[Report 1923] / Medical Officer of Health, Glossop Borough.

  • Glossop (England). Borough Council.
Date:
1923
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1923] / Medical Officer of Health, Glossop Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/50 (page 3)
    Crlosso}) is on the Manchester—Slieffield main road, and it is also on the direct route between populous centres and the I'eak JJistrict (ol which it forms a part). There is therefore a great motor traffic with its accompanying evil,—clouds of dust. Dust taken from the roads consists of hard gritty material, with a large amount of silica and matter of animal and vegetable oiigin, such as animal exci’ement and particles of paper; disease germs such as those of tuberculosis and pneumonia have been tc.iuid in it. The applicatiori of sdica in large amounts to the body tissues has been found to facilitate the entrance of disease germs, and there caan be no question of the deletorions effects of the clouds of dust raised from our roads by motor traffic and by the wind. Civilisation has its drawbacks, and this dust nuisaiice is one of them. Pollution of the air is one of the factors responsible for our high respiratory death rate, and this pollution by dust from the roads which contains germs and other matter is par- tieidarly liable to cause respiratory diseases. Other matters bearing on the I'cspiratory death rate are the smoke nuisance and the picture house habit, and measures should also^ be taken to ]>revent the former and lessen the danger from the latter. Another matter in whi(*h it is hoped further progress will be made is Ante-isatal work; a scheme has just been apjrroved by the Ministrv^ (see Keport, page 16). Among my remarks here I desire to refer to' the long and faithful seiwice rendered to the Borough by Mr. Samuel Dane, who retired to consulting duties in November, 1923, from the position of Senior Sanitary Inspector. Mr. Dane has been sanitary in- spector since 1878, and acted for a period of 45 years. He has seen many changes in the general public health since he took up his duties; then, I believe, there was no system of scavenging, w.c.’s and even pails were a rarity, infectious diseases had not be notified, and if they were there was no hospital accommodation for them. Taking up duties shortly after the passing of the Public Health Act of 1875 he has in his long life witnessed a revolution in sanitation; I trust he will be enabled during retirement from active duties to place on record sr)me f)f his reminiscences. With his retiring colleagues, Mi*. Haynes (Doroiigh Suiweyor) and Mr. John Garnei* (Water Inspector), he was recently presented by his brother officials with an easy chair. He has earned his rcst, and 1 trust he will have good health to enjoy it. He h.as been succeeded by his son, iMr. H. Dane, who for many years Ims been .Assistant Sariita.ry Tns])ector.