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The insanitary condition of collieries
:u~, 19o4]
Insanitary Condition of Collieries
545
THE INSANITARY CONDITION OF COLLIERIES.* BY J. CttRONNELL, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., Medical Officer of tteaRh, Hindley Urban District Council. I DO not propose to take up much of your time with this paper. A great deal of attention has been given to the subject since the appearance of the ankylostoma duodenale in the mines of Cornwall and Lanark. The present state of affairs is shortly stated thus: It has not been thought necessary to provide a collier whilst at work with clean water, nor give him any sanitary conveniences, at many collieries. Of course the practice varies. Some firms have a supply of fl'esh water, others take their water from pits in the immediate neighbourhood even for surgical purposes, and as to closet accommodation, at some places there is none at collieries that have been years in existence. If women happen to be employed on the surface, a privy is put down for their use, and the men use t h e same or any convenient place on the bank ; one is always told in that case the provision is made for the women. At others, you may find a rail and a few rough boards knocked together to form a privy--but it is not necessary to pursue that matter. Where I have personally seen the managers of collieries, and pointed out the defective arrangements I have described, there has been no attempt to justify them, but a promise of improvement has been made. I t must be remembered in this connection that the Medical Officer of Health has no right, as such, on a pit bank, unless it happens to be a metalliferous pit-bank (vide Factory and Workshops' Act, 1901). It is difficult to understand why this distinction is drawn. As far as I can ascertain, H.M. Inspectors are responsible for whatever is done, and I suppose they have not thought it necessary to enforce any general regulations. As to the working places, one Wigan firm has recently introduced paris at the bottom of the pit shaft, and in one or two of the most crowded working-places. With that exception I believe I am right in saying that no provision of any kind is made. Need we wonder, then, that once the ankylostoma is introduced into a colliery, if suitable conditions of temperature and moisture are present, that it is almost impossible to get rid of it ? How careless the men are is shown by the fact that those working at the face suffer most from this affection. The present want of system is injurious not only to the men employed in the pits, but is *Readbefore the Northern Branch of the Society of l~e~ieal Officersof Health.
546
I n s a n i t a r y C o n d i t i o n of Collieries
~r=bne~ealth
dangerous to the general population in some of the southern parts of Europe--people suffer from the ailment who have no connection with collieries. How serious the question is becoming is proved by the steps taken by the Home Office, which has issued a Blue Book and a special report written for it by Dr. Haldane; it has also called a conference of masters and men. The Colliery Guardian issued an instructive illustrated supplement in November, and the Miners' Federation has published a translation of the reports of Drs. Tenholt, Breton, etc. I feel, then, the time has come when this branch of the Society should not only discuss, but try and provide a remedy or remedies. I take it that whatever provision is made must apply, firstly to the surface, secondly underground ; it must be efficient and not costly, and it m u s t be compulsory. For the surface there ought to be fresh water, and on every pit bank a liberal supply of water closets, proportionate to the number of men employed. In the working places I cannot suggest anything better than the system devised in Westphalia of properly constructed paris. DISCUSSION.
Dr. Sergeant, in proposing a vote of thanks to Dr. Chronnell for his paper, emphasized the importance of the subject, especially to him in the administrative County of Lancaster. From actual experience he knew that the condition of many of the collieries in that county was open to serious objection on sanitary grounds. He submitted a few extracts from a Special Report on the subject which he was shortly to lay before his Council, and gave in brief a life history Of the ankylostomum
duodenale.
Dr. Wheatley in seconding the vote of thanks, stated that in some parts of England the water from collieries was pumped up and used as a source of supply for drinking purposes. Considering that the pollution of mines by excreta involved a risk not only of irffection by ankylostomum, but also by typhoid fever and several other intestinal diseases, the importance of securing good sanitation below ground as well as above ground was one which could not be too strongly emphasized. Mr. J. Gerard, H.M. Inspector of Mines, criticized somewhat adversely Dr. Chronnell's paper and the remarks of those who had followed him. He regretted that the speakers were not more up-to-date in their knowledge of the condition of mines and collieries. Colliery owners were only too anxious to carry out the best sanitary measures known to them. He described a number of methods in use in collieries known to him, for the collection o~ excreta, the methods consisting chiefly of a somewhat crude adaptation of the pail system, though it was not stated what ultimately became of the contents of the pails, nor was it stated whether any measures were taken to prevent contamination by urine. Mr. Gerard stated that excreta were deposited not in the working parts of the mines, but in the disused portions, amongst piles of d6bris which would never be disturbed again. He asked the opinion of the Branch on a proposed system of /[ealing with excreta which consisted essentially in the construction of a
~,
190~1
Insanitary Condition of Collieries
547
concreted area some few yards square on which excrement could be deposited, and be subsequently covered over with coal dust, which appeared to be the miner's panacea. the President, Dr. W. Bernv, stated that he should like to ask Mr. Gerard for information as to the power of the Medical Officer of Health to deal with conditions existing below gzound in collieries, for it appeared to him tlmt this was the gist of the whole question. No Medical Officer of Health liked to i~terfere with matters-over which he had legally no control, for it simply meant that he would be laying himself open to rebuff. Mr. Gerard stated his inability to answer this question. Dr. Chronnell, in replying on the discussion, stated that he wished to repudiate a suggestion that he was not up-to-date in the statements t ~ t he had made. The statements made by him had reference to conditions which existed at the present day i n his own district, and he therefore failed to see in what respect he was not up-to-date. He thanked the Branch for their contribution to the discussion.
TYPHOID FEVER IN PARIs.--M. (3. H. Lemoine, in a paper read before the Society of Public Medicine (Presse M[dicale, May 14th, t901), said that the epidemic was the result of the contamination carried into the various sources by the floods caused by the continuous rain at the end of January and beginning of February. DISPOSAL OF REFUSE 2~T CARMARTHEN.--A Local Government Board enquiry has been held with reference to the question of securing a site for the deposit of the town refuse. According to the report in a local paper (The Welshman) the enquiry elicited some interesting information tending to show that close proximity to a dust heap was conducive to longevity. Expert evidence even went so far as to say that notwithstanding swarms of flies had been seen attacking decaying fish, etc., the presence of the refuse was not injurious to the health. We would recommend to Carmarthen a study of the evidence given in the case of Chailey Rural District Council v. Keymer Brick and Tile Co., Ltd., Chancery Div. (see Public Health xvi., 224 ; Jan., 1904).
TUBERCLE BACILLI ON PUBLIC HOUSE FLOORs.--Statisticsshow that persons employed in public houses are specially liable to contract consumption, and it has been suggested that this is induced by consumptive persons spitting on the floors. As the sputum dries the bacilli may be disseminated through the air in the form of dust, especially when the floors are swept out, and inhaled by other persons. In order to test the possibility of this Dr. Allan, Medical Officer of Westminster (Monthly Report, Jan., 1904), obtained permission to take, after closing time, some samples of the expectorated matter on the floor of the public bar in a district in which deaths from consumption are numerous. The samples were submitted to Prof. Klein, who found tubercle bacilh iu active condition therein. Dr. Allan suggests that instead of sweeping out the bars it would be more satisfactory to have them thoroughly scrubbed or mopped out with a hot solution of washing soda (~ lb. to 3 gallons of hot water), or at least that the floor should be well sprinkled at night with some reliable disinfectant which would ensure the sputum from drying by the morning when the floors are swept out.
Insanitary Condition of Collieries
545
THE INSANITARY CONDITION OF COLLIERIES.* BY J. CttRONNELL, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., Medical Officer of tteaRh, Hindley Urban District Council. I DO not propose to take up much of your time with this paper. A great deal of attention has been given to the subject since the appearance of the ankylostoma duodenale in the mines of Cornwall and Lanark. The present state of affairs is shortly stated thus: It has not been thought necessary to provide a collier whilst at work with clean water, nor give him any sanitary conveniences, at many collieries. Of course the practice varies. Some firms have a supply of fl'esh water, others take their water from pits in the immediate neighbourhood even for surgical purposes, and as to closet accommodation, at some places there is none at collieries that have been years in existence. If women happen to be employed on the surface, a privy is put down for their use, and the men use t h e same or any convenient place on the bank ; one is always told in that case the provision is made for the women. At others, you may find a rail and a few rough boards knocked together to form a privy--but it is not necessary to pursue that matter. Where I have personally seen the managers of collieries, and pointed out the defective arrangements I have described, there has been no attempt to justify them, but a promise of improvement has been made. I t must be remembered in this connection that the Medical Officer of Health has no right, as such, on a pit bank, unless it happens to be a metalliferous pit-bank (vide Factory and Workshops' Act, 1901). It is difficult to understand why this distinction is drawn. As far as I can ascertain, H.M. Inspectors are responsible for whatever is done, and I suppose they have not thought it necessary to enforce any general regulations. As to the working places, one Wigan firm has recently introduced paris at the bottom of the pit shaft, and in one or two of the most crowded working-places. With that exception I believe I am right in saying that no provision of any kind is made. Need we wonder, then, that once the ankylostoma is introduced into a colliery, if suitable conditions of temperature and moisture are present, that it is almost impossible to get rid of it ? How careless the men are is shown by the fact that those working at the face suffer most from this affection. The present want of system is injurious not only to the men employed in the pits, but is *Readbefore the Northern Branch of the Society of l~e~ieal Officersof Health.
546
I n s a n i t a r y C o n d i t i o n of Collieries
~r=bne~ealth
dangerous to the general population in some of the southern parts of Europe--people suffer from the ailment who have no connection with collieries. How serious the question is becoming is proved by the steps taken by the Home Office, which has issued a Blue Book and a special report written for it by Dr. Haldane; it has also called a conference of masters and men. The Colliery Guardian issued an instructive illustrated supplement in November, and the Miners' Federation has published a translation of the reports of Drs. Tenholt, Breton, etc. I feel, then, the time has come when this branch of the Society should not only discuss, but try and provide a remedy or remedies. I take it that whatever provision is made must apply, firstly to the surface, secondly underground ; it must be efficient and not costly, and it m u s t be compulsory. For the surface there ought to be fresh water, and on every pit bank a liberal supply of water closets, proportionate to the number of men employed. In the working places I cannot suggest anything better than the system devised in Westphalia of properly constructed paris. DISCUSSION.
Dr. Sergeant, in proposing a vote of thanks to Dr. Chronnell for his paper, emphasized the importance of the subject, especially to him in the administrative County of Lancaster. From actual experience he knew that the condition of many of the collieries in that county was open to serious objection on sanitary grounds. He submitted a few extracts from a Special Report on the subject which he was shortly to lay before his Council, and gave in brief a life history Of the ankylostomum
duodenale.
Dr. Wheatley in seconding the vote of thanks, stated that in some parts of England the water from collieries was pumped up and used as a source of supply for drinking purposes. Considering that the pollution of mines by excreta involved a risk not only of irffection by ankylostomum, but also by typhoid fever and several other intestinal diseases, the importance of securing good sanitation below ground as well as above ground was one which could not be too strongly emphasized. Mr. J. Gerard, H.M. Inspector of Mines, criticized somewhat adversely Dr. Chronnell's paper and the remarks of those who had followed him. He regretted that the speakers were not more up-to-date in their knowledge of the condition of mines and collieries. Colliery owners were only too anxious to carry out the best sanitary measures known to them. He described a number of methods in use in collieries known to him, for the collection o~ excreta, the methods consisting chiefly of a somewhat crude adaptation of the pail system, though it was not stated what ultimately became of the contents of the pails, nor was it stated whether any measures were taken to prevent contamination by urine. Mr. Gerard stated that excreta were deposited not in the working parts of the mines, but in the disused portions, amongst piles of d6bris which would never be disturbed again. He asked the opinion of the Branch on a proposed system of /[ealing with excreta which consisted essentially in the construction of a
~,
190~1
Insanitary Condition of Collieries
547
concreted area some few yards square on which excrement could be deposited, and be subsequently covered over with coal dust, which appeared to be the miner's panacea. the President, Dr. W. Bernv, stated that he should like to ask Mr. Gerard for information as to the power of the Medical Officer of Health to deal with conditions existing below gzound in collieries, for it appeared to him tlmt this was the gist of the whole question. No Medical Officer of Health liked to i~terfere with matters-over which he had legally no control, for it simply meant that he would be laying himself open to rebuff. Mr. Gerard stated his inability to answer this question. Dr. Chronnell, in replying on the discussion, stated that he wished to repudiate a suggestion that he was not up-to-date in the statements t ~ t he had made. The statements made by him had reference to conditions which existed at the present day i n his own district, and he therefore failed to see in what respect he was not up-to-date. He thanked the Branch for their contribution to the discussion.
TYPHOID FEVER IN PARIs.--M. (3. H. Lemoine, in a paper read before the Society of Public Medicine (Presse M[dicale, May 14th, t901), said that the epidemic was the result of the contamination carried into the various sources by the floods caused by the continuous rain at the end of January and beginning of February. DISPOSAL OF REFUSE 2~T CARMARTHEN.--A Local Government Board enquiry has been held with reference to the question of securing a site for the deposit of the town refuse. According to the report in a local paper (The Welshman) the enquiry elicited some interesting information tending to show that close proximity to a dust heap was conducive to longevity. Expert evidence even went so far as to say that notwithstanding swarms of flies had been seen attacking decaying fish, etc., the presence of the refuse was not injurious to the health. We would recommend to Carmarthen a study of the evidence given in the case of Chailey Rural District Council v. Keymer Brick and Tile Co., Ltd., Chancery Div. (see Public Health xvi., 224 ; Jan., 1904).
TUBERCLE BACILLI ON PUBLIC HOUSE FLOORs.--Statisticsshow that persons employed in public houses are specially liable to contract consumption, and it has been suggested that this is induced by consumptive persons spitting on the floors. As the sputum dries the bacilli may be disseminated through the air in the form of dust, especially when the floors are swept out, and inhaled by other persons. In order to test the possibility of this Dr. Allan, Medical Officer of Westminster (Monthly Report, Jan., 1904), obtained permission to take, after closing time, some samples of the expectorated matter on the floor of the public bar in a district in which deaths from consumption are numerous. The samples were submitted to Prof. Klein, who found tubercle bacilh iu active condition therein. Dr. Allan suggests that instead of sweeping out the bars it would be more satisfactory to have them thoroughly scrubbed or mopped out with a hot solution of washing soda (~ lb. to 3 gallons of hot water), or at least that the floor should be well sprinkled at night with some reliable disinfectant which would ensure the sputum from drying by the morning when the floors are swept out.