Some Preventable Diseases of British Guiana. 137 
should not be an ample supply of pure water for everyone. It is quite true that 
our laws provide for such a supply all over the colony. But it is equally true 
that these same laws are never attempted to be put into execution, and I believe 
the majority of the inhabitants are absolutely unaware that such laws do exist ! 
Sections 179 to 187 of the Local Government Ordinance, 1907, give ample 
power for all Local Authorities to insist on ample means being taken to provide 
pure water for everyone. 
I will therefore now deal with the question of water supply on estates, and 
then with that of the villages. 
Water SUPPLY oN ESTATES. 
Par. I of section 179 of the Local Government Board Ordinance reads : 
at? “the owner of every plantation shall erect and maintain in good 
order a tank or tanks for the storage of rain water and capable of storing 
the quantity of water prescribed under the provisions of this Ordinance and 
in this Ordinance referred to as the prescribed quantity. ” 
This quantity is prescribed under Table III. of the 4th Schedule :— 
* Each plantation on which any quantity of sugar exceeding fifty tons in 
weight and not exceeding five hundred tons has been made during the preceding 
year. . . 25,000 Imperial gallons of water. 
* Hach plantation on which any quantity of sugar of or exceeding five hun- 
dred tons has been so made, then for every additional quantity of one hundred 
tons of sugar or less so made, an additional 2,500. 
“Provided that, where two licensed medical practitioners certify in writing 
that there is a supply of wholesome fresh water on the plantation sufficient for the 
wants of all the persons residing on the plantation, the quantity hereinbefore 
prescribed in addition to the first 25,000 gallons shall be reduced to 1,250 gallons.” 
Asa matter of fact, however, the question of water supply on all estates which 
employ indentured immigrants, comes under the control of the Medical Depart- 
ment. 
I purposely quote the words of the various sections of the Ordinance, as by 
only referring readers to the numbers of the sections, in all probability they will 
not be referred to. 
The usual conditions of water supply on estates, in my experience, consist of 
possibly a concrete tank capable of holding a large number of gallons, but not 
‘usually containing anything like a sufficiency for the labourers employed. The 
chief source of water supply is usually water obtained from some conservancy 
aback of the estate and conveyed to the various yards in open trenches. No 
doubt many of these trenches are wired off ; but beyond keeping cattle away the 
wire fencing is of no earthly use in preventing all kinds of fouling not only by 
eattle and other animals, but also by the labourers themselves. You will fre- 
quently see small platforms erected along the sides of some of these trenches, and 
coolie women cheerfully washing their dirty clothes in the same water which they 
will later on drink! Ihave even seen a coolieman performing the toilet of his 
perineum in a drinking water trench !!! 
