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.

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    lanes. Air in cavalry soldiers' quarters much purer (although situated over stables), due probably to the fact of their being only two storeys high, not looking into lanes, and having open roof ceilings, with roof ventilation. Cases of enteric fever in quarters occupied by cavalry soldiers are few. Inlets for fresh air too near ceilings; window ventilation altogether under control of men. to^geof III.—SEWERS AND DRAINS. Report. 6 Necessarily of a complicated and intricate character. There are four main sewers running down four lanes (already denoted), not similar in their course. These courses and the uses of the drains fully described. 7 Old Drains.—Difficult question to investigate. Remains of very few met with ; none containing any recent sewage matters. Results of the examina- tion of a large and very old sewer; no connection with any buildings traced. Dry deposit, entirely free from smell, found ; no others discovered. In some places old drains still exist, and are in use : harmless when only carrying clean surface drainage, but sources of danger under other circumstances ; pipes should be substituted. No grounds for believing that the health of the inhabitants of the barracks can be affected by neglected old drains. Commends the recent important drainage works carried out by the Royal Engineer Department, &c, which cannot fail to have a beneficial influence on the health of the troops quartered in the Royal Barracks. 7 Closets, Latrines, Urinals, Sinks, &c.—Connections in sewer No. 1 dealt with in preliminary report; similar matters on the other lines of sewers should be dealt with in the same manner. Working of the trough system of latrines used by the infantry not considered satisfactory; great risks run by healthy men in using these latrines after other men suffering from enteric fever. Dangerous from this point of view, and sufficient to spread disease. The latrines used by the cavalry somewhat better arranged, but open to similar objections. Closets used by cavalry officers and mess servants remarked on in preliminary report, see pages 25 and 26. No closets in other parts of the barracks found out of order, but application of smoke test to connections recommended and since carried out. 8 Latrines used by women and children of an unsatisfactory pattern ; not out of order, but untidy, and in several cases not sufficiently clean. Com- plaints as to want of privacy should receive attention. Wooden urine tubs most unsuitable. Galvanised-iron vessels considered superior. Practice of emptying foul water into gullies unsatisfactory. Repairs required to some parts of the surface of the barrack squares. 8 Ventilation of Sewers and Soil Pipes.—Carried out by means of gratings in the ground opening directly into the sewer, and by iron ventilating shafts placed against buildings or walls. The arrangement for each of the four sewers described. Danger attending the system as regards proximity of inhabited buildings or much frequented spaces pointed out. Ventilation of soil-pipes of water-closets seems to be effectually carried out, except in some isolated cases, viz., those used by the servants of the cavalry officers and the mess, and in the latrines for women and children, all of which should be properly ventilated, and supplied with fresh air inlets. IV.—WATER SUPPLY, MILK SUPPLY, AND IMPURITIES OF THE AIR. 9 Water Supply to the Barracks. Supplied by the pipe-water of the city ; of good quality; taken from taps attached to the main-pipes, and not from cisterns. Water considered perfectly safe for all possible purposes. Milk. 9 Specimens of the milk delivered at all the Dublin Barracks analysed on the