London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London

London County Council 1899

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for London County Council]

This page requires JavaScript

Text

Copy text to clipboard

12
13

Table: APPENDIX III.—continued.

APPENDIX III.—continued.

District in which Destructor is situated.If complaints have been received as to nuisance (offensive smell or dust) from inhabitants of house3 in the vicinity of the site of the Destructor.If complaints have been received that dust and smoke from the chimney interfere with any trade or manufacturing process carried on in the neighbourhood of the Destructor.If complaints have been received at any time, but are not now forthcoming, whether the improvement is attributed to any particular alteration adopted in the method of burning the refuse.General character of the neighbourhood in which the Destructor is situated, and especially if there are inhabited houses in the vicinity.Remarks.
1.2.1.4.5.6.
BoltonYes, but not many. Recent inquiries in neighbourhood showed that very few residents considered the place offensive.NoThe complaints were made at a time when it was proposed to erect another destructor in a distant part of the town, and were probably prompted by the opponents of that scheme. No alteration has been made in the method of burning the refuse.The rateable value of the houses in the neighbourhood varies from £6 10s. to £14. Some of the houses in the vicinity are separated from the corporation premises by a boundary wall only, and others are not more than a few yards distant.
BournemouthNoNo...The neighbourhood of the destructor is a rapidly improving one. Villa residences up to £50 and £70 rent are being built and occupied within 100 yards of the destructor.There is a fume cremator in connection with the destructor, but it is too small for the work, and has not been used daily in consequence of the expense-£300 per annum.
BradfordYes, formerly, as to smells; none as to dustNot aware of anyDisappearance of smells attributed to adoption of fume cremator.There are four destructors, two of which are situated amongst mills and factories, and the other two ou the outskirts of the borough in a thinly populated district.
BristolYes, one only...Manufacturing neighbourhood with very few dwelling houses in its vicinity.Destructor has been at work only two months, and experience in method of burning is of but short duration.
Broughton (Lincoln)No information given.
BarslemNoNo...Open countyr, no houses within 300 yards.
Barton-on-TrentYes, one onlyNoCareful attention is given to furnace cremator, which no doubt improves matters.Thickly populated on three sides; the nearest group of houses being about 160 yards away.
CheltenhamNoNo. The chimney stack is a tall one, and from the nature of the material burnt it is unlikely that very dense smoke would be emitted....The destructor is on the outskirts of the town, and there are only a few small houses in the immediate vicinity. The land near by is devoted to market gardening and fruit culture.
DerbyYes, residents at some distance complain of offensive smell.Yes; from farmer occupying land adjoining, of partially charred paper from chimney.No recent complaints as to smell, as alteration has been made in method of working the fire and paper has been interrupted by a grid fixed in the main flue.The destructor is practically in the country, only one dwelling house being nearer than about 400 yards.
EalingDestructor built in 1883 (two cells), and complaints made of offensive smell, dust and smoke.No trade or manufacturing process carried on in the neighbourhood.Destructor increased to four cells and in 1885 a fume cremator invented by Surveyor (Mr. C. Jones). Not one single complaint has been made since.Purely residential, and within 500 yards are properties of various degrees of value. Residences from £25 to £250 per annum.Destructor has now seven cells burns all house refuse and sewage sludge.
EastbourneYes; as to dust, from proprietor of a vinery built against boundary wall of yard in which destructor is situate.......The destructor is well away (200 to 300 yards) from human habitations, except such as are occupied by the men in charge of the apparatus.The Medical Officer of Health suggests to prevent nuisance:—Careful supervision, and that the up-draught be not unduly forced.
GlasgowYes, as to smell and charred paper in 1881, when works first opened....Complaints stopped by improved methods. New works have a shaft 300 ft. high.There arc three Destructors, each situated in thinly inhabited districts, but dwellings are quite close to each.Only the rougher rubbish destroyed, the cinders are used to raise steam, and fine ash is mixed with night soil for manure.
Govan(Destruct or in course of erection).
HampsteadYes, as to fumes by Hammer-smith Vestry in 1890.NoNoDestructor is situated on banks of Grand Junction Canal with inhabited houses in the vicinity.
HastingsA few complaints have been received of dust and of smell issuing from the destructor, but none recently.No. There is little trade in the neighbourhood.No complaints during the last eighteen months ; the improvement probably due to the fumes being passed through a cremator.The destructor is to the extreme east of the "Fishing Village," a poor neighbourhood, occupied mainly by fisher-folk. The cliff (an open grass covered plateau or common) is to the north and the sea to the south.The Medical Officer of Health states that he has stood at the top of the cliff, right in the smoke issuing from the shaft, and detected nothing that could be considered a nuisance.
HcckmondwikeNo information given.No...The neighbourhood is of a residential character and the destructor is erected near the centre of the district; within a radius of half a mile there are many houses practically on a level with the top of the shaft.
HcrnseyNo
BuddersfieldNo, as to smell or dust. Yes, as to charred paper.NoNuisance complained of obviated by application of steam jets with the precaution of depositing the lightest refuse in those cells which are farthest from the chimney shaftChiefly residential. Not very densely populated (houses with a rental of £15 to £30 per year within 100 yards).
HullNoNo...Manufacturing district, inhabited chiefly by artizans.
Hyde(Destructor 111 course of erection)
LeedsYes; the destructor at Armley-road is accused of emitting a great deal of dust from chimney which is short. The one in Beckett-street (the oldest) is said by the medical officer of the workhouse to be offensive at times No complaints from residents recently. No com plaints from new one at Kidac re-street.NoAt Beckett-street, steam jets have been added which greatly increase the temperature and render nuisance from products of combustion nil.Armley-road — Immediate surroundings, manufacturing; houses nearly all round within a quarter of a mile. Beckett-street—Open land to the north-east, recently, erected working men's houses to the west, artizans cottages (closely packed) and workhouse to south-west. Kidacre-street—Gasworks and large amount of cottage property and two main thoroughfares near.