Report on the prevalence of enteric fever in the Royal Barracks, Dublin.

  • Stationery Office (Great Britain)
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the prevalence of enteric fever in the Royal Barracks, Dublin. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

    29/46 (page 25)
    The Commanding Royal Engineer. Sir, With reference to our conversation at the Royal Barracks on August 11, Preliminary 1887, and previous visits to those barracks, we have considered several epor' questions which have a special relation to the condition of the sewer which drains the hospital and other premises in Arbour Hill, and the buildings situated on the western side of the Royal Barracks proper. Having regard to the facts ascertained during the course of the inquiry at Special present going on with respect to the sanitary condition of the Royal Barracks, attention we think it right not to lose any time in calling special attention to the defects calied to in relation to this particular sewer, and making some recommendation for their draining early abatement. hospital, &c The following facts have been ascertained, and have certainly important bearings upon the question of the prevalence of enteric fever in that portion of the barracks connected directly or indirectly with this sewer. 1st. The sewer receives the drainage of the hospital in Arbour Hill where Source of enteric fever cases are treated. Thus the excreta from the fever patients passes danger, through the whole length of the west side of the barracks from end to end, and becomes a source of danger at each point where there is any communication between the sewer and the external air, if such communication opens in the immediate vicinity of places frequented by any of the inhabitants of the barracks. 2nd. This sewer is ventilated by shafts and gratings, many of which open Method of into the Royal Barracks and Arbour Hill premises. Of the shafts three are ventilation situated in the Royal Barracks proper—one being against the wall of the block defecuVe^ of houses (A and B) in Cavalry Square containing the cavalry officers' mess, and the quarters of some of the officers. In this building cases of enteric fever occurred among the officers, and in a mess servant. On applying the smoke test to this shaft, we observed that the smoke in issuing from the shaft circulated in various directions, and fell below the level of the windows of the upper rooms, proving that the sewer gas issuing from this shaft might at any time take the same course and poison the atmosphere of these rooms, and possibly of the whole houses. 3rd. A second shaft rises to the ridge of the roof near the south-west corner of the Horse Square, and it terminates against a chimney stack in the immediate vicinity of one of the ventilators of the barrack rooms, through which, at any time, the sewer gas might enter, and possibly contaminate the atmosphere of the rooms below. This shaft was only erected three months ago, and no cases of enteric fever have arisen in this building. 4th. A third shaft near the recreation rooms, although objectionably situated, does not appear to be a source of great danger. 5th. Ventilating gratings exist in the sewer as it passes through the Arbour Hill premises. These gratings are directly over the course of the sewer, and as the roads are metalled with small shingle, the stones fall into the sewer, forming little dams across the current, which cause a considerable amount of deposit in the sewer. Attached to the cavalry officers mess and quarters are two sets of closets Closets and latrines, one used by the men servants. Tins closet was found to be very attached to badly constructed, the covering of the drain consisting of wood upon which the p^fe^ pans and traps were set. The wood was rotten, and allowed the abundant mess and escape of sewer gas; the pipes connecting these latrines with the main sewer quarters, were badly laid, crooked, and leaky. The closets used by the officers were in good order and safe, and the pipe to the main, although badly laid and crooked, was safe and not leaky. A latrine in close proximity used by the women and children of the regiment, was not clean, but safe, and in good order. We recommend : 1st. That the hospital drains should be disconnected Disconnec- with the main sewer, and that a separate sewer (say a 9-inch pipe) for the tionof hospital should be constructed independent of the main, and that all matters dran!.^ coming from the hospital should be thoroughly disinfected before admission to commended, the sewer. The latter of these recommendations should be immediately carried out. 2nd. That the ventilators from the main sewer at the cavalry officers' .Removal of mess and the corner of Cavalry Square should be immediately removed, and £prtt^jnt that at the recreation rooms only retained so long as to permit of the erection advocated8