Systematic Inspection of Houses

Disinfecting The Schools

  On Wednesday, at the meeting of the Rushden Urban Council, Mr. F. J. Allen, Sanitary Inspector, presented the annual report of his department as follows:-

  I have to submit to you my first Annual Report, and as I only commenced my duties under your Council on the 20^th of last March, I am only responsible from that date.

  In all seventy-one complaints were received and promptly attended to during the past year, and where nuisances were found to exist notices were served to abate same.

  The smoke testing of drains and sanitary fittings has been carried out during the year where necessary, and the drainage of fifty-nine old properties has been tested and the defects found brought to the notice of the owners responsible for same.  All new drains are subjected to the Water Test, and twenty-one defective drains have been taken up and re-laid or repaired.  In thirteen cases the intercepting trap was found to be defective and sewer gas entering the house drains.

  House-to-house systematic inspection has been carried out during the year with a view to discovering any nuisances that may exist and enforcing the abatement of same.  One hundred and sixty premises have been so inspected and special attention given to have all water closets properly flushed, as well as rectifying any defective drains or sanitary fittings and any other insanitary conditions that may exist.  The defects found are entered in a special book, and also the name and situation of every house inspected, which will be of immense value for future reference.  These systematic inspections are only carried out when other duties permit, and it will, therefore, at the present rate of progress, take some years to complete the whole area of your growing town.

Milkshops

  There are forty-six cowkeepers and Purveyors of milk registered in your district.  These premises have been periodically inspected and the attention of the occupiers has been drawn to the necessity of limewashing their premises in five instances, which was duly carried out.

  The buildings for the most part are kept in a cleanly state, but the surroundings of some of the premises leave much to be desired, and it will be necessary, unless some improvements are carried out, to deal with these at an early date.

  Of the forty-six names on the Register, thirty-one are cowkeepers and dairymen, and fifteen purveyors of milk – seven of the latter residing outside the district.

  One cowkeeper and one purveyor of milk have been registered during the year.

  One new cowshed has been erected.

  The Cows are examined by your Veterinary Surgeon, Mr. J. Bainbridge, M.R.C.V.S., quarterly, and a summary of his reports appear in this report (Appendix 1), which gives the number of cows dealt with and shows that this is a most important work in connection with the Milk Supply of the district.

  The Veterinary Surgeon makes a quarterly inspection of every milch cow in the district, making a special examination of the throat and udder, in each case reporting quarterly to the Health and Sanitary Committee.

  Any animals which fail to pass the Veterinary Surgeon’s examination are kept under the observation of the Sanitary Inspector and excluded from the milking herds.

Knacker’s Yard

  One knacker’s business is carried on in the district under an annual licence granted by the Council.  The premises are situated on the outskirts of the town, and their structural conditions have been improved during the year by having the floors drained and re-laid.

  One offensive trade is carried on in the district in conjunction with the Knacker’s Yard – that of a blood and bone boiler.  No complaints have been received respecting same.

Private Slaughterhouses, Etc.

  There are three licenced private slaughter-houses within the district, and these, together with the five registered slaughter-houses, have been regularly cleansed and limewashed during the year.  The quality of the meat generally has been of a high standard, and no seizures have therefore been necessary.

  These premises are visited at the time of slaughtering, and visits are also made to the butchers, fishmongers, fruiterers, and other shops.

Unsound Food

  No unsound food has been seized, with the exception of a parcel of fruit (bananas and tomatoes), and it is to be hoped the warning given will have the desired effect of making vendors of fruit more careful in the future.

  A quantity of rabbits were surrendered by a dealer as being in an unwholesome condition, and these were destroyed after obtaining a Magistrate’s Order.

  There are no common lodging houses registered as such in the district.

  No legal proceedings were necessary during the year for enforcing the abatement of Nuisances, although some pressure had to be brought to bear in some instances, and it was found necessary to serve Council Notices on twenty-two occasions, which were subsequently complied with, or the work executed by the Council.

Schools

  All the public elementary schools were sprayed and disinfected during the Summer and Christmas holidays, and also owing to the number of scarlet fever cases occurring they were again done during the month of November.

  I would suggest that the various caretakers should use more disinfectants by spraying the floors with a disinfecting solution before sweeping, and using damp cloths, which have been wrung out of some disinfectant, for dusting.

  Anything to get rid of or allay the dust in schools in worthy of consideration.

  Your Medical Officer of Health recommended the disinfecting of schools at a shorter period, and after being considered by the Health and Sanitary Committee this was recommended to be carried out.  Permission was also given to purchase a small spraying machine for use in private houses, and this cannot fail to help in the checking of the spread of Infectious Disease.

Back Yards And Passages

  These have received attention during the past year, and in a large number of cases have been repaired, and in some instances taken up and entirely re-laid.  Some of the backways are in a bad state of repair, and unless they are put in a more sanitary condition, it will be necessary to report on them at an early date.

Outworkers’ Premises

  During the month of August twenty-seven lists were received relating to 381 outworkers’ premises.  These premises have been inspected, and in seventeen instances it was found necessary to point out the want of cleansing and limewashing the premises, which was duly carried out.

  Infectious disease occurred in six houses in which outwork was being carried out, and it was found necessary to exclude the work from entering the houses until the infectious period was over and the premises had been disinfected.

Factory And Workshops Acts

  During the year these premises have been periodically inspected.

  Two notices were received from one of H.M. Inspectors of Factories, one calling attention to the limewashing of a bakehouse and one to the want of separate accommodation for the use of both sexes in a factory.

  In the latter case plans were being prepared for the extension of such factory, with proper sanitary accommodation shown for both sexes, and the work is in progress at the time of writing.

Bakehouses

  The number of bakehouses on the Register is eighteen, and these are regularly inspected – special attention being given to the dates of limewashing, etc.

  It was found necessary on nine occasions to draw the occupiers’ attention to the want of limewashing.

  There are no underground bakehouses in the district.

Petroleum Acts

  The premises licensed for the storage of petroleum and carbide of calcium are regularly inspected, and seven licences have been issued for the sale of carbide of calcium and eight for the sale of petroleum, and any infringements of the regulations discovered brought to the notice of the person responsible.  Three new licences have been granted during the year.

Infectious Disease

  During the year 116 cases of infectious disease were investigated, and the houses kept under observation until certified to be free, and subsequently sprayed or fumigated.

  193 visits and inspections were made, and sixty-nine rooms and premises were disinfected.

  Seven lots of bedding were destroyed during the year, and seven consumptive premises were sprayed and disinfected after removal of the patients.

  Five cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were notified under the Public Health (Tuberculosis) Regulations, while seven voluntary notifications of consumption have been received.

  It was found necessary during the year to disinfect one of the women’s departments at one of the factories, owing to one of the workers found suffering from scarlet fever while following her employment.

  Disinfecting fluid, powder, and soap were judiciously distributed to the families requiring same, with apparently good results.

  Your Council also permits the free use of anti-diphtheritic serum where the persons concerned are in needy circumstances.

Water Supply

  The water supply of the town is excellent in quality and abundant in quantity, which has been proved during the long spell of very dry weather during the past summer, the town having been served with a full and constant supply of water during the whole time.

  There are still a few surface wells used for obtaining a supply for drinking purposes, but owing to the risk of pollution it would be much safer from a health point of view if they were filled up and the town service laid on.

  Two samples of water were submitted to your Medical Officer of Health for analysis, and one well was filled up and a new supply laid on from the public service.

  From the report of your Surveyor (Mr. W. B. Madin) I have taken the following details:-

The average daily consumption of water was 10.10 gallons per head of the population.  This is a very low average and is probably due to the absence of baths in the majority of houses.

  The rainfall for the year in Rushden was 17.10 inches, which is about three inches below the average for the past ten years.

House Refuse

  The total amount of house refuse collected during the past year has increased, and no less than 2,331 loads of refuse have been dealt with, giving an average of forty-five loads per week.

  The majority of houses are provided with “Sanitary Dust Bins,” made of galvanised iron, with tight fitting lids.

  During the past year 149 houses have been supplied with new bins in place of insanitary boxes, tubs, etc.

  In conclusion, I have to express my thanks to the Chairman and Members of the Health and Sanitary Committee, and also the Medical Officer of Health, for every possible assistance and support they have rendered me in coming to the town as a stranger, and in the carrying out of the duties of my office.