Rui 2 RUISLIP-NORTHWOOD URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL ANNUAL MEDICAL REPORT, for the year 1908. L. W. HIGNETT, M.B., M.R.C.S., Medical Officer of Health. Nortbwood: Austin & Rawlinson, Printers and Stationers, the Library. Annual Medical Report OF The Medical Officer of Health. 1908. To the Chairman and Members of the Urban District Council of Ruislip-Northu'ood. Gentlemen, I beg to submit to you my fourth Annual Medical Report upon the Sanitary condition of this district. As the result of an enquiry held on January 23rd, 1904 powers were granted by the Local Government Board for the conversion of the Parish of Ruislip (at that time part of the Rural District of Uxbridge) into an Urban District under the control of the Ruislip-Nortlnvood Urban District. I was appointed Medical Officer of Health on January 1st, 1905. General Character of the District. This District lies at the north-west corner of Middlesex; it is bounded on the North by the County of Hertfordshire; on the West by the Parishes of Harefield and Ickenham; on the East by those of Pinner and Harrow; and on the South by Northolt Parish in the Rural District of Uxbridge. The majority of the inhabitants live at Northwood, an entirely residential non-manufacturing District at the most northerly point of the Parish. The villages of Ruislip and Eastcote are situated in the centre of the District 4 During the year the village of Ruislip has been developing considerably, plans for eight new houses having been passed. Plans for fifty-nine new houses to be erected in Northwood have been passed during the year, mostly for houses of the better class. The soil of the whole district is clay excepting in a few spots where small patches of the Reading beds of gravel and sand crop out. These patches of gravel are at the following points. i. At Ruislip village. 2. At Northwood Golf Course. 3. A small patch at Eastcote lying along the bed of the River Pinn, from the iron bridge eastward for a few hundred yards. These gravel beds are of varying depths and overlie the clay. All the remainder of the district is London clay, stiff brown clay with a thin coating of loam. This clay holds up the ground water during wet weather thus tending to make the atmosphere damp and causes ground mists in Autumn and Winter. It is very essential that sufficient surface drainage be provided and that existing water courses and drains should be kept open and free. Houses built upon this clay are not necessarily unhealthy provided that surface drains are put in and that good damp courses and concrete foundations are used. The levels of the land vary from 120 feet at the Southern boundary to 360 feet at the Northern. The River Pinn flows from east to west through the centre of the District. 5 Acreage of the District 6585 Number of Inhabited Houses at the end of June, 1901 704 1905 903 (The first year of a separate District) ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, 19O6 951 ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, „ 1907 1045 ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, 1908 1109 Population at the time of the Census, 1901 3560 Estimated population at the end of June, 1905 4515 ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,,19O6 4755 ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, 1907 553o ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, „ 1908 5656 (The estimate of population is arrived at by multiplying the number of inhabited houses by the factor 5.1.) House accommodation for the working classes in Northwood continues to be improved but there is still great difficulty in finding cottages at a moderate rental and in a sanitary condition for the needs of the agricultural population around Ruislip and Eastcote. Vital Statistics. Estimated population at the end of June, 1908 5656 Number of births registered in the year, 1908 122 Birth rate per thousand of estimated population 21.5 Number of deaths registered during the year, 1908 39 Subtracting deaths of non-residents dying in public institutions in the district (6) and adding deaths of residents dying outside the district (8) the nett number of deaths 41 The corrected death rate then is 7.2 [The birth rate for 1907 was 20.07]. [The death rate for 1907 was 8.06]. Infectious Diseases. (I) Small Pox. No case during the year. 6 (2) Diptheria 1 case occurred during the year. The Bacteriological Analysis of Throat Swabs is undertaken free of charge and Antitoxin is supplied free to cases recommended by medical men. (3) Scarlet fever—two cases. (4) Erysipelas No case during the year. Only three cases of Infectious Disease have been notified during the year, as compared with 28 cases during 1907. Two cases of Infectious Disease were removed to the Isolation Hospital. Sewage and Drainage. During the year extensive alterations and enlargements have been carried out at the Ruislip Outfall Works under the supervision of Mr. Howard Humphreys, A.M.I.C.E. The Sewers are laid on the Separate System. (I) Northwood— 8-inch mains, part converging to a 10-inch main at Hill's Lane, the remainder to another 10-inch main at the lower end of Church Road, these two 10-inch mains join under the Poor's Field and from their junction a 15-inch outfall sewer runs under Reservoir Lane, Withy Lane, Breakspear Road, to the corner of Fine Bush Lane, from this point a 10-inch inverted iron syphon conveys the sewage to the Detritus chamber at the Sewage works. This 10-inch iron syphon has been supplemented by another syphon of the same size. With very few exceptions the houses in Northwood are connected to the Sewers. 70 new connections have been made during the year in Northwood and 20 disused cesspools have been filled up. It is very necessary that all disused cesspools should be cleaned out and filled up. 7 New extensions to sewers during the year in Northwood (i) The Drive, Pinner Road. There are three flushing chambers on the sewers on this part of the system. (a) In the Watford Road. (b) In the Rickmansworth Road, at Sandpit Hill. (c) In the Rickmansworth Road, at Kewferry Hill. 29 Surface Water drains have been disconnected from the Sewers. (II) Eastcote and Ruislip.—An 8-inch main from Cuckoo Hill, to the Eastcote Pumping Station; feeders run into this from Catlin's Lane, Maggott's Hill, Wiltshire Lane and Field End Road. From the Pumping Station at Eastcote, the Sewage is forced up through a 4-inch cast iron main to a point opposite the Ruislip Schools; from this point it gravitates through an 8-inch main to the pumping well at the Sewage Works. The 4-inch cast iron main above mentioned has been supplemented by a 7-inch iron main. An old existing sewer commences at a point opposite the Police Station in Ruislip Village and runs into the 8-inch main at a point in Bury Street, between the forge and Mill Farm. The connections to this old sewer in the village should be carefully traced out. A sewer commences at Bury Street House and runs down Bury Street, joining the main from Eastcote and Ruislip near the Vicarage. Another sewer runs down the New Road, called King's End Avenue, to the main in Ruislip Village. 8 Two new sewers have been laid under the roads on the Southgate Farm Estate, near Bury Street. New sewers have also been laid under Sharp's Lane, Hewlett's Lane, and the Ship Inn at Eastcote has been connected up by a new length of sewer to the main in Wiltshire Lane. (iii) Alterations and additions at the Outfall works.—The pumping engines at Eastcote and Ruislip have been replaced by new Teasdale Oil Engines, and new Gwynne's Centrifugal Pumps have been put at both stations Two of the old septic tanks have been converted into two equalizing chambers, the remaining tanks have been deepened and made into one chamber containing a Helical Sludge Scraper. Two entirely new septic tanks have been made to take the sewage after passing through the Helical scraper tank. The effluent from these tanks passes on to the old contact beds (the whole of the material in these beds has been washed, a mechanical washer having been purchased for this purpose). From the beds the effluent passes on to three new circular perolating filters, two of which are provided with CandyWhittaker Sprinklers, and the other with a Fiddian Sprinkler. From the filters the effluent runs into a new Dortrured tank from the surface of which, a pipe leads the final affluent away to the brook which eventually joins the River Pinn, On the new syphon from the Northwood section are placed two storm water relief valves to divert the sewage into the land areas in time of storm. Part of the land areas is now used for sludge trenches. The effluent from the new filters promises to be of a very satisfactory character. 9 Water Supply. I. Northwood—The Colne Valley Water Company supplies a constant service to all of this part of this District except Jacket's Lane and part of Duck's Hill. The pipes have been extended along Duck's Hill Road to Huggett's Farm. II. Eastcote—The Colne Valley mains are laid throughout a considerable portion of this district. III. Ruislip—The Colne Valley Co., supply water to the village and most of the principal roads. There is one public well in the village, the water from this is used by many of the cottages in the village. Analyses of this well show the water to be of a satisfactory character. There are a considerable number of shallow wells in Ruislip and Eastcote of a suspicious nature from their construction and surroundings. Analyses from two of these wells were made and the report being unfavourable both the wells have been closed. Isolation Hospital. The alterations and additions to the Isolation Hospital at Hillingdon, Uxbridge, have been completed, they are briefly as follows :— 1. A new Administration block containingeight Nurses' bedrooms, one Nurses' sitting room, Matron's sitting room, and bedroom, dining room, board room, Doctor's room and kitchens. 2. A new Observation block containing :— (a) Male ward, two beds and two cots. (b) Female ward, two beds and two cots. (c) Ward, kitchen and lavatories, 10 3. A new Scarlet Fever block containing — (a) Male ward, eight beds and two cots. (b) Female ward, eight beds and two cots. (c) Ward kitchen and lavatories. 4. The old Scarlet Fever block containing four Male, and four Female beds, and eighteen cots, remains as before with the addition of new lavatories. 5. The Discharge block has been disconnected from the old Scarlet Fever wards, and has been provided with new lavatories. 6. The old Diptheria wards in the galvanised iron building remain the same ; they provide six beds and four cots on the male and female side, with kitchens and lavatories. 7. New Laundry and Ironing room. 8. New Disinfecting rooms with a Washington Lyons Steam Disinfector. 9. Ambulance Shed.—Altogether the accomodation provided now is as follows:— For the treatment of Scarlet Fever, 24 beds and 22 cots. For the treatment of Diptheria 12 beds and 8 cots. In the Observatian ward, 4 beds and 4 cots. Small Pox Hospital. Land has been purchased at Yeading, for the erection of a Small Pox Hospital. Cowsheds and Milk Shops. The model regulations issued by the Local Government Board, are in force in this District. There are 27 Cowkeepers and Dairymen on the register. 11 The Colne Valley Water is laid on to all Cowsheds and Dairies except three, and in one of these there is an excellent well supply. The condition of the Cowsheds in the district has certainly improved greatly in the last four years, though there is still room for further improvement. Most of the Cowsheds are old badly constructed buildings, which cannot possibly be converted into modern, well paved, ventilated and drained habitations for cows. I have personally inspected the Cowsheds and Dairies many times during the year, and many minor improvements have been effected in all, but still, short of total demolition and reconstruction, I fail to see how some of the buildings can be brought up to the necessary standard. There are now about 200 milk-cows in the district; all these cows are habitually grazed out all the year round except during very severe winter weather. NosystematicTuberculin testing ofcowsis carried out, but in the case of any suspicious cow the Council has authorised me to call in a Veterinary Inspector and if necessary to have the animal tested with Tuberculin. I strongly recommend that all cows in the district should be Tuberculin tested at regular intervals, at least twice in the year, also that a more stringent code of regulations should be brought into force concerning the cleanliness of the milking process as regards:— (a) The Milkers—the scrubbing of all milkers' hands in hot soap and water and some Antiseptic as Lysol. (b) The washing of the cows udder and teats before milking in some such antiseptic. 11 (c) The more thorough cleaning and grooming of cows prior to milking. (d) The cooling and straining of milk. Slaughter Houses. The Local Government Board Model Regulations have been adopted. There are now two Slaughter Houses in the District. Methods of Disinfection. (i.) House disinfection.—Walls are sprayed with five per cent. solution of Lysoform by the Invicta Sprayer. The rooms are then sealed up and fumigated with Formalin in the Alformant Lamp (25 tablets per 1,000 cubic feet). After 12 hours the rooms are opened and washed down with carbolic lotion. Rooms inhabited by persons suffering from Tuberculosis are disinfected at the request of the medical man attending the case at a cost of 2/6 per room (no charge is made in the case of poor people unable io pay this fee). Disinfection is carried out after Measles, Whooping Cough, Chicken Pox, and any other cases where it is necessary. (2) Clothing, Bedding, etc., can now be disinfected in the new steam disinfector at the Isolation Hospital, Hillingdon. A covered van is sent for the infected articles and another light van is used to return the articles when disinfected. New Buildings. 67 houses, 4 stables, 2 motor houses, 1 kennels, 1 refreshment pavilion, 1 church extension. 13 House Refuse. The collection of House Refuse is made once per week, 530 Houses are now on the list for collection. The refuse is at present tipped at the Brickfields at Sand Pit Hill. Several new houses have been built quite close to these Brickfields and complaints have been received of a nuisance caused by the burning of refuse in the brick clamps and from the plague of flies in the summer time. There is no doubt a nuisance caused by depositing refuse at this place and other arrangements must be made. The disposal of house refuse in a manner not likely to cause any nuisance is a difficult question and a very importtant one. The only really satisfactory method is burning in a Destructor, but the cost of erecting a Destructor is very considerable. I understand that small portable Destructors are now made which are efficient, perhaps the use of one of these might solve the question. Common Lodging Houses. None in the District. Houses Let in Lodgings. The Local Government Bye-laws are in force. Overcrowding. One case. Factories and Workshops. Factories 8 Workshops including Laundries (not including Bakehouses) 11 Bake-houses (one underground) 3 Home Workers' Premises none 14 Table 1. VITAL STATISTICS OF WHOLE DISTRICT DURING 1908 AND PREVIOUS YEARS. Ruislip-northwood Urban District. † These figures are for the whole Uxbridge Rural District ‡ Ruislip-Northwood District only. Year. Population estimated to Middle of each Year. Births. Total Deaths Registered in the District. Total Deaths in Public Institutions in the District. Deaths of Nonresidents registered in Public Institutions in the District. Deaths of Residents registered in Public Institutions beyond the District. Nett Deaths at all Ages belonging to the District. Number Rate.* Under 1 Year of Age At all Ages. Number. Rate per 1,000 Births Registered. Number. Rate.* Number. Rate* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 † 1900 15642 439 27 70 159 238 15.2 48 ... ... 220 14 1901 17294 501 29 59 117 249 14.3 38 ... ... 228 13.4 1902 17598 516 29.2 70 130 290 16.4 81 47 ... 243 13.8 1903 18093 539 28.9 60 111 267 13.6 56 23 5 244 13.4 1904 18206 498 23.5 65 100.4 264 14.7 51 36 1 168 14.7 ‡ 1905 4515 115 25.4 8 69 35 7.7 6 6 3 32 7.08 1906 4715 119 25.2 7 58.8 34 7.1 1 1 6 39 8.2 1907 5330 107 20.07 4 37.3 39 7.3 5 5 9 43 8.06 Averages for years 1898-1907. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ‡ 1908 5636 122 21.5 8 65.5 39 6.8 6 6 8 41 7. 2 * Rates in Columns 4, 8, and 13 calculated per 1,000 of estimated population. Area of District in acres (exclusive of area covered by water). 6585 Acres. Total Population at all ages Number of Inhabited houses Average number of persons per house 3566 703 5.1 At Census of 1901. 15 I. II. III. Institutions within the district receiving sick and infirm persons from outside the district. Institutions outside the district receiving sick and infirm persons from the district. Other Institutions, the deaths in which have been distributed among the several localities in the district. Mount Vernon Consumption Sanatorium, Northwood. Hillingdon Workhouse Infirmary, Hillingdon, Uxbridge. Charing Cross Hospital. Cottage Hospital, Hillingdon. Is the Union Workhouse within the District ? No. 16 Table III. CASES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE NOTIFIED DURING THE YEAR, 1908. Ruislip-Northwood Urban District. Notifiable Disease. Cases Notified in Whole District. No. of cases removed to hospital from each localty At all Ages. At Ages—Years. Under 1 1 to 5 5 to 15 15 to 25 25 to 65 65 and upwards Small-pox ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Cholera ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Diptheria (including Membranous croup) 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Erysipelas ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Scarlet fever 2 ... ... 1 1 ... ... 1 Typhus fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Enteric fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Relapsing fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Continued fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Puerperal fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Plague ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Totals 3 ... ... 2 1 ... ... 2 Isolation Hospital, Hillingdon, Uxbridge. 17 Table IV.—Causes of, and Ages at, Death during Year 1908. RUISIP-NORTHWOOD URBAN DISTRICT. Causes of Death. Deaths at the subjoined ages of "Residents" whether occurring in or beyond the district. Total Deaths whether of Residents or Non-Residents in Public Institutons in the District. All Ages Under 1 year. 1 and under 5 5 and under 15 15 and under 25 25 and under 65 65 and upwards. Small-pox ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Measles ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Scarlet Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Whooping-cough ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Diptheria (including Membranous Croup( 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... Croup ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... fere, Typhus ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Enteric ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Other continued ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Epidemic Influenza 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... Cholera ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Plague ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Diarrhoea 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... Enteritis 2 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... Puerperal Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Erysipelas ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Phthsis, ( Pulmonary Tuberculosis) 3 ... ... ... 1 1 1 6 Other Tuberculous Diseases ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Cancer, Malignant Disease 3 ... ... ... ... ... 3 ... Bronchitis 7 1 ... ... ... 1 5 ... Pneumonia 2 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... Pleurisy ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Other Diseases of Respiratory Organs ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Alcoholism Cirrhosis of Liver > ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Venereal Diseases ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Premature Birth 2 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... Diseases and Accidents of Parturition 1 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... Heart Diseases 3 ... 1 ... ... 1 1 ... Accidents ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Suicides ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Cerebral Haemorrhage 2 ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... Accident (Coroner's Certificate) 3 ... 1 ... 1 1 ... ... Rackitis (Convulsions) 1 ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... Kidney Disease 2 ... ... ... ... 2 ... ... All other causes 7 ... ... 1 ... 2 4 ... All causes 41 8 5 2 2 9 15 6 18 Ruislip-Northwood Urban District. Table V. INFANTILE MORTALITY DURING THE YEAR, 1908. Deaths from stated Causes in Weeks and Months under One Year of Age. CAUSE OF DEATH. Under Week 1-2 Weeks 2-3 Weeks 3-4 Weeks Total under Month 1-2 Months 2-3 Months 3-4 Months 4-5 Months 5-6 Months 6-7 Months 7-8 Month 8-9 Months 9-10 Montns 10-11 Months 11-12 Months Total Deaths under One Year. All Causes Certified 2 2 ... 1 5 ... 1 ... 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 8 Uncertified ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1. Common Infectious Diseases. Small-pox ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Chicken-pox ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Measles ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Scarlet Fever ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Diptheria : Croup ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Whooping Cough ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2. Diarr- hœal Diseases. Diarrhœa, all forms ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Enteritis, Muco-enteritis, Gastro-enteritis ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Gastritis, Gastro- intestinal Catarrh ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 3. Wasting Diseases. Premature Birth ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Congenital Defects ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Injury at Birth 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Want of Breastmilk, Starvation ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Atrophy, Debility, Marasmus ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 4. Tuberculous Diseases. Tuberculous Meningitis ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Tuberculous Peritonitis Tabes Mesenterica ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Other Tuberculous Diseases ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5. Other Causes. Erysipelas ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Syphilis ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Rickets ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Meningitis (not Tuberculous) ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Convulsions ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Bronchitis ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Laryngitis ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Pneumonia ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Suffocation overlying ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Other Causes - Influenza ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 2 2 ... 1 ... ... 1 ... 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 8 District of Ruislip-Northwood. Births in the year. legitimate .. 118 Deaths in the Year of legitimate infants 8 Population, Estimated to middle of 1908. 5656 illegitimate 4 Deaths from all Causes at all Ages. 41 illegitimate infants 0 19 FACTORIES, WORKSHOPS, LAUNDRIES, WORKPLACES & HOMEWORK 1. INSPECTION. (Including Inspections made by Sanitary Inspector of Nuisances). Inspections. Written Notices. FACTORIES 6 (Including Factory Laundries) 12 - WORKSHOPS (Including Workshop Laundries) 24 - WORKPLACES None in District HOMEWORKERS' PREMISES None in District Total 36 - 2. DEFECTS FOUND. Nuisances under the Public Health Acts: Found. Remedied Want of Cleanliness 1 1 Want of Ventilation - - Overcrowding - - Want of Drainage of Floors - - Other Nuisances 1 1 Sanitary Accommodation : Insufficient - - Unsuitable or Defective - - Not Separate for Sexes - - Offences under the Factory and Workshop Act: Illegal Occupation of Underground Bakehouse (S. 101) Breach of Special Sanitary requirements for - Bakehouses (S.S. 97 to 100) - - Failure as Regards Lists of Outworkers (S. 107) - - Giving out Work to be done in Premises which are : Unwholesome (S. 101) - - Infected (S. 110) - - Allowing Wearing Apparel to be made in Premises Infected by Scarlet Fever or Small Pox (S. 109) - - Other Offences - - Total 2 2 20 3. OTHER MATTERS. Number. Matters Notified to H.M. Inspector of Factories : Failure to Affix Abstract of the Factory and Workshop Act (S. 133) - Action taken in matters referred by H.M. Inspector as remedial under the Public Health Acts, but not under the Factory Act (S.5) - Notified by H.M. Inspector - Reports (of action taken) sent to H.M. Inspector - Other - Underground Bakehouses (S. 101): Certificates granted during the year - In use at the end of the year 3 Homework: List of Outworkers (S. 107): Lists. Number of Outworkers. Lists received - - Addresses of Outworkers: Forwarded to other Authorities - - Received from other Authorities - - Homework in Unwholesome or Infected Premises: Wearing Appord. Other. Notices Prohibiting Homework in Unwholesome Premises (S. 108) - - Cases of Infectious Disease notified in Home workers' Premises - - Orders Prohibiting Homework in Infected Premises (S. 110) - - Workshopson the Register (S. 131) at the end of the year 15 Bakehouses (one underground) 3 Workshops 11 Total Number of Workshops on Register 14 Annual Report OF The Inspector of Nuisances For the Year, 1908. February, 1909. To Dr. L. W. Hignett, Medical Officer of Health for the Urban District of Ruislip-Northwood. Sir, I beg to submit my fourth Annual Report, being for the year ending, 31st December, 1908. The annexed tables give particulars of the work which has been carried out during the year and it is in my opinion satisfactory, the number of nuisances has decreased, and these have been abated without the necessity of serving any statutory notices. During the year I have visited most of the houses from which dust is removed. The scavenging, drainage and other necessary work is still being strictly attended to and a systematic inspection of the District has been carried out. The manhole inverts and benchings in the Northwood District are being repaired thus allowing the sewage to flow more freely, and preventing the foul gases arising from excreta lying on the sides of the benching. 22 The Water supply has been laid on to one farm and a large Refreshment Pavilion. There are still Cesspools in the District, but they are gradually being abolished as new sewers are laid to take the sewage to the Outfall Works at Ruislip. At the Sewage Works, acting upon the instructions of the Council, I have experimented with a preparation called "Danysz Virus'' for the extermination of rats and good results were obtained over 60 rats were found dead on the farm. As you are aware I have inspected with you the numerous wells in the District and such action has been taken thereon as was deemed necessary for the health of the district. The scavenging of the district has been on the whole satisfactory, very few genuine complaints have been received. There has been a large increase in the number of premises from which house refuse has been collected during the year. At the beginning of the year, there were 400 houses on the register and at the close of the year this number had increased to 530. On one occasion during the year I noticed a very bad smell arising from refuse in carts in Green Lane, and I ascertained that this was being carted from a truck in the Northwood Station Yard. I immediately took steps to prevent any more of this refuse coming into the district. All the Surface Water manholes have been cleansed during the year. Throughout the year the Flushing Chambers and dead ends of the sewers have been flushed as occasion required. 23 Owing to the large amount of sewerage extensions, improvements at the Outfall Works, etc., it has not been possible to trace the old sewer connections at Ruislip Village, but this matter has not been overlooked and will be undertaken at an early date. The same remarks apply to the preparation for adoption of Model Bye-laws for dealing with nuisances. Two ventilating columns have been erected on the line of the existing sewers and one has been removed owing to repeated complaints as to the sewer gas emanating therefrom. The inspection of the District of Northwood has now practically been completed with regard to the detection of surreptitious connections of surface water to the foul sewers and some twenty of these have this year been disconnected. I found during a heavy storm that a large amount of surface water was getting into the foul sewers from premises in Church Road ; this I hope will now be obviated by reason of the laying of an 18-inch pipe sewer at the rear of the premises in question. The nuisance at the Ship Inn, Eastccte, reported by me in last years' report is now abated, new drainage has been laid and a new sewer constructed to take the sewage from the premises. All the dummy manholes in the district have been examined. I am, Your Obedient Servant, W. LOUIS CARR, Sanitary Inspector. 24 SANITARY WORK, 1908. RUISLIP-NORTHWOOD URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL. INSPECTIONS— Number of Premises Inspected and Re-inspected on Complaint 80 Number of Premises Inspected in connection with Infectious Diseases 14 Number of Premises under Periodical Inspection 44 Houses inspected from House-to-House 476 Total Number of Houses, Premises, &c., Inspected 834 NOTICES— Cautionary Notices given 150 Statutory Orders issued es Served Convictions Obtained 1 DWELLING HOUSES— Houses, Premises, &c., Cleansed, Repaired, &c. 7 MOVABLE DWELLINGS, CARAVANS, TENTS, ETC.— Number Observed during the Year 2 Number Removed from District 2 WORKSHOPS AND WORKPLACES— Number in District 10 Contraventions of Factory Acts 2 LAUNDRIES— Number in District 2 Contraventions of Factory Acts 0 BAKEHOUSES— Number in District 3 Contraventions of Factory Acts 1 SLAUGHTER-HOUSES - Number on Register 2 Contraventions of Bye-Laws 0 COW-SHEDS— Number on Register 19 Contraventions of Regulations 11 Number of Inspections made and frequency of Inspections twice a year. 60 Number of Milch Cows in the District 182 25 DAIRIES AND MILK-SHOPS- Number on Register 8 Contraventions of Regulations 1 Number of Inspections made and frequency of Inspections twice a year 20 WATER SUPPLY AND WATER SERVICE— Wells--Closed as Polluted 2 Percentage of Houses supplied from Public Water Service ... 80^ Constant System laid throughout the District — Houses connected to Constant System 2 DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE— Water Closets—New Constructed in New Houses ... ... 111 „ „ Existing Houses ... ... 11 Repaired, Supplied with Water, or otherwise Improved ... ... ... ... ... 6 Percentage of Houses provided with Water Closets ... ... 80"]• Drains--Examined, Tested, Exposed, &c. ... ... ... ... 152 Unstopped, Repaired, Trapped, &c. .. ... — 120 Waste Pipes, Rain Water Pipes Diconnected, Repaired, &c. ... ... ... 29 Reconstructed ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 Existing Soil Pipes or Ventilating shafts Repaired ... 13 Cesspools—Rendered Impervious, Emptied, Cleansed, &c. ... 3 Abolished, and Drain connected to Sewer ... ... 20 Percentage of Houses Draining into Sewers ... ... ... 70^ DISINFECTION— Rooms Disinfected ... ... ... ... 16 Rooms Stripped and Cleansed ... ... ... 12 DUST— New Bins provided after serving Intimation Notices ... ... 23 Periodical Frequency of Dust Removal ... ... ... Weekly Number of Complaints of Non-Removal received ... 9 Method of Disposal—By tipping SUNDRY NUISANCES ABATED— Overcrowding ... ... ... ... ' Accumulation of Refuse ... ... ... ... ... 8 „ „ (Manure) ... ... ... ... ... 3 Foul Ditches, Ponds, &c., and Stagnant Water 5 Foul Pigs and other Animals ... ... ... 6 Dampness ... 1 Other Nuisances ... ... 19 Yards paved and repaired 2