. F. J. Allen, Sanitary Inspector for the town, gives a great deal of important information regarding the work of the past year, from which we take the following :-

Systematic inspection of the District has been made in accordance with the General Orders of the Local Government Board, The Public Health Act, 1875, and Section 17 of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, and the Regulations made thereunder.

During the year 163 complaints of nuisances were received.

All complaints are immediately investigated and the necessary steps taken to enforce the proper compliance of the Council’s Bye-laws and Regulations and to secure the abatement of any nuisance found to exist.

The majority of nuisances discovered were remedied upon receipt of informal notices only, but in five cases the matter had to be reported to the Committee, and after approval by the Council legal notices were served. I am pleased, however, to say that in no case have legal proceedings been necessary.

Two hundred and ninety Sanitary notices were served, 261 of which were complied with, 29 notices being outstanding at the close of the year, though in most of these 29 cases the works specified on the notices were in course of procedure on 31st December, 1913.

Housing Inspection

Work under the housing sections of the Housing and Town Planning Act, 1909, is being proceeded with. 240 house-to-house inspections have been made and a permanent record of the premises entered in the register.

The attention of the Medical Officer of Health has been drawn to the condition of ten houses in Duck Street; he has visited the same with me and reported thereon, with the result that six houses have been cleansed and repaired throughout, the owner having voluntarily agreed to close the remaining four.

Nos. 5 and 6, Milton Place have been demolished during the past year, and the adjoining cottages, Nos. 1 and 3, Milton Place, put into a more habitable condition by having wash-house and scullery accommodation provided, including coppers, sinks, and drains, and yard paving provided.

No. 136, High Street, and the two unoccupied cottages at the rear thereof, Nos. 1 and 3, Beaconsfield Place, have also been demolished, thus removing one of the worst eyesores in the High Street.

There are a number of houses which require attention in the district. The owners have either been written to or interviewed, but up to the present nothing has been done to remedy the defects complained of. It will, therefore, be necessary to again report on these premises with a view of taking action against the owners, which will probably necessitate Closing Orders being made.

In addition to the repairs and improvements to dwelling houses by means of notices under Section 15 of the 1909 Act, under which, if a landlord fails to comply with a notice to execute specified works to render a house “in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation,” the local authority is empowered to execute the works at the landlord’s expense, a large amount of work for the improvement of houses has been carried out by interviewing owners, where possible, without resorting to formal notice, and in this way a number of houses have been repaired.

The Local Government Board recommends that it is desirable for local authorities to resort to the provisions of section 15 for securing houses within the rental limits, to be put by the landlord into habitable repair, in preference to enforcing the powers with regard to closing and demolition orders under Section 17 and 18, as the closing of houses involves the removal of tenants, and the natural sequel is demolition resulting in decreased accommodation in the district.

Several cases of overcrowding have been dealt with during the past year, and there are still some houses where the numbers should be reduced; in other cases there are two families occupying one house. This is generally unsatisfactory, owing to the want of separate and proper sanitary accommodation. The difficulty met with in dealing with these cases is the want of more housing accommodation, and no doubt when the Council’s housing scheme has developed and the houses erected these unhealthy conditions of living will be reduced to a minimum.

During the past year an inspection of your district was made under the Housing Acts by Courtenay Clifton, Esq., one of the Local Government Board’s inspectors, who has since made a report to the Board on the requirements of the district.

The Paving of Yards

Considerable attention has been given during the year to the back entrances, or secondary means of access to property. Many of these common entrances to several properties, owing to their never having been prepared or treated in any way whatever, become a serious nuisance.

Some owners of property seem to attach very little importance to these entrances or backways, which are generally found in bad condition during the wet weather. It is to be regretted that the Bye-laws relating to New Streets and Buildings do not provide for the compulsory making up of these backways, etc.

Common Lodging Houses

There has been one Common Lodging House registered in the district during the past year, and this is situated in the High Street South. The premises have been inspected by your Medical Officer of Health and Inspector and found satisfactory for the class of persons catered for.

The rooms have been measured up for sleeping accommodation and printed cards posted in each bedroom stating the number of persons allowed to occupy each room.

House Drainage, Etc.

House drainage has again received careful attention. Nearly all the houses in the Urban part of the district are now supplied with water closets. There are a few houses in the outlying parts of the district not connected with the sewerage, including eight cottages in the Bedford Road, several farms, and the bungalows and villas on the Court Estate. These are nearly all supplied with privies with movable receptacles.

During the past year the smoke test has been applied to 68 premises, comprising 312 houses, and defects were found to exist on 91 premises; these defects have been remedied, and in some cases the drains taken up and re-laid under the supervision of this department.

Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops Order

All the dairies and cowsheds have been inspected, and, generally speaking, they are in a satisfactory state both structurally and as regards cleanliness.

It was found necessary on five occasions to notify the occupiers as regards the lime-washing of their sheds, and in one instance the ventilation was considered insufficient.

There were 45 milk vendors, dairymen, and cowkeepers on the register; two of these have been registered during the past year.

The milkshops in the district have been regularly inspected during the year. Some occupiers carry on a mixed or general business, and in several instances it was found necessary to give instructions as regards storing and the covering of the milk, to prevent the access of dust and flies.

Four cases of scarlet fever occurred in the house of a purveyor of milk, and precautions were taken against the contamination of the milk supply by him or his family.

One milk seller was reported for not having applied for registration within the prescribed time, the excuse being that he was registered in an adjoining district and was under the impression it was not necessary to be registered again, and no action was taken in the matter.

Tuberculosis Order, 1913

An order has been issued by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, which came into operation on May 1st, 1913 (The Tuberculosis Order of 1913), the object of which is to secure the destruction of every cow found to be affected with Tuberculosis of the udder, or to be giving Tuberculous Milk, as well as of all Bovine animals which are suffering from Tuberculosis with emaciation, provision being made for compensation to the owner. There is no doubt that this order will have far reaching effects and result in the speedy diminution of the quantity of Tuberculous Milk consumed by the community.

Private Slaughterhouses

There are eight slaughterhouses on the register, of which three only are subject to annual licence.

Visits are made while slaughtering is in progress, and the meat carefully inspected; the shops are also visited, as it is not always possible to inspect all carcases at the time of slaughter.

Unsound Food

The following articles were destroyed as being diseased or unfit for human food :- 30 lbs beef, 17 lbs sausages, 8 lbs faggot meat, 60 lbs offal, and 38 blown tins of sardines, tomatoes, and apricots.

House Refuse and Water Supply

The water supply of the town is excellent in quality and abundant in quantity. There still remain a few houses supplied with water from surface wells, a circumstance greatly to be regretted owing to the risk of surface pollution.

Three samples of water taken from surface wells were analysed and found to be unfit for domestic purposes. These wells have been closed and the town water laid on to the houses.

From the report of the Surveyor and Waterworks Engineer (Mr. W. B. Madin) I have obtained the following particulars :-

The average daily consumption of water was 12.02 gallons: 10.43 gallons for domestic and municipal purposes and 1.59 for trade purposes.

The rainfall for 1913 was 19.01 inches. The heaviest day’s rainfall during the year was on September 1st, when 1.05 inches were registered in 24 hours.

Average Rainfall For The Past Five Years

1909	21.37 inches
1910	21.98 inches
1911	17.10 inches
1912	27.06 inches
1913	19.01 inches
Average	21.30 inches

The total amount of rainfall for 1913 was 2.14 inches below the average for the previous five years.

The total amount of house refuse collected during the year was 2038 loads of refuse and 358 loads of tins, etc., giving an average of about 46 loads per week.

Sanitary Dust Bins

The work of providing the houses with suitable receptacles has again received attention.

All the new houses as they are completed are supplied with galvanised dust bins prior to occupation.

During the year under review 89 old houses have been supplied with suitable receptacles in place of the various assortment of articles in use previously.

Infectious Diseases

A total of 71 cases of infectious diseases has been reported to your Medical Officer of Health during the past year. These have all been kept under observation, and disinfectants supplied to infected houses.

Fifty-five houses and rooms have been sprayed and fumigated after convalescence of the patients.

Several times during the year all the schools in the district have been sprayed under this department, but, owing to an objection having been raised by the School Authorities as to the expense, it has been discontinued for the time being.

All the Infants Departments attached to the Council Schools, with the exception of Moor Road School, were closed for a period during the past year on account of the prevalence of Measles, and the schools were sprayed and fumigated before being re-opened.

The drains and sanitary fittings at the schools have been regularly inspected, and choked drains were discovered on two occasions.

The Council Schools situated in Alfred Street are being re-constructed at the time of writing, and it would also be an improvement from a health point of view if the Church of England Schools, situate in the High Street South, were treated in a similar manner.

Consumptive Homes

During the past year 53 cases of Tuberculosis were notified to your Medical Officer of Health. 20 rooms and premises have been sprayed and fumigated after removal of patients, and 14 lots of bedding destroyed after deaths from Consumption.

I am pleased to note the Council have had under consideration the provision of a Steam Disinfector for the district. This apparatus would be a great aid in helping to stamp out the cause of such a large number of infectious cases, and I trust the Council will see their way clear to provide this necessary apparatus at an early date.

During the year a large number of pamphlets have been distributed, setting out the precautions which should be taken by Consumptive patients and those coming in contact with them. Advice has also been given when visiting Consumptive homes and the necessity of good ventilation by open windows impressed on the occupiers, but sometimes one is faced with the remark or objection that night air is dangerous and it is therefore not safe to sleep with the windows open.

The best answer I have heard or read to this is :- “The only night air that is dangerous is last night’s air, so open the windows and let it out.”

Factory and Workshops

During the year the premises coming under these Acts have been periodically inspected and a record of the work done will be found in the appendix.

One notice was received from H.M. Inspector of Factories calling attention to the walls and ceiling of a bake house which required limewashing. This matter received attention after the premises had been repaired.

There are 17 bakehouses on the Register, and these are regularly inspected.

Outworkers Lists, Etc.

Twenty-six lists of outworkers have been received, twice during the year, relating to 366 outworkers. Nine lists of outworkers have been sent to other Authorities and two lists have been received from outside the district.

Concluding Remarks

It is only fair to add that it would have been impossible for such an amount of work as is here reported to have been accomplished had it not been for the extra assistance allowed me outside the office.

I should like to express my regret at the resignation of the Medical Officer of Health (Dr. F. H. Morris) which took place during the year. During the time I worked under him my relations with him were always of the pleasantest; I had, therefore, the greater satisfaction in being able to assist him in carrying out the extra work which fell to me in consequence of his latter illness.

I wish to avail myself of this opportunity of conveying my heartiest thanks to the Chairman of the Council and the Chairman of the Sanitary Committee, as well as the members of the Council generally, for the continued support and consideration at all times extended to me. I also have to thank the Medical Officer of Health and other Officers of the Council, who have at all times given me their kind co-operation and assistance.