CO885-24

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

سائلسلسا

Reference :----

CO. 885

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-. | COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAR:NOT TO

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

By the census of 1911 the population of Castries was 0,266, and the number of inhabited houses was 1,329 in 121 acres of land. On the nights of 2nd-3rd and 3rd-4th November, both fine and free from rain, we found the tally of receptacles taken to the sewage boat to be 438 and 560 respectively. This gives an average of 499 per night, one to every two-and-a-half inhabited houses, or one to every twelve-and-a- half persons. No amount of calculation can give an impression of the odours.

This is the condition in Castries. But there are many householders on the near In the outskirts of the town who claim that they also make use of the sewage boat. area of our work twenty-seven so claim; if all these were taken into account the percentage of pail per house or pail per person would be very different.

10. Beyond the town limits there was no system, no regulation. Each indi- vidual did as he thought best, or rather what his forefathers had thought correct. And, according to the locality of residence and type of training, we found the various methods adopted as shown in Table 4.

What were we to do in each case?-the householder who claims that he makes use of the sewage system legalized in the town, and who at the same time you are morally sure never does; the tenantry populating the low-lying foreshore at Four à Chaux, too low to dig pit latrines, and openly confess that they per- petually foul the foreshore; the closely packed houses along the Marchand, with yard room so limited that a pit for one might bar the backdoor of another house or be otherwise a nuisance to his neighbour.

11. It has never been the habit or custom in St. Lucia to build privies or even to make any general use of commodes. The almost invariable practice among the native-born population is the use of a glazed earthenware utensil of varying heights and sizes. The contents are either emptied into a covered pail for subse quent disposal, or the vase itself, covered with an ill-fitting piece of wood, put by after use either in or outside the house, until, under cover of darkness, its contents can be thrown away. It is not easy to overcome this habit; and even in cases where I have been able to persuade tenants to erect a privy they tell me it is only a place to empty the utensils.

In one locality we discovered a group of three houses, tenanted by persons of one family, who have developed arboreal tendencies. They climb a tree overlooking the high road, and, sheltered by its foliage from the gaze of passers-by, they perform their matutinal toilet in a truly simian manner.

12. Early in September we made a start. The Board of Health passed a series of regulations* to_prohibit soil pollution, Appendix D. Each householder was interviewed personally; a copy of the regulations given or read to him; and every moral effort utilized to persuade him to build a pit latrine, average depth four feet, with a properly constructed fly-proof box and an automatic closing lid, and to have the whole thing covered over as a respectable outhouse. Models of our approved type of box were made and given away to those who were willing to bulld but too poor to bear the whole expense. In one case we built the complete privy for a blind pauper. This was our first trouble; the owner of the land informed the tenant that, owing to the building, she would increase his rent.

The season of the year was very rainy, and a large number of pits partly filled with subsoil water, even in places where I would not have suspected such an occur- rence; and there was reported to be an increase of mosquitoes. It would be a serious matter in the neighbourhood of the town along the Marchand road to create breeding places for mosquitoes. I carefully inspected this locality. The condi- tions were bad. The houses are too closely packed, and the amount of yard room available for each house too limited; in some cases it can hardly be said to exist at all; wherever there was a yard it was overgrown with bush, pools of mud and water were everywhere to be found; garbage and refuse heaped about; there were no roads between the houses, only ill assorted foot-tracks. The privy pits had water, and in many I found mosquitoes. Where I found Stegomyia they were few in number, but in some I found swarms of a culicine. From the people I learnt that every October and November they were much troubled with the same culicine, a fierce biter. It was extraordinary how quickly they disappeared after smoking out and oiling the pit; and any return could be efficaciously dealt with by oiling. I have no knowledge that any mosquitoes actually breed in these pits. I have failed to dis- cover larvæ in them. But any offence in this direction can be controlled by oiling with crude petroleum, as is done in other Colonies.

*Not reprinted.

I cannot admit that any blame can be attached to the newly-installed pit latrines in this locality.

13. This is the first organized effort to cope with soil pollution; and, until some more efficient system is elucidated, the installation of pit latrines deserves every support. At the present time I would even go further, and insist that every house shall be accommodated with a latrine; that the householder must satisfy the To ensure this sanitary authority as to the efficiency of his method of disposal. success there must be uniformity. The householder must be made to demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the sanitary authority, that as far as his household is con- cerned there can be no possibility of soil pollution. If every house has a properly constructed latrine the excreta will be deposited there, and there only. Anything below the scale of the pit latrine is a hopeless failure for the masses. Among the gentry who reside in the various villas on the Morne slopes, which one is careful enough to know what is done? They give orders to the servants that all excreta is to be buried. Many have been astonished when I showed them how it was spread broadcast in the ravines, to be washed down by the first storm water. Many are using it for manurial purposes. In exceedingly few cases have I been satisfied of an efficient, disposal.

With reference to the Four à Chaux, comprising fifty to sixty houses, His Honour the Administrator has approved the erection of latrines for males and females over the sea. The pails from these latrines will be taken beyond the harbour with the sewage from the town. The gangs of labourers employed by the Colonial Engineer Department on the roads in this neighbourhood are now supplied with portable latrines.

The results during the four months have been very encouraging. There have been no legal prosecutions. The people have taken kindly to the idea, and, under supervision, will, I hope, continue to make improvement. Already in the new area begun in January we have come across newly-erected privies.

Photographs taken during this period are attached as Appendix E. The map*

of the suburban area forms Appendix F.

His Honour

The Administrator.

I have, &c.,

STANLEY BRANCH,

Medical Officer in Charge Hookworm Campaign,

Director for St. Lucia.

Enclosures in No. 36.

TABLE I.

Report of the Work of the St. Lucia Ankylostomiasis Commission during the

;

Half-Year ended 31st December, 1915.

Census

Not treated

Removed before being examined Died before being examined

Corrected census

Refused to be examined Examined

Number of people found to be positive

Removed before being treated Died before being treated Refused treatment for medical reasons Number of people to be treated

Refused to accept treatment Number given first treatment Bemoved before being cured Died before being cured

Refused further treatment for medical

reasons before being cured

Number of people possible to treat and cure

Abandoning treatment before being cured Cured

on 31st

Remaining under treatment

December

...

4,648

(17 per cent.)

4,577

4,501 (983 per cent.)

1,598 (35-5 per cent.)

1,529

41 (2.7 per cent.)

1,488 (908 per cent).

116

1,360

47 (3-4 per cent.) 1,119 (828 per cent.)

194 (143 per cent.)

*Not reproduced.

I cannot admit that any blame can be attached to the newly-installed pit latrines this locality.

18. This is the first organized effort to cope with soil pollution; and, until me more efficient system is elucidated, the installation of pit latrines deservOS very support. At the present time I would even go further, and insist that every ouse shall be accommodated with a latrine; that the householder must satisfy the To ensure this anitary authority as to the efficiency of his method of disposal.

access there must be uniformity. The householder must be made to demonstrate, the satisfaction of the sanitary authority, that as far as his household is con- arned there can be no possibility of soil pollution. If every house has a properly Anything onstructed latrine the excreta will be deposited there, and there only.

Among the elow the scale of the pit latrine is a hopeless failure for the masses. entry who reside in the various villas on the Morne slopes, which one is careful nough to know what is done? They give orders to the servants that all exoreta s to be buried. Many have been astonished when I showed them how it was spread roadcast in the ravines, to be washed down by the first storm water. Many are using t for manurial purposes. In exceedingly few cases have I been satisfied of an fficient, disposal.

With reference to the Four à Chaur, comprising fifty to sixty houses, His Honour the Administrator has approved the erection of latrines for males and females over the sea. The pails from these latrines will be taken beyond the harbour with the sewage from the town. The gangs of labourers employed by the Colonial Engineer Department on the roads in this neighbourhood are now supplied with portable latrines.

Photographs taken during this period are attached as Appendix E. The map* of the suburban area forms Appendix F.

His Honour

The Administrator.

I have, &c.,

STANLEY BRANCH,

Medical Officer in Charge Hookworm Campaign,

Director for St. Lucia.

Enclosures in No. 36.

TABLE I.

Report of the Work of the St. Lucia Ankylostomiasis Commission during the

Half-Year ended 31st December, 1915.

Census

Not treated

Removed before being examined

Died before being examined

Corrected census

Refused to be examined

Examined

Number of people found to be positive

Removed before being treated

Died before being treated

Refused treatment for medical reasons

Number of people to be treated

Refused to accept treatment

Number given first treatment

Removed before being cured

Died before being cured

4,577

4,501 (98.3 per cent.)

4,648

(1.7 per cent.)

1,598 (35.5 per cent.)

1,529

(2.7 per cent.)

1,488 (908 per cent).

116

1,360

47 (34 per cent.)

on 31st

1,119 (828 per cent.)

194 (143 per cent.)

Refused further treatment for medical

reasons before being cured

Number of people possible to treat and cure

Abandoning treatment before being cured Cured

Remaining under treatment

December

* Not reproduced.

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

ग

Reference :-

mwimmimC.O. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

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