By, Wendy Storey, HIST 3030 Student
A toilet or septic tank, were not
common household’s terms in Barbados in the post-emancipation period. Common phrases
for excreta disposal were “night soil”, “totsi”, “potty”, “pit –toilet”, privy
pit or latrine. Frank Ramsey, a Barbadian physician, tells us “there was no
water carriage system of sewage disposal, nor any undertaking by any sanitary
authority to remove excreta.” Excreta disposal was solely a household duty until
policies were created around the 1970’s to ensure proper methods of discarding
it, which meant that disposal was not always disposed properly but in a way the
resident saw fit. There were several methods of disposal adopted by the
Barbadian population. According to Ramsey “water closet emptying into a closed
cesspit; closet or privy with a cesspit in the earth or limestone subsoil; a
pail closet emptied into the sea; or a keg or tin in a corner of the yard with
an oat bag as an improvised screen.” Even though these methods were common
practices, there were all not sanitary practices. Dumping night soil into the
earth proved to be responsible for the rise in the Hookworm disease in the
1920’s. According to the Report of Ankylostomiasis Infection Survey “The
intimate connections between the early stages in the development of the worm
and the upper layers of the soil provides the opportunity for the larva to gain
entrance through the skin of the feet and legs of agricultural labourer and
others whose habits expose them to attack.”
Ponds played an essential role in the water supply of many
Barbadians, especially those in residing in the rural areas. Ponds were often
polluted and were the sole reasons for the birth of water-borne diseases among
Barbadians. In rural areas ponds were used for livestock, washing, drinking and
bathing; all contributing to the pollution of it. During the rainy season when
flooding occurred, garbage, night soil and ponds would become contaminated
creating risk of exposure to water-borne diseases especially during the
hurricane season with its heavy rains.
By 1857 Bridgetown had a piped water supply from a private company,
the Bridgetown Waterworks Co. and by 1861, public access to water was created
via the standpipe system. As claimed by the Chief Medical Officer 1933-1934 Report,
piped water was accessible in almost every parish in the island abandoning the
unsanitary practice of “dipping mugs into open ponds” -- this pond system was
also linked to the 1854 cholera epidemic.
After the cholera epidemic threatened the health care of Barbadians,
sanitation was no longer overlooked because the colony’s economic standing was
at risk. Subsequently by the early 20th century, the recommendations
of Dr. John Hutson, the Public Health Inspector, were taken into consideration
creating quarantine facilities and Isolation Hospitals to protect Barbados’
harbour from infectious diseases.
In 1910 untrained sub-inspectors were regulated to inspect homes and
premises. By 1928, the Chief Medical Officer and Sanitation Officer Act was
passed, granting permission to oversee the improvement of the sanitary
situation.
Very little progress was accomplished in the sanitary problem in
Barbados but garbage disposal upgraded from a household duty to being disposed
of on specific lands. According to the 1945 -1948 Annual Reports of the St.
Michel District, garbage was dumped at Hill Road, Bank Hall, Mental Hospital
Lands, Carrington’s Village, Reef Grounds, Cheapside, Brittons Hill and
approved private lands. Unused quarries, ponds, low-lying and water-logged
lands were also used to dump garbage. The Constitution River and coastal areas
were also refuse dumping spots, of both garbage and night soil. In order to
maintain proper dumping practices inspectors and harbour police supervised
these practices.
The Sanitation practices were slowly improving, under the suggestion
of J.T.C. Johnson’s report the total destruction of the hookworm disease would
be accomplished with the establishment of latrines. To eradicate night soil
dumping Privy Pits were erected as well. Public Latrines were created along
with public baths that allowed the average Barbadian to have access, while
abandoning the dependency of pond usage.
Standpipes were erected almost in every village, creating no excuse for
unsanitary practices to exist in the Barbadian every day routine.
Even though these new sites were created to curb poor sanitation, people
persisted in dumping in the Constitution River and water-logged lands were prone
to developing breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Dumping in near-shore areas also
persisted and often failed to remove the garbage because it just flowed back on
shore. Access to improved sanitary measures was slow to progress in Barbados
between 1900 and 1970 even with major changes in policies and continued
setbacks. According to policymakers such as Dr. John Hutson, education was key
to solving the problem and enforcement of sanitation policies were the only
successful measures to achieve proper sanitation.
Work Cited
Annual Report of Chief Medical Officer (Barbados).1932. Chief
Medical Office.
Annual Report of 1945 on the St.Michael District
Annual Report of 1946 on the St.Michael Disrict
Johnson, J.T.C. A Report to the Public Health Commission on the
Organization of the Medical and Sanitary Services of the Colony of Barbados
with Recommendations. Cole’s Printery.1926.Pamphlet.Print.
Merritt, Brittany. Developing Little England: Public Health, Popular
Protest and Colonial Policy in Barbados 1918-1940.2016.Thesis.Print.
Ramsey, Frank C. Protein-Energy Malnutrition in Barbados. The Role
of Care in Management. Josiah Macy, Jr.Foundation.1979.Print.
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