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-----------NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE COMMON AS A PARK

THE HEALTH OF GLAMORGAN.

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THE HEALTH OF GLAMORGAN. County Medical Officer's Annual Report When, some half-dozen years ago, Alderman Walter H. Morgan proposed, and Dr H. Naun. ton Davies, J.P., seconded, that the County Council of Glamorgan should engage a medical officer to supervise the sanitation of our county, they little anticipated the countlesse prospective blessings which they were showering upon the people. The appointment of Dr W. Williams, M.A., M.D., D.Ph., who is rightly acknowledged to be one of the ablest sanitarians of the day, has been followed by splendid results in the way of sanitary improvements, which must tend to brighten the lives of our working classes and to improve the general health. We have ore us Dr Williams' annual report for last year, and an interesting instructive Volume it is. We are surprised to find tllâ.t the Doctor has again to call attention to the fact that Caerphilly Urban Council and Llantrisant and Llantwit Vardre Rural Council, like three or four more laggardly authorities, "do not consider it worth their while t,o print their Medical Officers' re- ports. Caerphilly and Llantnsaftt are making a lillgfi mistake; for, as Dr Williams puts it, "by the publication of health reports, there is more likelihood of interest regarding sanitary questions being aroused in districts, and the efforts of the officials to carry out improvements will likewise gain additional support." NEGLECTED GILFACH GOCH. "The locality known as Gilfach Goch is still included in three Sanitary Districts, an here some re-adjustment of boundaries is desirable.' WATER SUPPLY. "Considerable attention ha sbeen paid to defective water supplies, and the following im- provements are reported to have been effected: "Caerphilly.—At Pwllypant jS7 was expended in piping the water from a spring to the side of the main road. The Council lately unsuccess- fully promoted a Bill in Parliament for provid- ing all the populous centres of their district with water, except the Taff's Well Ward." "Pontypridd.-A new storage reservoir above Maerdy is in course of construction." "Llantrisant and Llantwit Vardre.—Water mains for Cowbridge and Penygawsi Wards and Pantequesta, and other improvements." The Caerphilly, Pontypridd, and Ystradyfod- wg districts are described as being inadequately supplied with water. "HOW THE POOR LIVE." "If there is one part of the report more inter- esting than another, it is that which describes the efforts made to improve the housing of the working classes. Amongst insanitary and unfit houses condemned during the past year were— Caerphilly, 11: Pontypridd, 6; Ystradyfodwg, 4-2; Llantrisant and Llantwit Vardre, 8. Re- ference is made, under this heading, to the im- portant test cases heard at Pontypridd, which resulted in the doing away of "lip-traps," so generally in use at Cilfynydd. REFUSE TIPS. "Refuse destructors" are recommended for Pontypridd, etc. The disposal of house refuse .P in our deep, narrow, mining valleys is one of the most important and most difficult problems that remain to be solved. The nuisances resulting from "tips" are well-known, and the Ystrady- fodwg, Pontypridd, and other authorities have oftentimes discussed the best means for the dis- posal of house refuse, but so far without any tangible result. Several Medical Officers of Health refer to the want of more systematic scavenging. I have frequently remarked that nothing short of cremation can effectually cleanse the refuse tips of our narrow valleys- The accumulations are extremely filthy, but seldom disinfected, or fenced in. They can be seen and smelt from a distance, and are doubt- less associated with the origin and spread of "filth fevers." The practice is still common of allowing unprincipled builders to use the screen refuse for building purposes. MORE REFORMS TO BE DONE. "The general progress made during the year has been very satisfactory, and your (the County Council's) intervention has for some time been productive of good results. I would specially mention the progress made towards providing Isolation Hospitals. Local Authorities are be- coming, year by year, more alive to their mani- fold responsibilities as custodians of the public health; but there are, however, several matters requiring more attention at their hands, such as-(I) The more strict enforcement of building bye-laws, and the necessity of not allowing new houses to be occupied until thev are certified to be, in every respect, fit for human habitation. (2) The discontinuance of the objectionable and liarmufl practice of allowing house refuse to be used for making mortar foT building purposes: (31 The systematic house-to-house inspection of each district at frequent intervals. (4) The in- spection of Schools at least once a quarter. (5) More attention to the inspection of articles r f fcod and drink, especially meat, fish, and milk, Also the inspection of milch cows and byres, and the framing and enforcement of regulations made under the Dairies, Cowsheds, and Milk- shops Order. (6) More attention to the provi- sions of the Factory and Workshops' Act, 1895. ISOLATION HOSPITALS. With regard to the erection of Isolation Hos- pitals, Dr Williams seems pretty well satisfied with the steps taken by Pohtypridd, Caerphilly, Barry, and Llantrisant and Llantwit Fardre.

PONTYPRIDD BOARD OF GUARDIANS.

; Caerphilly Sweep oq the…