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 Lewisham]
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their neighbourhood; 2nd, as a matter of course nuisances
must arise, with ever so great attention to cleanliness, which
are likely to be prejudicial to health.
3rd. The shutting up of' cows continually, in many instances
without light, and in a close locality, without sufficient
supply of air, must be productive of disease in the animals,
and entail consequent loss to the owner.
Cowhouses should be placed in country fields alone, where
the animals could have fresh air and exercise, with an
abundant supply of fresh food.
This would make them more healthy, and would make
milk a much more desirable beverage, and food for children
and invalids, than a great deal of it is at the present day ;
and is most important, when it is considered how dependant
infants and invalids are upon this aliment.
The only way of overcoming the slaughterhouse nuisance
will be that of having public abbattoirs erected out of reach
of dwelling houses, where only animals can be killed and
whence offal and filth can be frequently removed, under
proper and constant supervision.
1873.—Several complaints have been made of the butchering
cattle in confined localities and near to dwelling houses,
and the offensive smell at times arising from the non removal
of garbage. Some of the slaughterhouses in this district are
entered from shops; some are open to the roadway in which
they are situated, and are no doubt a great annoyance to the
neighbouring inhabitants, and serious nuisances prejudicial
to health are likely to arise.
1873.—The cow-houses in this district have been periodically
inspected. Some of them are most inappropriately
situated in localities surrounded by habitations, and some
require an outlay for paving and draining.
Great importance attaches to these necessary establishments
since the occurrence of cattle plague, and if possible
still greater now, since milk has been demonstrated to be a
vehicle in which the poison germs of typhoid fever may be
disseminated amongst human beings.