Annual medical report / East Africa Protectorate.

  • East Africa Protectorate. Medical Department.
Date:
[1913]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual medical report / East Africa Protectorate. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    48/138 (page 48)
    such a feature is practically universal; needless to sa}^ none of these pits or funnels leading to them are provided with traps or ventilating shafts. As it is often the case that these cess pits are in close relation with the wells which are bored in coral rag, the danger to the community by their retention is obvious. Nairobi, Kisumu, Machakos, Nakuru, and some other towns have adopted the trenching system; it is necessary to emphasize the importance of maintain¬ ing proper supervision, and in the selection of suitable ground for the purpose. At Kisumu systematic endeavours are being made to utilise this ground for the cultivation of crops. Nairobi sewage disposal calls for more than a passing reference. The drains that have been constructed under the Bransby-Williams scheme initiated in 1907 were intended to take flood water, surface drainage, and effluents of nearly all descriptions, with the exception of water-borne sewage; but since the time the scheme was evolved Nairobi has developed in a manner that precludes the possibility of their extended use for other than the pur¬ poses mentioned; land on both sides of the Nairobi River for its entire length to the junction with the Athi has been alienated as farms, depending on the river for practically their sole water supply; and to throw the sewage of the township untreated in any way into it, can only be regarded as a measure that would exert an inimical effect on the public health, and indeed involve the Government in possible litigation. It is urged that due consideration be given to a water-borne scheme of sewage disposal to serve the densely inhabited areas of the town totally independent of any existing drains; the sewage to be led from collecting depots to a sewage farm on the outskirts of the township, and the effluent after appropriate treatment discharged into the Nairobi River. In townships where cess pools are not installed, a bucket system is in operation, but in no instance does any township within the Protectorate possess any effective organisation by which a duplicate bucket system can be carried into effect, or where proper scientific means exist for sterilizing the soiled buckets. Special attention is directed to the absence of means afforded in the Pro¬ tectorate Hospitals for the disposal of enteric stools; in some instances this material is placed in receptacles generally used by the entire establishment, and special precautions are not, in all cases, adopted to prevent fly infection. The existing latrine arrangements at the European Hospital, Nairobi, are not constructed or maintained in a manner that in any way can be regarded as sanitary, or fulfilling even ordinal requirements; their use is common to both sexes, the adoption of the open bucket system, absence of means for treating enteric stools and for scalding bed pans, the retention of night soil for 24 hours on the premises, the total absence of drainage for the boys’ latrines, are all matters requiring immediate attention, and that previous reports have failed to remedy. With the exception of the towns of Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru, and Kisumu, systematic methods in dealing with night soil removal are con¬ spicuous by their absence, and the condition of some is deplorable in con¬ sequence. The difficulty and expense of sanitating some of the stations in this coun¬ try is great. In many of these residences are extremely scattered, the slope of the hill considerable, so that anything like a comprehensive system of sewers is out of the question, both on the ground of expense, and on account of engineering difficulties. A very material improvement, however, can be made in the sanitation of bazaars, more crowded areas, and isolated units such as gaols and hospitals, by putting in skeleton sewers, dumping depots and con¬ nected public latrines; the sewer terminating in a small septic tank situated