Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Port of London]
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by them to Messrs. Hornet, Foster & Co., Fat Boilers, of Stratford, Essex. The
said Messrs. Hornet, Foster & Co. to furnish to the Medical Officer of Health an
undertaking that the rendered fat of such carcases should be sold only to a responsible
firm of soap makers.
INTRODUCTION OF NEW LEGISLATION.
The Public Health (Puerperal Fever and Puerperal Pyrexia) Regulations,
1926, came into force on the 1st October, 1926.
The Public Health (Imported Milk) Regulations, 1926, came into force on
the 1st October, 1926.
The Sanitary Officers Order, 1926, came into force on the 1st June, 1926,
and revoked the Order of 1922.
The Public Health (Smoke Abatement) Act, 1926, will come into operation
on the 1st July, 1927.
SEWAGE DISPOSAL—SOUTHEND-ON-SEA.
A Bill was before Parliament to make further provision with respect to the
disposal of sewage early in 1926.
The existing sewage and sewage disposal works of the Corporation of Southend
are insufficient for dealing with the largely increased population of the Borough.
This increase is about 2\ times since 1909, the date of the previous Sewage Act.
It is therefore necessary to alter or repeal the provisions contained in the
Southend-on-Sea Corporation Act, 1909, so as to enable the Corporation to build
additional works and discharge from them into the sea.
No such discharge into the estuary of the River Thames will be undertaken
until screens for the removal from the sewage of gross solid matter have been constructed
and sewage tanks provided for the sedimentation of all sewage entering
the sewers of the Corporation.
Sewage and storm water entering the sewers of the Corporation at a rate
exceeding three times the average daily dry weather flow shall not of necessity
undergo screening and sedimentation.
The recommendations of the Royal Commission on Sewage Disposal will
be followed.
The present degree of purification will be lessened.
The scheme provides for the outflow of sewage at the eastern boundary of the
Borough below low-water mark, at a distance of two miles E.S.E. of the present
outfall and just to the west of a peculiar and constant low tide neck of land from
which its attendant water inlet takes the natural name of " Knock Swin."
The state of purification of sewage thrown from a seaside resort, such as is
Southend-on-Sea, need not, I feel be for the consideration of the Port of London
Sanitary Authority provided solids are screened and a degree of purification beyond
this attained. This Authority's interest, though extending to foreshore pollution,
is not of the vital moment in the same matter as is that proper to Southend-on-Sea.
As the Authority dealing with shellfish layings, however, the Port of London
Sanitary Authority is interested.
Mr. Deane, the Consulting Engineer, detailed on behalf of the Corporation
of Southend to conduct float experiments with regard to the flow of water at and
about the Knock Swin, i.e., the outfall, supplied for the perusal of the Port of
London Sanitary Authority a series of maps of bis experiments which trace clearly
the direction of flow from the proposed sewage outfall at various states of the
varying tides.
These distinctly show, amongst other matters of interest :—
(1) That the set of the tide in flood trends eastward and northward
over the flats which lie in front of Southend, especially Thorpe Bay.
(2) That the set of the tides on the ebb is parallel to the shore at
first, then trending southward over the flats.
(3) That the flow in calm weather from the proposed sewage outfall
would reach the Mouse Light, a total distance of nine miles on one ebb
tide.
(4) An extremely interesting record of the flood tide in and about
the Swin.