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

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Rotherhithe 1897

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Rotherhithe]

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113
2. That in connection with any interceptor hereafter fixed on a main house drain, it is
advisable to carry up a ventilating pipe from the sewer side of the interceptor, up the front,
side or back of the house, to the satisfaction of the local sanitary authority, and that the outlet
drain from the interceptor shall not be flap-trapped in sewer, unless required by the local sanitary
authority.
3. That pipe ventilators up buildings, or otherwise, when possible, should always be
adopted in addition to surface ventilators."
It will thus be seen that in the opinion of the Engineers and Surveyors generally, and
to which opinion I entirely concur, the remedy for sewer emanations is to be looked for, not
by the substitution of up-cast shaft ventilators for surface gratings, but from the maintenance
of more ventilating openings, both at the street level and by means of pipes carried up
houses and other buildings.
At the invitation of the Vestry a further conference was held by representatives of
South London Districts at Camberwell, when the above resolutions were practically
confirmed.
The sewers have been efficiently cleansed and thoroughly flushed during the year, 213½
yards of silt being removed. The new 450-gallon flushing van, mentioned in my last year's
report, has been delivered, and has been used 137 days flushing sewers, the quantity of
water used, including that carried by the old cart, being 1926 loads or 770,400 gallons, of
which amount 106,800 gallons came from the wells in the Parish, and the remaindei lrotu
the mains of the Water Companies.
Gullies.
The gullies now number 842, being an increase of 22 during the year; they have
been regularly cleansed during the year and flushed out during periods of drought;
627½ cubic yards of deposit have been removed from them, and a horse and van has
been engaged flushing them out on 62 days, using 916 loads or 366,400 gallons of water.

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week endingslop.SILT FROM GULLIES and SEWERS.DUST.Street Watering, Horses and Drivers Hired.FLUSHING SEWERS and GULLIES.HORSE HIRE.
Cubic yds.Van Loads.Horses and Drivers Hired.Cubic Yds.Van Loads.Horses and Drivers Hired.Van Loads.Weight.Horses and Drivers Hired.Water used. Loads.Horses and Drivers Hired.Machine Broom.Roads.Sewers.
Tons.Cwts.
Brought forward 18974102¾651¼337¾595½51½41212738335252519½2367156¾130½1242½
17th December-111½50½—41771321425½—-—411½2½
24th ,,—37281—22871591929¾——-5¼22¾3¼
31st ,,—10450¼-——66114720-—-45¼¾
1898.
7th January—106½55¼-2¾3½831411626-8¾5¼15¼-
14th „—3727—7¼5841341326-91¾524¾2¾
21st ,,—53½36¾—8¼6801231126-1318½251
28th „—5535¼-10¼7¾731201926½-464½ -528¼
4th February—53|31—107½64116526-8374¼26¼1¾
11th „—47¾29—9¾674125826-60515¾31¼
18th „—55301—4¾3721251126-403¼621—
25th „—40½30¼———731241625¾-302¾1¼42¼1
4th March—78¾40½———721251725-322¾4¼42¼4
11th „—3725—11721281324¼9¾554½5¾30½2¾
18th „—37½27½—2¾2731271224¼7484½6201½
25th „—66¾33—8½56511515246½5146¾11—
Totals4102¾1572¾868595½122¾90¾324257511633542¾2842199207½1599¼92