[Report 1952] / Medical Officer of Health, Ashton-in-Makerfield U.D.C.

  • Ashton-in-Makerfield (England). Urban District Council. n 78087965.
Date:
1952
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1952] / Medical Officer of Health, Ashton-in-Makerfield U.D.C. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH 1952 Public Health Department, Town Hall, Ashton-in-Makerfield. To the Chairman and Members of the Ashton-in-Makerfield Urban District Council. Gentlemen, I have much pleasure in presenting to you the seventy- seventh Annual Report on the health and sanitary circumstances of your district, for the year 1952. Introduction. The district has been free from serious epidemics of infectious disease; Measles was widespread but not of a serious character. Progress continues to be made in housing. There are still 2,213 pail closets in use and it should be your continued endeavour to have these ultimately converted to water carriage disposal when the sewer reconstruction is complete and an adequate water supply assured. The loss of local water supply due to contamination by open-cast mining operations is much to be regretted. Natural and Social Conditions of the District. The area of the district is approximately 6,265 acres, on which are 5,568 inhabited houses, containing an estimated popu- lation of 18,960. The rateable value of the property in the district is £83,213, and a penny rate produces £323. The district is bounded on the south and west by Haydock U.D., on the north- west by Billinge U.D., and on the north by Wigan C.B., and on the east by Abram and Golborne U.D.s. Climatically the dis- trict is free from extremes of weather; the greater part lies over coal measures and Bunter sandstone. Subsidence is active, damaging sewers, property, water mains and roads. Deep and open-cast coal mining is carried on in the district, together with textile weaving and farming. There is also a prosperous lock, bolt and hinge manufacture and also some light engineering (farm implements, etc.) A number of the population find employment in cotton mills, iron foundry, rayon manufacture and in the clothing, catering, bakery and confectionery trades outside the district, but convenient for travel. l