The Sanitary Inspector (Mr. Harry Hunter, A.R.S.I., M.S.I.A.) presented his annual report at a meeting of the Rushden Urban Council on Wednesday.  From the report, which is of an interesting and exceedingly useful character, we take the following extracts:-

  It will be seen that great progress has been accomplished in the general sanitary work of the district during the past year.

  An abundant supply of excellent water has been yielded by the mains of the Higham Ferrers and Rushden Water Board throughout the year.

  During the year eleven new houses and one hotel have been certified as fit for habitation.  Two houses have been demolished.  Six houses have been voluntarily closed on account of an intimation that in their present condition they are unfit for habitation, and six houses which were about to be closed under the Housing of the Working Classes Act (Part II, Sect. 39) have been structurally altered and improved and are now occupied.

  Three samples of well-water were submitted for analysis.  Two were found unfit for drinking purposes and the wells closed down, the town water being laid on.

Sewerage

  The sewer from Park-place to Newton-road was found, upon examination, to necessitate complete re-laying before the re-drainage of the properties in Park-place could be proceeded with.

  The sewer at the rear of properties in Higham-road (off Sandpit-lane) was also found to necessitate complete re-laying, and it was decided to lay the sewer along Sandpit-road, with the outfall in Higham-road sewer.

  Fifty-nine new connections have been made to the public sewers, some of the connections being necessitated by the utilization of the old sewers now as storm water drains only.

  Three hundred and eighty-four drains have been re-laid and thirty-six repaired during the year, all drains having the hydraulic or smoke test (or both) applied.

  Three hundred and forty-five water-closets have been connected during the year.

Night Scavenging

was discontinued (after due notice) on June 30, 1907, and I am pleased to say the re-placing of the pail closet (or conservancy) by the water closet (or water carriage) system has progressed in a most satisfactory manner.  Three hundred and thirty-five pail closets have been abolished, and properly flushed and constructed water closets re-placed them.  The condition of the brook is greatly improved.  Many drains were found connected to it, but, with their disconnection, it has improved to a marked degree.

Removal of House Refuse

  An average of about 28 loads of house refuse a week have been removed during the year, giving an estimated total of 1,456 loads for the year.  House refuse at present is collected from the fronts of the houses, the occupiers being required to place the (various) receptacles on the kerbstone or adjacent thereto.  This is a most insanitary and unsatisfactory method, and it is to be hoped the time is not far distant when the systematic and more efficient collection of house refuse from the REAR of all houses will be adopted and that proper, uniform galvanized iron receptacles will be provided by the owners of property for the reception of the same.

  Nuisance bye-laws (the latest model code) have been passed and approved by the Local Government Board, and came into operation on January 1^st, 1908.

  The Street Dust Nuisance. – The experiments carried out by the Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin) of treating the main thoroughfares through the town with tar to minimise the dust nuisance were highly successful.

  The Paving of Backyards. – This is a work which, in the near future, needs to be pushed forward, a great many of the yards adjacent to the back doors being in a very bad state, as are also many of the approaches to the rear entrances of cottage property.

  Smoke Nuisances. – Twenty-eight observations were made and ten persons were cautioned.  One notice was served, and the chimney was raised a considerable height.

  A great nuisance is caused at times by the burning of leather-bits, sweepings, etc., from the boot factories and workshops, the majority of the factory and workshop chimneys being much too low.  Another nuisance connected with the staple industry of the town is the dust from the finishing-rooms, which, after being carried away by artificial draught from the rooms to the dust-receivers, is allowed to accumulate and overflow and consequently be blown about in the air to the annoyance, injury, and detriment of either passers-by or adjacent houses.

  The drainage, sanitary appliances, and fittings at all the schools have been examined, and where defects were found these were remedied.

Infectious Diseases

  Only 13 notifications of infectious diseases have been received during the past year – considerably less than one per 1000 of the population.

  An improvement was carried out at the Small-Pox Isolation Hospital.

  The disinfection (when permission can be obtained) of the clothing, bedding, and rooms in all cases of consumption is now undertaken free of cost.

Slaughter Houses

  There are now five registered and three licensed slaughterhouses on the register, one licensed slaughterhouse, for sanitary reasons, having been closed during the year.

  With regard to the above slaughter-houses, I am able to say that I always have found the occupiers obliging and willing to carry out any suggestion as regards cleanliness, etc., but the structural conditions of some of the slaughterhouses leave much to be desired, especially so with regard to the inside walls, four of them having only whitewashed walls and one partly whitewashed and partly covered with glazed bricks.

  The inside walls of every slaughterhouse should be covered to a sufficient height with white glazed bricks set in cement or other suitable impervious material to enable the walls to be washed down after slaughtering has taken place.

  In connection with slaughterhouses I would like to mention the evidently common occurrence it has been in the district for small breeders and keepers of pigs to have them slaughtered in places other than properly-registered slaughterhouses.  A circular letter has been sent to the known offenders and a firm stand taken by the Committee in the matter, and, if necessary, proceedings will be instituted.

  A circular letter was received from the Local Government Board pointing out the necessity for strict supervision of the meat supply and all animals killed in slaughter-houses.

  A circular letter was also received asking for co-operation in the more humane slaughtering of animals from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

  During the year the attention of the Committee was drawn to the necessity of Slaughterhouse Bye Laws, but the further consideration of the same was postponed sine die.

Meat and Food Supply

  The following is a summary of the Meat and other Articles of Food destroyed as unfit for consumption during the year:-  Pork, 340 lbs.; offal, 59 lbs.; rabbits, butter, etc., 33 lbs.

  All the premises where ice-cream was known to be manufactured were inspected during the season.  All were found in a fairly satisfactory condition.

  Only one knacker’s business is carried on in the district and this is situated on the very outskirts.

  Only one offensive trade is carried on in the district – that of a blood and bone boiler, which is carried on in conjunction with the knacker’s yard.

Factories and Workshops

  With the exception of that part of the law dealing with sanitary accommodation and conveniences, the legislation regarding factories is administered by the Home Office.

  There are now 49 factories on the register.  Twelve notices have been served during the year, four being for defective drainage and eight for w.c. accommodation, etc.

  There are now 117 workshops, 5 domestic workshops, and 1 workplace on the register.

  Fifty-eight notices have been served for the different matters found requiring attention.

  Eighteen bakehouses are now on the register, all of which have been inspected at intervals during the year.  Four notices were served.  There is no underground bakehouse in the district.

  Only one workplace is on the register.

  Five domestic workshops are now on the register.

  Additional legislation with regard to Factories and Workshops has been enacted during the year.  The Factory and Workshop Act, 1907, which comes into operation on January 1^st, 1908, is an Act to amend the Factory and Workshop 1901 Act, and provides special regulations to be complied with respecting laundries, application of provisions to domestic workshops, and also brings certain institutions which hitherto have not been controlled by the above Acts now under their operations.

  Compared with last year, the returns of home workers show an increase of 152 notified during the year.

  A total of 1076 outworkers and 8 contractors have been notified as follows.

Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milkshops Orders and Regulations

  There are now 59 names on the register.  Only 44, however, of the 59 are now carrying on the trade of cowkeepers, dairymen, or purveyors of milk, there being 32 cowkeepers and dairymen and 12 purveyors of milk, the remaining 15 having ceased to be connected with the milk trade from one cause or another.  Fifteen additional names were entered on the register during the past year.

  It will be seen that the posting of the large notices in the early part of the year, drawing the attention of all those in the milk trade to the necessity of registration under the above Orders and pointing out the penalties, had the desired effect.

  Under the above Orders and Regulations great progress has been made and many much-needed improvements carried out during the past year.

  A great many of the yards and approaches immediately adjoining the cowsheds are in a shocking condition, and the buildings themselves are in a few instances but wooden structures, needing great improvement.

  Greater and more strict attention by cowkeepers will have to be requested in the future to Sect. 5 of Part iii of the Regulations regarding the cleanliness of the hands of the persons milking and also cleanliness at the time of milking of the udders and teats of the cows.

  It is interesting to note that from the figures collected by the Committee of the Royal Statistical Society there are now fewer milch cattle per 1000 of the population in the United Kingdom than there were twenty years ago, and that the proportion of cattle to population is steadily decreasing.  In the year 1870 there were in the kingdom 118 cows and heifers to every 1000  persons; and in 1903 the number had fallen to 97; but, although we have fewer cows in proportion to population than formerly, it is a fact that we drink much more milk per head than we used to, and this is explained by the great consumption of condensed milk imported from foreign countries.

  The second Interim Report of the Royal Commission on Tuberculosis, published during the year, establishing the identity of the Tuberculoses of Man with those of Animals, prepares the way for notification of Tuberculosis in Cattle, regular inspection of all milch cows, reasonable compensation when animals suffering from tuberculosis have to be slaughtered, and last, but not least, the annual licensing of all premises where milk is sold.

  Altogether 1094 examinations of milch cows and heifers were made, and the improvement in the last three months, compared with the first, will also show the necessity for these periodical examinations and the tendency towards the improvement of dairy cattle, and, therefore, our milk supply, which must necessarily follow.

  As milk enters into the food supply of the majority of the people and is undoubtedly the principal food question of the day, the above report will help it to be realised how necessary it is that everything possible should be done to ensure its being produced under the best possible conditions.

  And to this end there is much room for hard work by all concerned in this important question.  Landowners, farmers, dairy-workers, and, above all, the public generally, as well as Sanitary Authorities, have much to do before the milk supply will reach the standard of purity and wholesomeness which it should.

  In conclusion, I beg to thank the Sanitary and Health Committee and also the Council’s officials for the support, courtesy, and kindness with which they have received any matters I have brought before them.