Dr. Theodore Thomson's report to the Local Government Board on persistence of enteric fever in the Swinton and Pendlebury Urban District : and on the sanitary circumstances and administration of the district.

  • Thomson, Theodore.
Date:
1898
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Dr. Theodore Thomson's report to the Local Government Board on persistence of enteric fever in the Swinton and Pendlebury Urban District : and on the sanitary circumstances and administration of the district. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/12 (page 6)
    not infrequently liquid may be observed standing in them. Nearly half the middens in the district are drained into the sewers. , Some of them are roofed over, others are uncovered : probably the latter are the more numerous. Into these receptacles are cast ashes, vegetable refuse of all sorts, and not uncommonly animal refuse also. They are usually offensive nuisances. Dry ash-pits, where they exist, are usually structures capable of containing several months’ accumulations of house refuse. They are not infrequently without roof: while the floor of some is below the ground level. Middens, as well as ashpits, are cleansed by contractors employed for this purpose by the Urban District Council. For the most part these receptacles are cleansed once every two or three months : although, in many instances, a longer period than this elapses between successive cleansings. The contents of middens are disposed of to farmers : while dry refuse is taken to a “ tip ” near the northern boundary of the district and there deposited. 1-7, Moor Street: two privy middens. One of these measures' 8 ft. by 3 ft. ; its floor is 2 ft. below ground level. It is uncovered and smells offensively. It is stated to be 'cleansed twice a year. 178- 184, Worsley Roacl: midden measures 22 ft. by 5 ft.;: its floor is 1 ft. below ground level. It is roofed over. Is very offensive. Has not been cleansed, it is said, for a year. 121-123, Partington La?ie : midden is uncovered, and measures 5 ft. by 5 ft. ; its floor is 1^ ft. below ground level. It smells offensively. Police Station, Arthur Street: covered midden, measuring 3 ft. by 5 ft. ; its floor is on the ground level. Is very offensive. 54, Wellington Road.: covered midden, measuring 3 ft. by 4^ ft., with floor 6 in. below the ground level. Smells very offensively.. The tenant of the dwelling states that he uses “ disinfectant ” with a view to lessening the smell. He also complains that the midden is sometimes allowed to become too full before it is cleansed. Yard at corner of Grosvenor Street and Little Cross Lane : 11 houses in yard, with common privy midden. The midden measures 30 ft. by 2f ft., and its floor is 6 in. below ground level. It has no roof: and liquid stands in its bottom. Is extremely offensive. 7, Whitley Street: uncovered and very offensive midden, measur¬ ing 6 ft. by 2\ ft., with floor 6 in. below ground level. This midden is within 4 ft. of the back-door and window of the house. Potter s Square: uncovered, very offensive midden, measuring 12 ft. by 5 ft., with floor 1J feet below ground level. 48—50, Stafford Road: uncovered midden, measuring 5^ ft. by 31r ft., with floor 9 in. below ground level. Is full ; and very offensive. Its liquid contents are leaking through the midden wall on to the surface of the passage on which it abuts. House-drainage.—House drains are, for the most part, earthenware pipes jointed with clay or with cement. Prior to 1895 cement was seldom used for this purpose. House drains are seldom disconnected from the sewers to which they discharge. The interiors of dwellings are usually disconnected from the drains serving them ; although, in those instances where there is an indoor water-closet, the soil-pipe is seldom ventilated by a full-bore upcast shaft. In the course of my inspection I observed instances of nuisance arising from defective conditions of house-drainage. 3, Partington Lane: house-drain blocked; tenant complains of' offensive smells proceeding from it. 179- 189, Worsley Road: complaint made of offensive smells from a yard gully, to which the privy-midden serving No. 189 is said to be drained.