Rhondda Leader Maesteg Garw and Ogmore Telegraph

In the Shadow of the Tips. The collieries and their tips, of the latter of which there are so many in the district, and in the shadow of which a good many houses have been built, pro- bably exercise an undesirable influence upon the habits of the people in this direction. Their dusty, disordered, and decidedly inartistic appearance offers no incentive to the individual householder to beautify his own home from a spirit of emulation. That much can: be done to- wards the salubrity of his immediate surroundings by the individual possessing a health conscience' is sufficiently and frequently proved in the course of a day's house inspection in even the, worst por- tions of the district. Now that the Eight Hours Act is in force, and that -the hours of work generally adhered to in the dis- trict permit the colliers to enjoy many hours of daylight and sunshine at home, it is to be hoped that their gardens and the general surroundings of their houses will receive the amount of attention that is due to them, for it is certain that the, time so given will be compensated for a hundredfold in the pleasure', cleanliness, promotion of health, and the inculcation of good habits in self and others which such an employment of one's leisure hours would doubtless help to bring in its train."

Lodging-houses Wanted. The extent to which the existing lodging-house accommodation is utilised," declares the report, "implies that there is a real need for a well-designed and properly equipped common lodging-house in the district. The thousands of young men working in the collieries throughout the district are usually accommodated as ordinary lodgers in the houses of their fellow-workmen, and the large majority of them would scorn the idea of resorting to common lodging-houses. There are, however, numbers of workmen of the more casual kind, such as navvies and labourers, temporarily engaged on con- tracts of various kinds who would doubt- I less welcome the opportunity to seek i accommodation in a good type of lodging- house, and who now seem to experience considerable difficulty in obtaining suit- able quarters on their advent to the dis- trict."

Degrees of Cleanliness- In the course of his report as Schools Medical Officer, Dr. Jenkins observes that the condition of the nutrition of the children throughout the district is satisfactory, and that the instances in which decided malnutrition was discover- able and casual disease was observable, were comparatively few. With regard to general cleanliness, he declares that per-, haps the most striking feature of the returns relates to the high proportion of the group returned as clean," appa- rently at the expense of the second group (the "somewhat dirty "). The percent-, age proportion of the very dirty is decidedly high, and uniformly so among all classes of the, children examined.

Lamentable State of Teeth. Of the teeth of the children examined, Dr. Jenkins observes: "One of the most striking and serious conditions, disclosed by the medical inspections waa the ex- tent to which the children's teeth have become decayed and defective at even a very early age. The teeth of the infants were found to be in almost as lamentable a state as in the older children, and there appeared to be an almost entire absence of care on the part of the parents regard- ing the preservation of children's teeth. The condition recorded in most instances signified a great deal more than the mere presence of so many decayed teeth, and consisted in many instances of a highly septic and puss-forming state of the mouth, thus causing considerable and con- tinuous absorption of poisonous material and a. consequent condition of ill-health with weariness, anaemia, and headache as prominent symptoms." Another striking fact disclosed in the cause of inspection was the extent to which children suffering from defective vision had already been supplied with un- suitable glasses, severe cases of errors of refraction such as myopia and astigmatism being found wearing perfectly plain bits of glass, no attempt, having been made to correct the defects by means of appro- x priate lenses.

Very Little Real Poverty. The report continues:—" Thg district is prosperous and good wages are earned. The children have, generally speaking, the appearance of being well fed, and defects in clothing and boots axe probably in most cases due to carelessness or vicious habits on the part of the parents. There is very little real poverty in the district, and during the year under review no case of a, child suffering from this cause has been met with, though the home condi- I tions in several cases were made the sub- ject of special inquiry by the Health Visitors. I may here appropriately draw attention to the prevalent custom in this district of parents allowing children of even tender years to be up and about the streets till very late at night. The grow- ing child requires more rest and sleep than the, adult, and every child of elemen- tary school age should be in bed at an early hour so that it may receive the amount of rest required by the great physiological needs of body and mind in the early years of life."

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*)<))!! r ImraMTOMl MMITEHCg one-omw Pm*d. Archeris Golden Meturile » IK MMIM «f Mh MM» i—Try **w— "y*! #

r A nTirinl A I TT'CCTU English and American Dentistry. Painless Extraction. Telephone—P.O. 19. —" SSS: IMYIES-EYANS, 3, High Street, Treorchy. I f' I. Straight from the FACTORY This is the" R.F.C." way of I. F .t supplying Furniture-making it in their own Factory and selling ——————————— DIRECT TO THE PUBLIC. To your DOORSTEP. YOU gJVgB POXJNPB ? Call and see their Stock. Ask for Catalogue. Cash, or Easy Terms. s- N i MLAP IW THE ROA TH FURNISHING Co., I- ni ya I v Taft" Street, Pon"typridd. Church Street, Abertillery. Headquarters., High Street, Bargoed. 42, City Road, Roath, Cardiff. DAVtES Hygeia Salt KEEPS YOU COOL. Preserves the Health, AND Makes a Delicious Effervescing Drink. SOLD IN TINS, 4kd. & 8d., ONLY AT JOHN SAVIES, Cash Chemist, 14, Dunraven St., TONYPANDY. Taff Crated Water Co. €LUB«NC« BTOBE, PONTYPRIDD. BREWERS OF STONE GINGER BEER, HOP BITTERS, &c., &c. WP- MANUFACTURERS OF CORDIALS WHOLESALE PRICES ONLY. W. BANFIELD. HOWELL WILLIAMS & SON, Undertakers & Funeral Furnishers. Funerals completely farnished in the' best style, and a reasonable charges. Proprietors of Shelibiers, Open Closed and Glass-aided Hearses, Mourning and Wedding Coaches, Brakes etc. Every requisite for Funerals kept M?f on the premises* William Street, Yeteeno Rhondda P.O. Telephone 69. 4311 Nat. Tel. 110, Pontypridd. Telegrams: Claude Oliver, Treforest. Hjjl 1 BUILDER, &C., j Hillcroft, Duke St. Rmm is removing to W. 1 TREFOREST, | Where he will attend to Business all usual. Your Enquiries Promptly attended to. 5094 GILBERT BRECKNOCK'S SUPERB TEETH § Painless Extraction If you want BEST TEETH AT LOWEST PRICES AT EASIEST TERMS AMD IN THE QUICKEST TIME 32 Queen Street CARDIFF. AT LOWEST PRICES jf AT EASIEST TERMS AIm IN THE QUICKEST TIME GO TO 32 Queen Street CARDIFF. Near Empire. -0- GILBERT BRECKNOCK Free Train Fares to Cardiff to all Customers. 345 D. M. WILLIAMS, Accountant and Public Auditor, BRYN GELLI HOUSE, AND WELLING TON CHAMBERS, 36, Dunraven Street, TONYPAND V. Tradesmen's Accounts written up, Balanced or Audited. Deeds of Arrangement, Mortgages and Transfers of Properties negotiated. Bankruptcy and Probate of Will Accounts Prepared. Ineurance. House and Estate Agent. Eent Collected. 2231 TED POWIS, Town Garage Everything Requisite for Motor Cars kept Motor Charabanc (to carry 18 to 20) and Taxicab for Hire. U Tent; 50 mile run 2 Guineas per day 100 miles 3 Guineas j per day. PHONE 67 NAT. MOTOR & CYCL DEPOT. Taft" Street, MNtB ofctou-^HB I PONTYPRIDD. Official Uniforms. L To Scout Masters and Others. • some time and can supply UNIFGIRMS and all Accessories from stock at lowest cash prices. I BOY SCOUTS Line for I have equipped the Pentre, Cwmparc and Tre- herbert Detachments, and YOUR enquiries will be esteemed a favour. All orders shall receive my personal attention. If unable to call, drop a Postcard for Quotations, Yours truly, SAM WILTSHIRE, The only Address- Sports Depot, Treorchy. No connection with any New Firm of the same name 282 TUDOR HOUSE, CARDIFF. | ||| 5^ ta The above is to give you an idea of Messrs. JOSEPH & Co.'s Mammoth H New Wholesale Warehouse, erected to specially supply YOU with the latest lines in GLASS, CHINA, EARTHENWARE, HARDWARE, TOYS, STATIONERY, and GENERAL FANCY GOODS at Prices which DEFY COMPETITION. OUR STOCK IS THE LARGEST IN THE PRINCIPALITY. YOUR SUCCESS as a Shopkeeper depends on offering the right lines at the right I prices-WE HAYE THEM FOR YOU. A large assortment of Electro-plate and Jewellery, suitable for Wedding Presents or for Presentation purposes, always on hand for approval. tor A YISIT OF INSPECTION CORDIALLY WELCOMED. C. JOSEPH & COMPANY, TUDOR HOUSE, TUDOR. BRIDGES Nat.'Phone, 1611 Close to g"* 2X X3» T>T'13,*ir* Telegrams: 'Novelties,'Cardiff. \G.W.R. Station A w.BmJf JK.<C JC m Branch Depot: 8, Alexandra Road, Swansea. «BEHffisnn»&H«amaNwnE3iMHanraHK«^mnaMit«x«nMH!«n«H Are ,'f s N WHOLE BREAD MRA I It is a Necessity for all who would be well, especially those suffering from constipation and its attendant evils. S, X?card Natural Food Co., Ltd.. Room "JbSKX OR"K For Booklet entitled—" A Chat with Dr. Allinson about Wholemeal^Bread. Sent free with name'and address of the nearest agent. — Thp m~ is on each loaf, and the paper band round the CAUTION. nama 1+CA.fTJfM loaf also bears his autograph and Photograph. name # J\ MJU/U9V§Of^ None genuine without. Special Bakers of the Allinson' Bread—HOPKIN MORGAN, Taff Street, East Street, High Stree and the Graig, Pontypridd, and at Tonypacdy and Trealaw; D. LLEWELLYN, Golden Orust Bakery, Taff Well; Co-operative Society, Cardiff Road, Troedyrhiw; A. JOHNSON, Bryn Sion Bakery, Bryn Sion Street Dowlais; T. S. GOSLIN, M.C.A., 32, Church Street, Aberavon D. JONES, Crown Stores, Gorseinon WATKINS & LANE. 87, Gadlys Road, Aberdare; W. E. MATTHEW, Model Bakery & Model Oafe, Dinas Powis H. W. HAWKES, Trosnant Bakery, Pontypool J. W. WISBEY, Shop Fitter for all Trades, ,|nUn Of. CARNIEP AIR TIGHT SHOW CA8ES Nat. Te 1. 2122. uonn Ov.» UMUliirr■ A SPECIALITY. ESTIMATE SFRBB

Colliery Tips and Beautiful Homes, Colliers and Sonsumption. What is Exoected of the Eight Hours Act. The annual Report of Dr. J. D. Jenkins, Medical Officer of Health and Schools Medical Officer to the Rhondda District Council, for 1909 is to hand, and, as usual, contains much useful infor- mation regarding life and living in the Rhondda. During the year, 5,577 births were registered, this total being greater by 823 than the average of the totals for the ten previous years, and is equivalent to a birth-rate of 41.0 per 1,000. While the birth-rate for the country as a whole is gradually declining, the birtli-rate for the Rhondda exceeds that of England and Wales by 15.4 per 1,000, and is the highest in the list of the- 76 large towns which are annually taken for comparative purposes.

Factors in High Birth-rate. Among the factors contributing to this high percentage of births, Dr. Jenkins puts in the first place the unusual com- mercial prosperity which the district has enjoyed for a number of years. Good wages and plenty of work constitute im- portant influences in both raising the marriage rate and in causing early mar- Another factor assigned for the high birth-rate is the undue proportion high birth-rate is the undue proportion of younc adults in the district. The last quarter of the year was more- prolific in births than either of the three other quarters, the number of children born October-December totalling 1,410, and ex- ceeding the next best quarter—January- March—by 5. Clydach Vale and Llwyny- pia stand highest in the birth-rate, with 45.7, and Porth and Oymmer krfest with a rate of 33.9. A corresponding increase is recorded in i the number of illegitimate births during the year, which reaches to 23 per 1,000 births. While the illegitimate Jjirth-rate for the country as a whole shows a pro- gressive decrease, that for the Rhondda shows a. progressive increase, and is already considerably above that for the country generally.

Infantile Mortality, In the matter of infantile mortality we are, unfortunately, much behind the average for the whole country, but here again there was a noticeable and distinct improvement on our average for the last ten years. The rate of our infantile mortality for 1909 was 130 per 1,000 births; that of the whole country being 109. In the decade 1899-1908 our infantile rate reached a total of 190 per 1,000 births, as compared with 138 for the whole of the country. No less than 724 infants under one year of -age out of a total of 5,577 births died in the course of the year. Notwithstanding that this number is 60 below that of the average for the past ten years, the rate for the Rhondda is still 12 above the average for the 76 great towns, and 21 above that belonging to the country as a whole. Nineteen of the great towns had in the year 1909 infantile mortality rates in ex- cess of that of the Rhondda, the highest rate recorded being; 173 at Wigan.

What the Health Visitors Have Done. The uniformly high infantile mortality rate in the Rhondda for years past gave rise to great anxiety in the minds of the Health Committee, and in the beginning of last year the Committee recommended the Council to appoint two Health Visitors, with the hope and in the belief that their services would serve to effect an appreciable reduction in the large number of infantile deaths. The Council adapted the recommendation, and two Health Visitors were duly appointed. The result of this experiment has proved highly gratifying, for, in the latter half of the year 1909, the serviceis, of the Health Visitors apparently resulted in the saving of 43 lives. Dr. Jenkins also notes with satisfaction that the greatest har- mony prevailed between the Health Visitors and those whom they visited. Although some apprehension was at first entertained as to the nature of the recep- tion likely to be given to the Health Visitors on the occasion of their first visit to each house, as mistaken ideas concern- ing the possible result of the exercise of their somewhat inquisitorial duties were found to have arisen in some quarters, "there has been," says Dr. Jenkins, "generally speaking, not only, an absence of active opposition, but also an exhibi- tion on the part of the mothers of good understanding and warm appreciation which were doubtless due, in a large measure, to the tact displayed by the Health Visitors."

Coiliers and Consumption. The total number of deaths from phthisis (pulmonary consumption) in 1909 was 10 or equal to a death-rate per 1,000 deaths of .81, as compared with an average of 96 or .79 for the preceding decennium. It is, however, .07 lower than the average for the two preceding decennia. Of the number of consumptive victims above given, 23 were colliers, or persons engaged in colliery occupation, and therefore liable to the influence of coal-dust. It was ascertained at the last Census," proceeds the report, that 32,625, or 69 per cent. of all m.,Ves above 10 years of age, consisted of coal and shale miners.' On the same basis, it is estimated that 39,400 males above 10 years of age followed the same occupation in the year 1909, and of this number 23 died from pulmonary consumption, the death-rate thus caused being .58 per 1,000, as compared with .81 for the whole population. As far as these figures and deductions are reliable, it may be con- cluded that the occupation of coal-mining is to some extent inimical to the contraction of the fatal issue from this disease." Dr. Jenkins further observes that some sanitary authorities have erected insti- tutions for the treatment of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis with considerable advantage to the public health, and he puts forward, as worthy of the considera- tion of the Council in the near future, a proposal as to whether, in the absence of small-pox, the hospital designed and built for Xhe reception of the latter disease might not be employed as one of the special means to be adopted for the pur- pose of checking the spread of pulmonary tuberculosis.

The Scavenging Problem. Considerable space is devoted in this, as in previous reports, to the scavenging and disposal of refuse question. At pre- sent, two methods of disposal or house refuse have been followed in the district, but to a very unequal extent. One method adopted is the two-cell Mason Destructor at Ystrad-Rhondda, which not only dis- poses of the small amount of 16 tons per day, but has also proved comparatively expensive. The other method of disposal is that of depositing the refuse at more or less convenient situations throughout the district. In this manner over 200 tons per day are dealt with. To the latter there are two great disadvantages. Likely sites for tipping operations are getting scarcer each year, whilst the refuse so deposited is a potent factor in the causation of nuisances to both eye and nose, as well as of liarm to public health. In 1908, the Council adopted the recommendation oT the Health Committee to negotiate for suitable land to which the refuse could be conveyed by an aerial ropeway, or the erection of a destructor. Negotiations, proved abortive, and it was later ascertained that an aerial ropeway would prove a far more expensive item than a destructor. In these circumstances, the following suggestions were submitted to the Council in a report by the Sur- veyor and Medical Officer of Health — (1) The establishment of a destruc- tor at some central situations, such as Porth; (2) Advantage might be taken of the tramway system, to sell by arrangement with the Company, the steam that can he raised by means of the destructor (3) The possibility of arranging with the Company for the use of their system at times when not re- quired for passenger traffic, for the purpose of conveying refuse from collecting stations throughout the trict to a centrally situated des- tructor (4) The conversion of the residue into paving, mortar, bricks, &c.

Gardens as Dumping Grounds. In the section of his report upon the housing accommodation in the district, Dr. Jenkins says: There is no great congestion of buildings on space, the area built upon being very extensive in rela- tion to the number of erections, and the individual houses are generally. furnished with a sufficiency of open space, a small garden usually forming a compound part of the premises. In too many instances, however, no use, or improper use is made of the ground available, a great par- tiality for nondescript erections of wood or corrugated iron for sheltering pigeons, fowls, dogs, and other animals being noticeable; in too many instances also the garden is made to serve the pur- poses of a dumping-ground for house refuse, rags, empty meat tins, and other indications of the slovenly and thriftless household.

Treherbert 12 Bladed Safety Razors. The Ever Ready at 5/ the Gillette at 21/ Local Agent- R. T. Jones, The Tram Terminus, Treherbert 4893 A meeting of the Dunraven Cork Club was held at the Dunraven Hotel on Wednesday evening (last week), when the following were elected as officers for the next session: -Secretary, Mr. D. Rich- ards treasurer, Mr. Joe Jenkins; presi- dent, Mr. Llewellyn Vaughan; vice- president, Mr. Geo. Eveleigh; janitor, Mr. Ben Todd; and official waiter, Mr. Joseph Davies. At the weekly meeting of the Treher- bert Dandy Holiday Club and Debating Society, last Friday evening, an interest- ing and humorous paper on How I Spent My Holidays" was read by Mr. Richmond Pitman, for which the club awarded him a valuable book as prize. We are pleased to know that Mr. Llew. Vaughan, A.CIV., of Treherbert, is doing well with Poole's Myriorama Company at Jersey (Channel Islands).