St. Matthew, bethnal Green. SANITARY COMMITTEE. Mr. J. PARNELL (Chairman). ,, C. B. BLOW (Vice-Chairman). Mr. F. ALLARD. „ T. BARRIFF. „ W. M. CLARK. „ W. DANIEL. „ J. J. FLEMING. „ O. R. HALES. „ J. HARRIS. „ D. JONES. „ T. KIPPINS. Mr. J. G. NEATE. „ J. NORRIS. „ G. J. PITT. „ J. RICHARDS. „ E. ROBERTS. „ F. WEBB. „ A. WHITE. „ C. W. WINTER. STAFF OF THE SANITARY DEPARTMENT. Inspectors : H. FREDERIC BRIDEL. AMOS. S. HENLEY. JOSHUA LAPWORTH. F. W. MEADWAY. ALFRED T. MILLS. EVAN RICHARDS. BENJAMIN S. WESTON. All holding the Certificate of the Sanitary Institute. JOHN JONES, General Assistant. LEONARD MASSEY, Junior Clerk. Chief Inspector : JOHN FOOT (Asso. Mem. Royal Inst. Public Health). Medical Officer of Health : GEORGE PADDOCK BATE, M.D. REPORT on the SANITARY CONDITION and VITAL STATISTICS of the Parish of St. Matthew, Bethnal Green, DURING THE YEAR 1899. by GEORGE PADDOCK BATE, M.D., Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh; Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society; Fellow of the Obstetrical Society of London; Vice-President of the Incorporated Society of Medical Officers of Health ; Examiner in Sanitary Science, &c., to Her Majesty's Civil Service Commissioners; Honorary Consulting Physician to Queen Adelaide's Dispensary; J .P. for the County of London; and Medical Officer of Health for the Parish of BethnalGreen Printed by J. S. Forsaith & Son, 329, Bethnal Green Road. 1900. SUMMARY. 1898. 1899. Estimated Population of Bethnal Green at all ages 129,200 129,200 „ „ Young Children, under 5 years 18,000 18,000 „ „ Elderly People, over 60 years 4,748 4.748 Area—755 Acres. Number of Inhabited Houses—16,542 (Census 1891). Average number of Persons to each Acre 171 171 Total number of Deaths in the year 2,872 2,936 Total number of Births in the year 4,779 4,753 Total number of Marriages 1,296 1,177 Marriage Rate—Bethnal Green 20.0 18.2 Marriage Rate—London 18.7 20.3 Death Rate—Bethnal Green 22.2 22.7 Death Rate—London 18.7 19.3 Birth Rate—Bethnal Green 37.0 36.8 Birth Rate—London 29.5 29.4 Infantile Death Rate (on Births)—Bethnal Green 184 174 Infantile Death Rate (on Births)—London 166 166 Young Children's Death Rate (on estimated number of Young Children) 79.3 70.0 Old People's Death Rate (on estimated number of Old People) 91.4 106.8 Zymotic Death Rate—Bethnal Green 3.8 3.1 Zymotic Death Rate—London 2.7 2.4 Inquest Cases 290 280 Uncertified Deaths (no Inquests held) 3 5 Synopsis OF MEDICAL OFFICER'S ANNUAL REPORT, 1899 Vital Statistics— page Population 5 Deaths 6 Death Rate 7 Birth Rate 8 Marriages 9 Deaths of Infants 9 Deaths of Young Children 10 Elderly Persons' Death Rate 10 Special Causes of Death 10 Table of Deaths during the year 1899, in the Bethnal Green District, classified according to Diseases, Ages, and Localities 11 The Death Rates of London Sanitary Areas during 1899 12 Analysis of the Vital and Mortal Statistics of the Sanitary Districts of the Metropolis, after Distribution of Deaths occurring in public Institutions, during the year 1899 15 Death Rates in Bethnal Green during the Quarters ending March, June, September, and December, 1899, after Distribution of Deaths in Public Institutions 17 The Seven Principal Zymotic Diseases 18 Notification of Infectious Diseases 19 Table G. Infectious Cases, 1899 20 Small Pox 21 Scarlet Fever 21 Enteric Fever 22 Diphtheria (including Membranous Croup) 23 Asylums Board Hospitals 23 Report of Fever and Diphtheria Cases admitted into Fever Hospitals during the year 1899 24 Puerperal Fever 25 Whooping Cough 25 Measles 25 Diarrhœal Diseases 25 4 Tubercular Diseases 26 Phthisis 26 Respiratory Diseases 26 Tenement House Regulations 26 Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1891 31 Proceedings taken under the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, during the year 1899 32 Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890 33 Legal Proceedings 36 Tables— I.—Showing Population, Births, Deaths, and Marriages, for 1899, and ten years preceding 38 II.—Annual Birth Rate, Rate of Mortality, Death Rate among Children, and Deaths in Public Institutions for the year 1899, and ten years preceding 39 M.II (B)—Table of Population, Births, and of New Cases of Infectious Sickness, coming to the knowledge of the Medical Officer of Health, during the year 1899, in the Sanitary District of Bethnal Green ; classified according to Diseases, Ages, and Localities 40 (a)—Table of Deaths during the year 1899, in the Bethnal Green District; classified according to Diseases, Ages, and Localities 41 IV.—Showing the Mortality from certain Classes of Diseases and proportions to Population, and to 1000 Deaths, 1899 42 V.—Showing the number of Deaths from the Seven Principal Zymotic Diseases, inclusive of Hospital Deaths, in the ten years, 1889, to 1898, and in the year 1899 43 Street List 44 REPORT. Gentlemen, I have the honor to present my twenty-fourth Annual Report as your Medical Officer. It deals with the vital statistics of Bethnal Green during the year 1899. In the appendix will be found the statistical tables on the forms prescribed by the Local Government Board, and also other tables which shew the present condition of the district, from a health point of view, as compared with that of previous years. For the purposes of my report I take the population of the district at 129,200. This estimate is identical with that for 1898 and for the two preceding years. The Registrar-General is of opinion that the population of Bethnal Green is decreasing, for he estimates it at 128,938 only. My knowledge of local conditions, however, leads me to the conclusion that the contention of the Somerset House authorities is incorrect, and that if our population be not increasing, it is certainly not diminishing. A census is to be taken in March, 1901, so that the correctness of my opinion will very shortly be confirmed or disproved. Population in Registration Sub-Districts. DISTRICT. Estimated in 1899. Enumerated in 1891. Inhabited houses. North 49,339 51,520 6,607 South 34,194 33,489 4,579 East 45,667 44,123 5,356 Total 129,200 129,132 16,542 6 The total number of births registered in Bethnal Green during the year is 4,753, against 4,799 in 1898. This indicates a decrease of 26. The excess of the births over the deaths is 1817. Table B shews this and compares the two years:— TABLE B. 1898. 1899. Estimated population in the middle of the year 129,200 129,200 Total Births 4,779 4,753 Total Deaths 2,872 2,936 Excess of Births over Deaths, shewing the natural increase of the Population 1,907 1,817 The numbers of births registered in the three sub-districts, into which the parish is divided for registration purposes, are shewn in the following table :— DISTRICT. Estimated Population. Registered Births. North 49,339 1,930 South 34,194 1,361 East 45,667 1,462 Total 129,200 4,753 DEATHS. During the past year a total of 2,669 deaths was registered in the parish. This is equal to an uncorrected death rate of 20.66. Amongst the deaths reported were those of 164 non-parishioners who died in Bethnal Green hospitals, and whose deaths must be 7 excluded. On the other hand, I have received information from Somerset House of the deaths of 431 parishioners registered as dying in public institutions in other parts of the Metropolis. After adding these deaths and subtracting those of non-parishioners, there is a net total of 2,936. The deaths in each sub-district, corrected by distribution of institution deaths, both within and without the district, were as under:— North 1,168 South 814 East 954 Total 2,936 DEATH RATE. We shew a mortality rate, upon the basis of the estimated population for the year 1899, of 22.7. Though this is an increase of 0.5 per thousand over the rate of the previous year, the proportion to the general Metropolitan rate is unaltered. This last has also increased, and is exactly three and a half per thousand below the mortality rate for Bethnal Green. The rate for the whole of London was 19.3, against 18.7 for the previous year. The mortality rates in the group of West districts was 18.0; in the North, 17.8 ; in the Central, 23.0 ; and in the East (which includes Bethnal Green), it was 22.9, a difference of 0.2 in our favour. The mortality in the registration sub-districts was as under:— 1898. 1899. North 22.7 23.6 South 24.9 23.8 East 19.6 21.1 8 In the following table the mortality rates for London and for Bethnal Green are compared by quarters ; the rainfall and the mean temperature for each period of three months is also shewn : — TABLE C. Quarter ending. London Death Rate. Bethnal Green Death Rate. Mean Temp. Fahr. Rainfall (inches). April 1st 20.1 22.6 41.8 5.07 July 1st l6.2 18.4 52.8 5.41 Sept. 30th 20.1 25.4 63.0 4.32 Dec. 30th 20 .9 24.9 44.7 7.54 Average 19.3 22.7 Mean Temp. 50.6 TI. R.F. for 1899. 2234 BIRTH RATE. The births registered during the year were 4,753, and are equal to a rate of 36.8 per thousand population at all ages. This rate is slightly lower than that of the preceding year, which I calculated at 37.0. The general Metropolitan rate has also decreased, and stands at 29.4 per thousand population. This is the lowest London birth rate on record, and is (as was also the case in 1898) nearly seven and a half per thousand below our own. In the registration sub-districts of Bethnal Green the birth rates were as under. The death rate in each district is also given for purposes of comparison. Sub-District. Birth Rate. Death Rate. North 39.1 23.6 South 39. 8 23.8 East 32.0 21.1 9 The following table compares the birth rates for Bethnal Green and for London by quarters:— Quarter ending. London. Bethnal Green. April 1 st 30.8 40.4 July 1st 28.8 35.0 Sept. 30th 29.5 35.7 Dec. 31st 28.9 37.4 MARRIAGES. The number of Marriages celebrated in the parish is distributed as follows :— Quarter ending. Church of England. Before Registrar. Total. March 157 18 175 June 320 27 347 September 269 25 294 December 337 24 361 Total 1083 94 1177 The he proportion of persons married is 18.2 per thousand of the population ; the corresponding rate for the whole of London is 20.3. DEATHS OF INFANTS. Twenty-eight per cent. of the deaths from all causes were those of infants aged less than twelve months; for out of 4,753 infants born alive, 827 died before reaching the age of one year, thus giving a death rate, calculated upon the births, of 174.0, whilst the corresponding rate for the whole of London is 166.0. 10 DEATHS OF YOUNG CHILDREN. Twelve hundred and sixty, that is 43 per cent. of the total deaths from all causes, were those of children aged less than five years, giving a proportion equivalent to a rate of 70.0, calculated upon the estimated population of young children. ELDERLY PERSONS DEATH RATE. The deaths of elderly persons, that is to say, people over 65 years of age, numbered 507. This gives a rate of 106.8 per thousand, calculated upon the estimated population of persons over that age. WEEKLY MORTALITY CHARTS. The Chart shews the number of deaths week by week, corrected by the inclusion of hospital deaths outside the parish, and the exclusion of the deaths of non-parishioners occurring in Bethnal Green. SPECIAL CAUSES OF DEATH. Table III. is prepared from the weekly mortality returns of the Sub-District Registrars, and from the monthly returns of extra parochial institution deaths received from Somerset House. At the foot of the table is shewn a mortality rate for each of the diseases or groups of diseases therein enumerated. 1899. DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES. TABLE III. Corrected Table of Deaths during the year 1899, in the Bethnal Green District, classified according to Diseases, Ages, and Localities. SUBDISTRICT. Mortality from all causes, at subjoined ages. Mortality from subjoined causes, distinguishing Deaths of Children under Five Years of Age. At all ages. Under 1 year. I and under 5. 5 and under 15. 15 and under 23. 25 and under 63. 65 and upwards. Smallpox. Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Fevers. Cholera. Erysipelas. Measles. Whooping Cough. Diarrhoea and Dysentery. Rheumatic Fever. Phthisis. Bronchitis, Pneumonia & Pleurisy. Heart Disease. Other for of Tubercular Diseases. Injuries. All Other Diseases. Total. Membranous Croup. Typhus. Enteric or Typhoid. Continued. Relapsing. Puerperal. SOUTH 814 227 142 26 23 266 130 Under 5 ... 2 14 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 30 16 33 1 4 78 3 41 19 126 369 5 upwds. ... ... 2 ... ... 8 ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... 2 5 79 127 64 3 19 135 445 NORTH 1168 355 164 40 50 362 197 Under 5 ... 4 18 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 27 21 60 ... 1 126 ... 35 23 202 519 5 upwds. ... 2 2 ... ... 16 ... ... 5 ... 1 1 ... 8 2 99 209 54 6 21 223 649 EAST 954 245 127 34 40 326 182 Under 5 ... 1 16 6 ... ... ... ... ... 1 2 31 7 47 ... 1 70 7 32 18 133 372 5 upwds. ... ... 3 1 ... 14 ... ... 1 ... 2 ... ... 6 3 115 143 71 4 l6 203 582 Totals 2936 827 433 100 113 954 509 Under 5 ... 7 48 8 ... ... ... ... ... 1 4 88 44 140 1 6 274 10 108 60 461 1260 5 upwds. ... 2 7 1 ... 38 ... ... 6 ... 3 2 ... 16 10 293 479 189 13 56 561 1676 Grand Total ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...... ... 9 55 9 ... 38 .. ... 6 1 7 90 44 136 11 299 753 199 121 116 1022 2936 64 Mortality per thousand population at all ages ... 0.07 0.49 ... 0.29 ... ... 0.04 00 0.05 0.69 0.34 1.20 0.08 1.31 5.83 1.54 0.93 0.89 7.91 22.74 12 I am indebted to the British Medical Journal for the following Extract, which is based upon the Quarterly Summaries of the Registrar General:— THE DEATH-RATES OF LONDON SANITARY AREAS DURING 1899. In the accompanying table will be found summarised the vital statistics of the forty-three sanitary areas of the Metropolis, based upon the Registrar-General's returns for the year 1899. The mortality figures relate to persons actually belonging to the various sanitary areas, and are the result of a complete system of distribution of deaths occurring in the public institutions of London among the various sanitary areas in which the patients had previously resided. The 133,120 births registered in London during 1899 were equal to an annual rate of 29.4 per 1,000 of the population, estimated at 4,546,752 persons in the middle of that year ; this rate was lower than in any of the ten preceding years, during which the birth-rate averaged 30.7 per 1,000. Among the various sanitary areas the birth-rate showed, as usual, wide variations, owing principally to the differences in the sex and age-distributions of their populations. In St. George Hanover Square, St. James Westminster, Hampstead, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Strand, and City of London the rates were considerably below the average ; while they showed a marked excess in St. Lukes, Bethnal Green, Whitechapel, St. George-in-the-East, Mile End Old Town, and Bermondsey sanitary areas. The deaths of persons belonging to London registered during last year were 87,530, equal to a rate of 19.3 per 1,000 of the population, against 18.2, 17.7, and 18.3 in the three preceding years; this rate was 0.9 per 1,000 below the mean rate in the ten preceding years 1889-98. The lowest death-rates last year in the various sanitary areas were 11.6 in Hampstead, 12.7 in Stoke Newington, 14.2 in St. George Hanover Square, 14.3 in Plumstead, 15.1 in Lee, and 15.3 in Wandsworth ; the highest rates were 24.9 in 13 Holborn and in St. Olave Southwark, 25.1 in St. Saviour Southwark, 25.6 in Limehouse, 27.1 in St. George-in-theEast, 27.7 in St. George Southwark, and 28.4 in St. Luke. During the year under notice, 11,147 deaths were referred to the principal zymotic diseases in London; of these, three resulted from small-pox, 2,141 from measles, 398 from scarlet fever, 1,946 from diphtheria, 1,717 from whoopingcough, two from typhus, 758 from enteric, one from simple continued fever, and 4,181 from diarrhoea. These 11,147 deaths were equal to an annual rate of 2.46 per 1,000 against 3.11, 2.56, and 277 in the three preceding years; this rate was slightly below the mean rate in the ten preceding years 1889-98, which was 270 per 1,000. In the various sanitary areas the zymotic death-rates ranged from 1.07 in St. Martin-in-the-Fields, 1.09 in St. George Hanover Square, 1.12 in St. James Westminster, 11.6 in Hampstead, 1.33 in Stoke Newington, and 1.35 in Plumstead, to 3.46 in Bermondsey, 3.51 in St. Saviour Southwark, 3.64 in Shoreditch, 3.67 in Newington, 3.78 in Limehouse, and 4.53 in St. George Southwark. Compared with the averages in the ten preceding years, the mortality from "fever" and from diarrhœa showed an excess, while that from each of the other principal zymotic diseases was below the average. Of the three fatal cases of small-pox registered in London during 1899, one belonged to Marylebone, one to Whitechapel, and one to Lewisham sanitary areas. During last year, 18 cases of small-pox were admitted into the Metropolitan Asylums Hospitals, and seven remained under treatment at the end of the year. Measles showed the highest proportional fatality in St. George-in-the-East, Limehouse, St. Saviour Southwark, St. George Southwark, St. Olave Southwark, and Bermondsey sanitary areas. Scarlet fever was proportionally most fatal in Fulham, Clerkenwell, St. Luke, St. Olave Southwark, and Rotherhithe sanitary areas; 13,641 scarlet fever patients were admitted into the Metropolitan Asylums Hospitals during 1899, and 2,797 remained under treatment at the end of December last. Diphtheria caused the highest proportional fatality in St. George Southwark, Newington, St. Olave Southwark, Rotherhithe, Bermondsey, and Lewisham 14 (excluding Penge) sanitary areas; there were 9,569 diphtheria patients admitted into the Metropolitan Asylums Hospitals during 1899, and 1,679 remained under treatment at the end of December last. Whooping-cough was proportionately most fatal in Chelsea, St. Pancras, Limehouse, Poplar, St. George Southwark, and Newington sanitary areas; enteric fever in Holborn, Clerkenwell, City of London, Bethnal Green, Limehouse, and Rotherhithe sanitary areas ; and diarrhoea in Fulham, St. Luke, Shoreditch, Poplar, St. Saviour Southwark, and St. George Southwark sanitary areas. During the year under notice 8,275 deaths from phthisis were registered in London, equal to an annual rate of 1.82 per 1,000; the proportional fatality from this disease was considerably higher in Central and in East London than in any other part of the Metropolis. In North London the phthisis death-rate was 1.64 per 1,000, in West London it was 1.65, in South London 1.74; while in East London it was 2.19, and in Central London 2.75 per 1,000. Among the various sanitary areas the lowest phthisis death-rates were 0.84 in Hampstead, 0.88 in Stoke Newington, 1.00 in Lee, 1.15 in Paddington and in Lewisham (excluding Penge), 1.21 in Wandsworth, and 1.34 in Kensington; the highest rates were 2.70 in Strand, 3.08 in Holborn, 3.13 in St. Giles,. 3.31 in Westminster, 3.44 in St. Saviour Southwark, and 3.53 in St. Luke and in St. George Southwark. Infant mortality in London last year, measured by the proportion of deaths under one year of age to registered births, was equal to 1.66 per 1,000, and exceeded by 9 per 1,000 the mean rate in the ten preceding years. The lowest rates of infant mortality were 103 in Stoke Newington, 112 in St. Giles, 124 in Marylebone and in Plumstead, and 129 in St. George Hanover Square and in Hampstead; while they ranged upwards in the other sanitary areas to 203 in St. Martin-in-the-Fields and in St. Saviour Southwark, 204 in Shoreditch, 205 in St. George Southwark, 207 in Westminster, 216 in Limehouse, and 226 in Holborn. Analysis of the Vital and Mortal Statistics of the Sanitary Districts of the Metropolis, after Distribution of Deaths occurring in Public Institutions during the Year 1899. Sanitary Areas. Estimated Population middle of 1899. Births Deaths. Annual Rate per 1,000 Living. Deaths from Principal Zymotic Diseases. Small-pox. Measles. Scarlet Fever. Diphtheria. Whooping-cough. Typhus. Enteric Fever. Simple and Undefined Fever Diarrhœa. Phthisis. Deaths of Children under 1 year of age to 1,000 Births. Births. Deaths. Principal Zymotic Diseases. LONDON 4,546,752 133,120 87,530 29.4 19.3 2.46 11,147 3 2,141 398 1,946 1,717 2 758 1 4,l8l 8,275 166 West Districts. Paddington 128,794 2,941 2,065 22.9 16.1 1.55 198 .. 6 5 29 43 .. 9 106 148 151 Kensington 172,899 3,590 3,054 20.8 17.7 1.53 263 .. 24 10 43 61 .. 24 .. 101 231 l80 Hammersmith 108,785 3,061 2,058 28.2 19.0 2.11 230 .. 22 13 25 46 .. 23 .. 101 187 183 Fulham 130,720 4,574 2,507 35.2 19.2 3.3 423 .. 68 33 59 54 .. 25 1 183 238 189 Chelsea 96,721 2,381 1,893 24.7 19. 6 2.13 205 .. 18 8 26 71 .. 18 .. 64 173 164 St. George Hanover Sq. 80,876 1,348 1,142 16.7 14.2 1.09 88 .. 17 7 12 14 .. 9 .. 29 110 129 Westminster 52,117 1,115 1,159 21.5 22.3 1.64 85 .. 17 5 10 5 .. 9 .. 39 172 207 St. James Westminster 21,827 437 389 20.1 17.9 1.12 24 .. 3 1 3 6 .. 3 .. 8 46 142 North Districts. Marylebone 140,139 3,987 2,596 28.5 18.6 I.70 236 1 24 15 36 34 .. 26 .. 100 277 124 Hampstead 80,252 1,577 926 10.8 11.6 1.l6 93 .. 22 6 15 11 .. 4 .. 35 67 129 St. Pancras 244,548 6,621 4,948 2.7.1 20.3 2.69 653 .. 102 25 111 142 .. 42 .. 231 489 178 Inlington 348,085 9,658 6,299 2.78 18.1 2.30 798 .. 164 34 126 170 .. 48 .. 256 552 160 Stoke Newington 35.187 799 446 22.8 12.7 1.33 47 .. 10 3 6 4 .. 5 .. 19 31 103 Hackney 222,571 6,453 3,753 29 .1 l6.9 2.22 492 .. 110 16 89 48 .. 35 .. 194 332 153 Central Districts. St. Giles 37, 196 1,132 739 30.5 19.9 1.40 52 .. 16 .. 5 1 .. 4 .. 26 116 112 St. Martin-in-Fields 12,142 148 189 12.2 15.6 1.07 13 .. 5 .. 1 .. .. 1 .. 6 22 203 Strand 23,016 472 521 20.6 22.7 1.30 30 .. 5 1 7 .. .. .. .. 17 62 189 Holborn 29,621 721 737 24.4 24.9 2.23 66 .. 11 3 6 13 .. 7 .. 26 91 226 Analysis of the Vital and Mortal Statistics—Continued. Sanitary Areas. Estimated Population middle of 1899. Births. Deaths. Annual Rate per 1,000 Living. Deaths from Principal Zymotic Diseases. Small-pox. Measles. Scarlet Fever. Diphtheria. Whooping-cough. Typhus. Enteric Fever. Simple and Undefined Fever. Diarrhœa. Phthisis. Deaths of Children under 1 year of age to 1,000 Births. Births. Deaths. Principal Zymotic Diseases. Clerkenwell 66,068 2,050 1,492 31.1 22.6 3.04 200 .. 36 13 28 30 23 .. 70 153 193 St. Luke 40,868 1,811 1,159 44.4 28.4 3.03 123 .. 26 8 10 14 .. 6 .. 59 144 149 London City 27,986 416 599 14.9 21.5 1.36 38 .. 4 1 7 5 .. 12 .. 9 61 144 East Districts. Shoreditch 121,071 4,132 2,857 34.2 23.8 3.64 438 90 13 65 47 .. 25 .. 198 253 204 Bethnal Green 128,938 4,753 2,936 37.0 22.8 3.15 405 .. 98 9 59 45 .. 38 .. 156 303 174 Whitechapel 81,391 3,000 1,714 37.0 21.1 2.12 173 .. 58 2 27 24 .. 15 .. 46 194 147 St. George-in-the-East 48,560 2,068 1,312 42.7 27.1 3.44 166 1 58 3 12 25 .. 9 .. 59 121 200 Limehouse 58,807 1,933 1,500 33.0 25.6 3.78 221 .. 62 1 34 31 .. 22 .. 71 135 216 Mile End Old Town 113,161 4,250 2,406 33.7 21.3 2.72 307 .. 52 5 65 48 .. 26 .. 111 205 158 Poplar 170,606 5,918 3,762 34.8 22.1 3.41 582 .. 104 10 77 106 .. 38 .. 247 364 176 South Districts. St. Saviour Southwark 24,207 694 607 28.7 25.1 3.51 85 .. 21 2 17 10 .. 1 .. 34 83 203 St. George Southwark. 60,536 2,128 1,673 35.2 27.7 4.53 274 .. 63 6 63 32 .. 8 .. 102 213 205 Newington 124,166 4,178 2,969 33.7 24.0 3.67 455 .. 87 13 104 104 .. 23 .. 124 325 191 St. Olave Southwark 11,098 361 276 32.6 24.9 2.61 29 .. 10 2 9 .. .. 2 .. 6 28 147 Bermondsey 85,835 3,063 2,063 35.8 24.1 3.46 296 .. 68 10 88 29 1 18 .. 82 183 187 Rotherhithe 41,050 1,266 865 30.9 21.1 2.80 115 .. 14 11 32 14 1 11 .. 32 75 170 Lambeth 308,108 9,433 5,894 30.7 19.2 2.65 819 .. 170 25 158 130 .. 50 .. 286 537 158 Battersea 174,996 5,179 2,910 29.7 16.7 2.22 387 .. 105 14 62 52 .. 38 .. 116 277 162 Wandsworth 209,655 5,542 3,203 26.5 15.3 1.89 395 .. 59 9 68 65 .. 18 .. 176 253 153 Camberwell 264,817 7,444 4,602 28.2 17.4 2.52 667 .. 130 19 160 86 .. 33 .. 239 404 158 Greenwich 182,513 5,682 3,415 31.2 18.8 2.76 503 .. 127 17 73 53 .. 30 .. 203 281 167 Lee 40,219 976 606 24.3 15.1 2.06 83 .. 25 4 14 9 .. 4 .. 27 40 141 Lewisham 91,027 2,597 1,478 28.6 16.3 2.23 203 1 14 6 68 12 .. 11 .. 91 104 143 Woolwich 41.542 1,260 879 30.4 21.2 2.44 101 .. 13 4 21 13 .. 5 .. 45 102 163 Plumstead 64,031 1,971 914 30.9 14.3 1.35 86 .. 3 6 16 10 .. .. .. 51 93 124 B Death Rates in Bethnal Green during the Quarters ending March, June, September, December, 1899, after distribution of Deaths in Public Institutions. Quarter ending Per 1000 Persons Living. deaths from All Causes Principal Zymotic Diseases Measles Scarlet Fever Diphtheria Whooping Cough Enteric Fever Diarrhœa Phthisis Deaths under one year to 1000 Births Registered April 1st 22.6 2.40 1.21 0.06 0.50 0.19 0.22 0.22 2.05 130 July 1st 18.4 2.11 0.75 0.03 0.28 0.37 0.09 0.59 2.49 114 September 30th 25.4 5.01 0.25 0.16 0.31 0.22 0.28 3.79 2.15 271 December 30th 24.9 3.05 0.81 0.03 0.75 0.62 0.59 0.25 2.74 193 Average Rate for Year 22.8 3.14 0.75 0.07 0.46 0.35 0.29 1.21 2.35 177 18 THE SEVEN PRINCIPAL ZYMOTIC DISEASES. The total number of deaths from this class of disease is 402; of these 344 were those of young children aged less than five years. In Table D the number of deaths from each of these diseases is shewn and compared with those of the preceding year. TABLE D. 1899 1898 Small Pox 0 0 Measles 90 151 Scarlet Fever 9 11 Diphtheria 64 64 Whooping Cough 44 110 Typhus Fever 0 0 Enteric Fever 38 17 Diarrhœa 156 143 Cholera 1 0 402 496 Thirteen and a half per cent. of the total deaths from all causes were referred to the diseases included in Table D against seventeen per cent. in 1898. The actual decrease in number is 94. The 402 Zymotic deaths were 77 below the decennial average for the ten years 1889 to 1898. Table V. in the appendix shews this figure to be 479. An inspection of Table D will shew that the decrease in the number of deaths was chiefly amongst those from Measles and Whooping Cough; on the other hand, the deaths from Enteric Fever and Diarrhoea were in excess. 19 The death rate from these seven Zymotic diseases is 3.1 against 3.8 in 1898, whilst the corresponding rates for London are 2.7 in 1898 and 2.4 in 1899. Table F shews the percentage of deaths from each disease as compared with the total number of Zymotic deaths. TABLE F. Measles 22.3 per cent., or 1 in 4.4 deaths. Scarlatina 2.2 „ „ 44.6 „ Diphtheria 15.9 „ „ 6.2. „ Whooping Cough 10.9 „ „ 9.1 „ Enteric Fever 9.4 „ „ 10.5 „ Diarrhœa 39.0 „ „ 2.5 „ NOTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. Fourteen hundred and eight notification certificates have been received during the year, and copies have been duly forwarded to the Metropolitan Asylums Board; 105 of these certificates were duplicate notifications; these latter form about seven and a half per cent. of the whole. Table M.11 (B) indicates the sub-district in which the residence of the sick person was situated, and Table G gives particulars of the numbers of cases month by month, together with the hospital admissions and discharges. In four instances there was unnecessary delay in forwarding the certificates, and the fees for the same were disallowed by the Sanitary Committee. In seven instances the certificates were returned to the medical practitioners, as the addresses of the sick persons were either incorrectly stated or were outside the parish. One case was notified as Diphtheria, and two days subsequently as Scarlet Fever by the same practitioner. The Sanitary Committee disallowed the second certificate. One medical gentleman wrote withdrawing his certificate. TABLE G. CERTIFICATES OF INFECTIOUS CASES RECEIVED BY THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. Admitted to Asylums Board's Hospitals. small pox. fevers & diphtheria. Small Pox Enteric Fever Puerperal Fever Scarlet Fever Diphtheria and Membranous Croup Erysipelas Admitted Discharged Died Remaining Admitted Discharged Died Remaining January 0 8 2 33 32 45 0 0 0 0 Remaning at end of 1898. 43 5 92 (85 140 155 February 0 7 2 27 26 20 0 0 0 0 29 35 2 84 March 0 2 2 19 27 24 0 0 0 0 25 37 5 67 April 0 6 1 21 23 20 0 0 0 0 28 28 4 63 May 0 7 0 29 23 20 0 0 0 0 42 28 8 69 June 0 3 6 38 31 29 0 0 0 0 43 33 2 77 July 0 12 0 39 23 20 0 0 0 0 48 38 4 83 August 0 16 0 46 24 44 0 0 0 0 54 44 4 89 1 September 0 17 0 61 25 28 0 0 0 0 38 29 4 94 October 0 46 2 48 43 32 0 0 0 0 96 54 7 129 November 0 50 1 36 36 23 0 0 0 0 51 48 5 127 December 0 25 2 20 22 22 0 0 0 0 42 62 3 104 Totals 0 199 18 417 335 327 0 0 0 0 636 479 53 104 1899. SCARLATINA. Notifications. Deaths. 21 SMALL POX. (No deaths. Decennial average 2). No case of Small Pox was reported during the year. SCARLET FEVER. (Nine deaths. Decennial average 36). The number of Scarlet Fever cases notified during the year was 417; the deaths numbered nine, a rate on the notifications of 2.1 per cent. The Scarlet Fever death rate is equal to 0.07 per thousand population at all ages, whilst that for the whole of London is 0.09. In the North district 154 cases were reported, with six deaths; in the South 114, with two; and in the East 146, with one. Amongst these last mentioned were three cases at the Children's Home in Bonner Road., The Inspectors' reports on the sanitary condition of the residences of the sick persons give the following particulars:—In 191 instances the premises were in fairly good condition, in 75 the closets were out of order, in nine the drains inside the house were leaky, and in 22 the outside drains were defective. In one instance the premises were overcrowded, whilst various minor insanitary defects were noted in 141. Thirty-seven of the cases occurred amongst families inhabiting one room only. Two hundred and seventy persons suffering from Scarlet Fever were removed to hospital, being about 65 per cent. of the number notified. No difficulty was experienced in obtaining admission for Scarlet Fever patients to hospital, and in no case was compulsion resorted to. A recent decision in the High Court has settled what constitutes "proper lodging and accommodation" within the meaning of section 66 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. In Warwick v. Graham it was successfully held that when a person suffering from an infectious disease is liable to communicate and spread the malady to others he has not proper lodging and accommodation, and the Sanitary Authority may obtain a Magistrate's order for his compulsory removal. 22 ENTERIC FEVER. (38 deaths. Decennial average 22). The total number of cases reported during the year was 199. Seventy were reported from the North Sub-District, with 16 deaths; 66 from the South, with eight deaths; and 63 from the East, with 14 deaths. The case mortality on the number notified was 19.1 per cent. Enteric Fever was prevalent throughout London, and the reported cases exceeded those of any year since notification was made compulsory. The disease was most deadly in the City of London, 0.43 deaths per thousand population; in Limehouse, 0.38; in Clerkenwell, 0.35; and in Bethnal Green, 0.29. With the exception of a limited outbreak in the Jews' quarter in the neighbourhood of Weaver Street, the cases were distributed fairly equally throughout the parish. I carefully investigated every case myself, and sought in vain for some probable cause common to a number of sufferers. As usual, it was in the late autumn that the fever cases were most numerous, and an inspection of the chart herewith shews a very sudden rise in the number of cases notified at the end of October, and suggests some widely distributed cause such as contamination of either milk or water; but I was unable to discover any facts in support of this theory. It is interesting to note that the arrangements for intercommunication recently made by the companies, for the purpose of avoiding a future water famine, will result in a mixed supply, so that in the event of contamination through careless filtration or otherwise, it will become increasingly difficult to discover the offender. The Inspectors report that in 77 instances the residence of the person notified to be suffering from Enteric Fever was found to be in a satisfactory condition; but in 41 the w.c.'s were defective; in 13 the external drainage arrangements were faulty; in 11 the drains inside the house were leaky; and other insanitary conditions were found in 81 cases. Twenty-two cases occurred in families inhabiting 1899. ENTERICA. Notifications. Deaths. 1899. DIPHTHERIA. Notifications Deaths 23 single room tenements, and in one instance the premises were overcrowded; 143 of the patients were removed to hospital, where 24 of them died. DIPHTHERIA (including MEMBRANOUS CROUP). (Total deaths 64. Decennial average 102). The number of cases reported under the two heads was 335 ; the deaths registered were:— Diphtheria 55 Membranous Croup 9 This indicates a mortality rate of 19.1 on the notifications. On the estimated population at all ages the mortality is 0.49 per thousand living, whilst the general Metropolitan rate is 0.43. Of the cases, 123 were reported from the North District, with 21 deaths; 105 from the South, with 17 deaths; and 107 from the East, with 26 deaths. In 156 instances the residence of the patient was found to be in a satisfactory sanitary condition; but in 74 the closets were defective; in nine the external drainage was faulty, and in 20 the drains inside the house were leaky; in one instance the domestic water supply was found to be drawn from the cistern supplying the w.c.; in two cases the premises were overcrowded; whilst various other insanitary conditions were noted in 132 instances. Twentynine cases occurred in families occupying one room only. Out of 207 cases removed to hospital 41 died. ASYLUMS BOARD HOSPITALS. The following table shews the admissions to and discharges from the Asylums Board Hospitals of patients suffering from Diphtheria and Fevers of various kinds. In addition to these, many of the cases of Typhoid Fever were treated in general hospitals, and some Diphtheritic Croup cases, requiring tracheotomy, were retained and operated on in the London Hospital and the North Eastern Hospital for Children. Report of Fever and Diphtheria Cases admitted into Fever Hospitals during the year 1899. Hospitals. No. of Cases remaining at end of 1898. No. of Cases admitted. Discharged. Died. No. of Cases remaining at end of 1899. Eastern Hospital (Homerton) 10 220 109 and 76 transferred to Winchmore Hill. 21 24 Northern Hospital (Winchmore Hill) 4 76 from Eastern Hospital. 16 from North-Eastern Hospital, 2 from North-Western Hospital, 8 from New Cross Hospital. 93 0 13 North-Western Hospital 0 17 7 and 2 transferred to Winchmore Hill. 1 7 North-Eastern Hospital 0 67 39 and 16 transferred to Winchmore Hill. 2 10 New Cross Hospital 44 237 140 and 78 transferred to Gore Farm, and 8 to Winchmore Hill. 25 30 South-Western Hospital 0 2 I transferred to Gore Farm. 0 1 Shooter's Hill Hospital 0 1 I transferred to Gore Farm. 0 0 Gore Farm Hospital 25 78 from New Cross Hospital, 86 1 18 1 from South-Western Hospital, 1 from Shooter's Hill Hospital. Park Hospital 2 7 5 3 1 Totals 85 551 479 53 104 25 PUERPERAL FEVER. The number of cases reported to me under this head was 18, but there were only six deaths. This large increase is to a certain extent apparent only; for owing to the wider interpretation given to the term "Puerperal Fever'' by the Royal College of Physicians, I have received some notifications of slight febrile conditions during the puerperal state which would not have been reported a year ago. A midwife practising in the district had a number of cases. I directed her to cease attendance, to destroy all her infected clothing, and to go into the country for a month. She had no fresh cases on her return. WHOOPING COUGH. (,Deaths 44. Decennial A verage 90.) The deaths from this disease were only half the average, the whole of them were amongst young children aged less than five years, a death rate of 2.4 per thousand on the estimated population of young children. MEASLES. (Deaths 90. Decennial Average 120.) Measles caused 90 deaths, all except two amongst young children. The mortality from Measles is in the proportion of 4.8 per thousand on the estimated population of young children. DIARRHCEAL DISEASES. (Deaths 156. Decennial Average 107). The deaths in Bethnal Green from Diarrhoeal diseases were 156, only 13 above the number registered in 1898, but no less than 49 above the decennial average. The great heat and drought of the summer months probably had much to do with the increased mortality. The excessive prevalence of Diarrhoea commenced at the end of July and attained its maximum in the third week of August. In London generally there was a similar prevalence of Diarrhoea; the annual death rate from diseases of this class being the highest recorded since 1868. 26 TUBERCULAR DISEASES. Two hundred and ninety-nine deaths were recorded as due to Phthisis, and 121 to other forms of Tubercular Disease. The death rate from Tubercular Diseases of all kinds formed nearly 14½ per cent. of the total mortality from all causes, and is equal to a rate of 3.2 per thousand at all ages. The Tubercular Diseases of young children caused 114 deaths, nine per cent. of the total deaths of young children, a mortality on the estimated population of young children of six per thousand. PHTHISIS. The death rate from Phthisis alone is equal to 2.3 per thousand in Bethnal Green, whilst that for the whole of London is 1.8. The death rate from Pulmonary Consumption in Central London is 2.7, in the East 2.2, in the South 1.7, and in the North and West 1.6. RESPIRATORY DISEASES. The deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs, exclusive of Phthisis, numbered 753, and formed over one quarter of the total mortality from all causes. This is equal to a rate of 5.8 per thousand population at all ages. A large proportion of the respiratory deaths were among young children, a mortality of 15.2 per thousand on the estimated population under five. TENEMENT HOUSE REGULATIONS. These have been under consideration, both in Committee and in open Vestry, but the large majority of the Board still holds the opinion that the enforcement of the regulations in their entirety would be impossible in Bethnal Green under present conditions. In conformity with this opinion the Sanitary Committee has not placed any houses upon the register during the past year, so that at the date of this report our by-laws are inoperative. This action, or want of action, on our part has resulted in much scolding from the 27 authorities at Spring Gardens. I am sure that the refusal to register houses is in no sense an attempt on the part of the Vestry to evade the statutory obligation to abate insanitary conditions in the district, but is the result of a conscientious conviction, arrived at after anxious consideration by men who are fully acquainted with local conditions. I respect this opinion, as I know it to be an honest one, but I cannot agree with it, as I contend that a practical attempt should have been made to work the regulations with a view to ascertain what they are worth. With reference to this dispute between Bethnal Green and Spring Gardens, the Public Health Committee of the London County Council recently submitted the following report to the Council:— "On the 5th December last the Council, on our recommendation, decided to make formal complaint to the Local Government Board under Section 101 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, with a view to the Board putting in force the provisions of that Section in order to compel the Vestry of Bethnal Green to make valid bye-laws as to houses let in lodgings, or to appoint the Council to perform the duty. The circumstances which led to the Council taking this action are briefly as follows: On enquiry being made by the Medical Officer, under our instructions, as to the extent to which bye-laws relating to houses let in lodgings were being enforced in the several sanitary districts of London, it was found that in a number of districts the bye-laws remained practically a dead letter. After correspondence with the authorities of these districts, it was decided by the Council to make complaint to the Local Government Board, in the first instance, in the case of Bethnal Green, as the Vestry of that Parish had not registered or required the registration of any houses under its bye-laws. The Local Government Board, however, decided that the Vestry did not appear to them to be guilty of default in enforcing the bye-laws, inasmuch as the byelaw (No. 2) as to registration allowed the Vestry discretion 28 as to what houses should be required to be registered. The Vestry claimed to have exercised this discretion and not to have determined on any settled policy of not registering houses, although they did not see much practical benefit would result from registration. The Vestry thus, by making and obtaining confirmation of a bye-law giving them discretion, have been enabled to render Section 94 of the Act inoperative in their district, and the Council, after consulting Counsel, determined to raise the question of the validity of this bye-law. As this could only be done by means of a further complaint to the Local Government Board, the Council on the 6th December addressed a letter to the Board, explaining the circumstances and asking them to compel the Vestry to make valid bye-laws or to appoint the Council to perform this duty. The Board have replied to the effect that the Vestry have made bye-laws, which have been confirmed by the Board, and that while recognising that bye-law No. 2 has not worked well in this case the Board do not regard the bye-laws as invalid, and under these circumstances the Board express the opinion that the Vestry cannot be treated as in default in the way suggested by the Council. The Board also point out, that if the Council considers the Vestry have made default in enforcing the bye-laws, it can, apparently, itself take action under Section 100 of the Act. Counsel has, however, advised us that the Council cannot act under that section. We are afraid, therefore, that the Council has now exhausted all possible means of redress and that nothing further can be done. It is very unfortunate that the Vestry, by obtaining confirmation of a bye-law giving them discretion in registering houses let in lodgings, should have thus been enabled to evade the intention of the statute, and the result will probably be to hamper our efforts to obtain the regulation of such houses in other districts, particularly in those which have similar bye-laws. We report the circumstances for the information of the Council and the public." 29 After a long and somewhat heated discussion the report was referred for further consideration. It was brought up again at the next meeting of the Council with some additions and the following recommendation:— "That a small deputation be appointed by the Council to wait upon the President of the Local Government Board and urge him to promote such an amendment of the law as will render it obligatory upon Sanitary Authorities, not only to make bye-laws, but to register and regulate houses let in lodgings in their districts." This report was adopted by the Council without discussion. I much regret the action taken by the Council in this matter. The attempt on the part of the L.C.C. to ride rough-shod over a local Sanitary Authority has failed to force this Vestry to act in a manner repugnant to their convictions. The arbitrary action of the Council, and to greater extent the inconsiderate speeches of many of its members, have succeeded in converting the indifference of a section of this Vestry into active hostility, for no true Englishman likes compulsion. When the report just quoted was under discussion by the Council, the Chairman of the Public Health Committee heaped abuse upon Bethnal Green, and accused the Vestry of what really amounts to criminal neglect. This gentleman (Mr. G. J. Cooper, Bermondsey) asserted that the Bethnal Green Vestry "refused to carry out anything to prevent or avoid the increase of overcrowding." He, moreover, stated that we "allowed property to get into a most disgraceful condition of disrepair, badly ventilated, in a dirty and unhealthy condition, and with the drainage all wrong." I have no hesitation in saying that these statements are absolutely without foundation. The facts and figures set forth in the report of Mr. Foot, the Chief Inspector, are the best refutation of wild charges of this nature. The Sanitary Staff appointed by the Vestry is in number much above the average for the whole of the Metropolitan districts in proportion to population. The intelligence and energy of the officers are at least up to the average; and the organisation and control of the department in the hands of Mr. Foot are as neatly perfect as any human arrangement can be. 30 At the present day Bethnal Green will compare favorably with any parish in London from a sanitary point of view. The Vestry is of opinion that the Public Health Act, 1891, provides sufficient machinery for the purpose of dealing with insanitary conditions, and by direction of the Sanitary Committee Mr. Foot serves and enforces scores of notices every week to abate all manner of insanitary conditions, including overcrowding. I consider it most unfair to gibbet as recalcitrant a Vestry, which is doing real good work, because it prefers direct proceedings under statute law instead of under by-laws; which latter are always more or less unsatisfactory and difficult to enforce. The explanation of the matter is that the name of Bethnal Green excites the susceptibilities of some people wholly irrespective of any careful consideration of the conditions of the district, and no matter what good work the Vestry do now they get no credit for it, but are condemned on the assumption of the existence of a state of things which has long ago ceased to exist. This is discouraging to earnest sanitarians and very difficult to bear, and the more so as that method of patient enquiry, which in these matters is the sole means of attaining sober truth, is least likely to be resorted to by those who use sweeping and misleading general expressions, where accuracy, both of thought and word, is so very desirable. When I was appointed Medical Officer of Health, alas ! nearly a quarter of a century ago, the Vestry was composed almost entirely of do-nothing landlords or their nominees. These gentlemen sat on the Board for the express purpose of protecting their own interests, and for years no sanitary progress was possible. To-day the health of the parish is looked after by a body of earnest hardworking sanitarians, who devote a great deal of time to the furtherance of the interests of the parish, and who heartily support and stimulate the staff in their efforts to improve its condition. And here let me say that no brighter instance of the class of men to whom I refer can be found than the late Mr. James Parnell, whose recent death has deprived the parish of an energetic and very capable sanitarian, and the Sanitary Committee of a most efficient and respected chairman. Not even the Public Health Committee of the London County 31 Council has ever been presided over by a more convinced sanitary reformer, with abundance of zeal, but ever under the control of a cool, sound, practical judgment. I feel that some testimony to the value of his services is due from me, since my position of Medical Officer of Health has given me an unequalled opportunity of knowing what they really were. The quiet unobtrusive, yet strenuous work that he has done, often in circumstances of great difficulty, and always with an entire absence of clap-trap or rhetoric, is manifesting, and will manifest itself in practical improvements throughout the district, not the less real because there is nothing sensational about it. But to resume : unfortunately, the Vestry seem to have concentrated their attention on those clauses of the tenement house regulations which deal with overcrowding and indecent occupation, to the exclusion of the others. I have all along held that without increased housing accommodation it is impossible to enforce these particular clauses. I have formed this opinion, not merely on the ground of the known inability of the poorer inhabitants to pay rent for the additional rooms they require as their families increase, but in the belief that, even if no rent were demanded, the whole of the existing houses in Bethnal Green could not accommodate the present population of the parish on the basis of the cubic space prescribed by the by-laws. The by-laws, however, contain many other useful clauses, and if the County Council will only refrain from interference I think we shall gradually get a few houses placed upon the register. I feel sure that if this be done it will be possible to shew such results from the beneficial operation of these by-laws as will lead to many other houses being treated in a similar manner. CUSTOMS AND INLAND REVENUE ACT, 1891. I received applications for certificates under this Act for 424 separate tenements during the year; 228 certificates were granted; the remaining 196 were refused, as in my opinion due provision had not been made for the sanitary requirements of the tenants. Proceedings taken under the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, during the year 1899. Situation of Premises. Date of Closing Order made by Magistrate. Date of Closing of Premises. Date of Re-opening of Premises Repaired. Date of Demolition of Premises. Remarks. 40, Gossett street 21st July, 1896 24th July, 1896 ......... 1st June, 1899 ......... 276, Brick lane 1st February, 1898 11th March, 1898 . ......... 1st July, 1899 ......... 278, ditto ditto ditto ......... ditto ......... 280, ditto ditto ditto ......... ditto ......... 8, Ames street No Order applied for ......... ......... ......... Premises repaired 29th April, 1899. 18, ditto ditto ......... ......... ......... Do. 2nd June, 1899. 17, ditto ditto ......... ......... ......... Do. 3rd May, 1899. 23, ditto ditto ......... ......... ......... Premises repaired and drain re-laid, 16th May, 1899. 25, ditto ditto ......... ......... 27, ditto ditto ......... ......... ......... Do. 9th June, 1899. 29, ditto ditto ......... ......... ......... Do. and W.C. built 29th April, 1899. 31, ditto ditto ......... ......... ......... Premises repaired and drain amended, 19th May, 1899. 33, ditto ditto ......... ......... Do. do. 33 HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES ACT, 1890. During the past year I have only certified nine houses in Ames Street under Part II. of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890. The usual notices required by law were served, but before they expired the owner, who is a very " slim " gentleman, got the repairs well in hand, so that police-court proceedings could not be taken, and closing orders were not applied for. As a like result would probably have followed ordinary statutory notices under the Public Health (London) Act, 1890, no advantage was gained by proceeding under the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, in this particular instance. The year under consideration marks the completion of the London County Council scheme for re-housing the displaced population (5,700 in number) on the Boundary Street Area. A recent publication by the Council gives the net cost of purchasing the ground, compensating the disturbed owners, clearing the site, and laying out the new streets, at £270,000. This sum is exclusive of the estimated value of the ground, which is set down at £62,000, and it represents the money sunk in abolishing the "Friars' Mount" slum. Upon the 15 acres they acquired the Council have erected buildings to provide accommodation for 5,380 persons, at a cost of £260,000. This amount, plus the estimated value of the land, represents a capital sum of £322,000, which may be taken as the market value of the estate, and this sum the Council expect to wipe off in 60 years. "In this scheme, as in others promoted by the Council, the aim has been that the dwellings, while let at rents not exceeding those ruling in the neighbourhood, shall be so designed as to be self-supporting. That is to say, that the rents, fixed on that basis, shall be sufficient to pay all outgoings, including interest on the capital expended on land (at its value for housing purposes) and buildings, and the provision of a sinking fund for the repayment of such capital within a period of 60 years." c 34 To call this speculative building operation a re-housing scheme is an utter misnomer. So few of the old tenants have found their way back to the new blocks, that those who have may be counted on one's fingers. Apart from the weary delay in laying out the site and completing the buildings, I must confess to a feeling of keen disappointment at the result from a housing point of view. The new buildings are of course an enormous advance on those displaced. Moreover, the gloom and barrack-like appearance of ordinary "models" is absent. But in my opinion too much money has been spent upon the outside of these houses. They are expensively and attractively built, but they are not particularly convenient inside; indeed, they compare unfavourably in this respect with workmen's dwellings erected by private companies in other parts of Bethnal Green. So inconvenient were some of the new blocks as originally designed, that until considerable alterations had been made I was unable to certify the tenements for relief of taxation, so as to comply with the requirements of the Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1890 and 1891. Even now the tenements in some of the blocks are not selfcontained; that is to say, separate w.c.'s and washing sinks are not provided. I am of opinion that it is not decent that one closet should be used in common by several families; and the same observation applies to washing conveniences. The law insists that factories and workshops shall be provided with separate sanitary conveniences for both sexes, but unfortunately does not extend this requirement to the dwelling. It is not unreasonable to demand that the workman's home shall be at least as private as his place of business. The London County Council is a body with magnificent ideas ; they ca,n sweep away slums and make new thoroughfares, for they have at command the powers, the money and the machinery for these purposes ; but though they are, by the will of the Legislature, the housing authority for London, they do not understand how to provide house accommodation for the working man. A few weeks ago H.R.H. the Prince of Wales declared the Boundary Street Estate open. On the day following the ceremony 35 the Editor of the "Globe" referred to the rehousing scheme of the London County Council in a leading article, which so exactly expresses my own feelings that I take the liberty of reproducing it here:— "The Prince and the Poor. With everything which the Prince of Wales said at Bethnal Green on the terribly pressing problem of the housing of the poor, all men who have the good of their fellow-creatures at heart must entirely agree. It is not right that a working man should be obliged by the neglect of the Legislature to live in filthy slums, and, to go one step farther, it is not right that such slums should exist at all. It is a subject at which Parliament has most ineffectually tinkered from time to time, but we are afraid it must be confessed that such improvements in the law as have actually been made have been almost entirely nullified in London by the foolishness of the County Council. We only wish that the whole matter could be handed over with plenary powers to the strong practical sense and business capacity of the Prince of Wales himself, who certainly would not have dealt with the Boundary Street Area in the absurd fashion of our "Municipal Statesmen." We say nothing against the price which they gave for the land, though it was a long one, because the slum which existed there was a positive plague spot, and it was worth a good deal to London to get it made sanitary. Our complaint is entirely directed against the unpractical extravagance which characterised their dealings with it when it was obtained. Instead of erecting workmen's dwellings they proceeded to put residential flats of a sort totally unfitted for the people who were displaced by the improvement, and these were naturally so expensive to build that they can only be let at a rent quite outside the means of the ordinary working man. The Guinness Trustees, who have had a practical aim before them, are able to let sets of four rooms in their buildings in Bermondsey at rents of 5s. 9d. a week. The County Council, however, is obliged to charge from 7s. 6d. to 10s. for a set of three, and this simply and solely because they would not, when they were building, remember who they were building for, but rioted 36 in architectural fads. The three rooms at 10s. may be most desirable, but what is the use of them to a man whose wage is only 20s.? As well offer him a house in Mayfair." LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. In the report of the Chief Inspector will be found full details of all proceedings under the Public Health (London) Act, 1890, and the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, 1875 to 1899. Recapitulation by me is, therefore, unnecessary, and I merely call attention to the value of the results obtained by Mr. Foot's efforts. The investigations of the Chief Inspector have revealed the fact that an extensive trade is being carried on in unsound tinned provisions. These usually are condemned stores disposed of by the owners, ostensibly for conversion into pig and poultry food. We have ascertained that articles of this nature are purchased by dealers, who proceed to prick the bulged tins and resolder them. The old label is then washed off and a new one pasted on. In this state they are disposed of to the keepers of small general shops, and to the manufacturers of cheap confectionery. Many mysterious illnesses are due to the consumption of food which has undergone fermentation, and thereby developed poisonous alkaloids known as "ptomaines." At a dinner held recently at a well known London Hotel, a number of the guests were poisoned, and the unfortunate occurrence was supposed to have been due to some tinned apricots. There are several fatal cases of sardine poisoning on record, and many cases of illness attributed to a similar cause, so that the danger of eating unsound tinned food is well known. I feel certain that any article of preserved food about which there is any suspicion of unsoundness should be rejected. It is, of course, impossible to form an accurate opinion as to the contents of a tin of salmon or milk until it is opened, but the fact of fermentation having commenced, as evidenced by the generation of gas enough to cause bulging of the ends from internal pressure, should be accepted as sufficient evidence of unsoundness, and the sale of such "blown" tins should be prohibited. 37 Mr. Foot also draws attention to the present unsatisfactory arrangements for the inspection of the markets in the parish, etc. With the staff at his disposal these are the best he can make, and he urges the appointment of a new officer whose duties should be restricted to the supervision of markets and food supplies. This recommendation I strongly endorse. As this is the last annual report I shall make to the Vestry of St. Matthew, Bethnal Green, permit me here to acknowledge with gratitude the support and assistance I have invariably received both from my colleagues and from the members of the Sanitary Committee, not only during the past year, but also throughout the whole of the period of 24 years during which I have been in the service of the Vestry. In conclusion, I trust that I may be pardoned if I express the earnest hope that the Public Health Committee of the new Municipality will work as harmoniously with the officers of my department as the Sanitary Committee of the Vestry has done in the past. I know that my colleagues will continue to strive with loyalty and devotion to place Bethnal Green in the forefront of sanitary progress. I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, Your most obedient servant, 38 BETHNAL GREEN SANITARY DISTRICT. TABLE I. Shewing the Population, Births, Deaths and Marriages for the year 1899, and 10 years preceding. GROSS NUMBERS. The Year. Estimated Population. Marriages. Registered Births. Corrected Number of Deaths. Deaths in Public Institutions Total all Ages. Under One Year. Under Five Years. 1899 129.200 1083 4753 2936 827 1260 727 1889 131,000 2314 4939 2708 718 1311 561 1890 129,134 2015 4611 3199 791 1402 641 1891 129,134 1856 4998 3282 827 1449 707 1892 127,040 1447 4911 2984 779 1459 588 1893 123,000 1403 4756 3257 849 1467 722 1894 123,000 1390 4636 2642 709 1244 570 1895 128,050 1310 4771 2769 772 1304 625 1896 129,200 1384 5869 2909 829 1489 638 1897 129,200 1415 4818 2761 814 1259 663 1898 129,200 1296 4779 2872 884 1429 620 Average of 10 years 1889-98. 127,795 1583 4908 2938 797 1381 633 BETHNAL GREEN SANITARY DISTRICT. TABLE II. Shewing the Annual Birth Rate, Rate of Mortality, Death Rate among Children, and Deaths in Public Institutions for the year 1899, and 10 years preceding. YEAR. Birth Rate per 1000 of the Population. Annual Rate of Mortality per 1000 living. Deaths of Children under 1 year: percentage of Total Deaths. Percentage of Deaths of Children under 1 year to Registered Births. Deaths of Children under 5 years; percentage of Total Deaths. Total Number of Deaths in Public Institutions. 1899 ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... 727 1889 37.70 20.67 26.51 14.10 48.40 561 1890 37.25 24.78 23.70 16.20 43.80 641 1891 38.70 25.41 25.22 16.54 44.12 707 1892 38.60 23.49 26.10 15.86 48.25 588 1893 38.60 26.47 26.00 17.70 45.00 722 1894 37.70 21.40 26.00 15.20 47.00 570 1895 37.30 21.64 27.88 16.18 47.10 625 1896 37.70 22.52 28.50 19.00 51.00 638 1897 37.03 21.36 29.48 16.90 45.60 663 1898 37.00 22.23 30.78 18.50 49.70 620 Average of 10 years, 1889 to 1898 37.75 22.99 27.01 16.61 46.99 633 M.II (B.) Table of Population, Births, and of New Cases of Infectious Sickness, coming to the knowledge of the Medical Officer of Health, during the year 1899, in the Sanitary District of Bethnal Green; classified according to Diseases, Ages and Localities. Names of Localities adopted for the purpose of these Statistics, Public Institutions being shown as separate localities. Population at all Ages. Registered Births. Ages under 5 or over 5. New Cases of Sickness in each Locality, coming to the knowledge of the Medical Officer of Health. Number of such Cases Removed from their Homes in the several localities for treatment in Isolation Hospital. Last Census. Estimated to middle of 1899. Scarlatina. Diphtheria and Membranous Croup. fevers. Erysipelas. Scarlatina. Diphtheria and Membranous Croup. fevers. Enteric or Typhoid. Continued. Puerperal. Enteric or Typhoid. Continued. North, Sub-District 51.520 49,339 1930 Under 5 5 upwards 56 54 1 .. .. 2 37 35 .. .. 9^ 69 69 10 135 65 46 46 South, Sub-District 33,489 34,194 1361 Under 5 5 upwards 48 51 4 .. .. 4 31 35 2 .. 66 54 62 5 74 47 3° 48 East, Sub-District 44,123 45,667 1462 Under 5 5 upwards 59 53 1 .. .. 7 34 32 1 .. 87 54 62 .. 3 87 63 30 52 .. Workhouse .. .. .. Under 5 5 upwards .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 .. .. .. .. Children's Home, Bonner Road •• .. .. Under 5 5 upwards .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 .. .. .. .. 1 3 .. .. .. Totals .. •• .. Under 5 5 upwards 163 158 6 .. .. 13 102 102 3 .. 254 177 193 .. 18 314 178 106 146 .. Grand Totals 129,132 129,200 4753 417 335 199 .. 18 327 280 208 149 •• (A.)—Table of Deaths during the year 1899, in the Bethnal Green Metropolitan District, classified according to Diseases, Ages and Localities. Names of Localities adopted for the purpose of these Statistics ; public institutions being shown as separate localities. (Columns for Population and Births are in Table B.) Mortality from all causes, at subjoined Ages. Mortality from subjoined causes, distinguishing Deaths of Children under Five Years of Age. At all ages. Under I year. 1 and under 5. | 5 and under 15. 15 and under 25. 25 and under 65. 65 and upwards. | Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Membranous Croup. Fevers. Cholera. 1 Erysipelas. Measles. Whooping Cough. Diarrhoea and Dysentery. Rheumatic Fever. Phthisis. Bronchitis, Pneumonia and ' Pleurisy. Heart Disease. Other forms of Tubercular diseases Injuries. All Other Diseases. Total. Enteric or Typhoid. Puerperal. South 525 187 93 13 12 153 67 Under 5 5 upwards .. 4 1 .. .. .. 1 29 14 16 .. 2 59 2 34 10 107 279 .. .. .. 5 .. .. .. 1 .. 1 4 41 78 44 2 10 60 246 East 610 232 94 25 21 159 79 Under 5 5 upwards .. 2 6 .. .. 1 2 29 7 39 .. 1 61 6 28 15 129 326 " .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. 4 .. 52 76 41 3 10 94 284 Workhouse 568 28 9 1 11 276 243 Under 5 5 upwards .. .. .. .. .. •• .. .. 1 18 .. .. 7 .. 1 .. 10 37 .. .. .. .. 2 .. 1 .. .. 5 3 101 175 29 .. 6 209 531 Victoria Park Hosp 9 .. 1 4 21 67 2 Under 5 5 upwards .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. 1 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 45 6 25 2 1 14 94 Bethnall H'se Asylum 31 .. .. .. .. 20 11 Under 5 5 upwards .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 9 4 .. 1 14 31 North 810 325 132 20 28 212 93 Under 3 5 upwards 1 7 1 .. .. .. 1 27 21 48 .. 1 116 .. 28 20 186 457 .. 1 .. 6 4 .. .. 1 .. 6 2 56 126 32 3 10 105 353 Mildmay Hospital 30 1 4 4 3 13 3 Under 5 5 upwards .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 .. .. 1 3 5 .. .. .. 2 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 2 7 3 2 .. 8 25 Totals 2669 773 333 67 98 900 498 Under 5 5 upwards 1 13 8 .. .. 1 4 85 43 121 .. 4 244 9 91 46 435 1105 .. 1 1 17 6 .. 2 2 .. 16 10 300 477 178 12 38 504 1564 The subjoined number have also to be taken into account in judging of the above records of Mortality. Deaths occurring outside the district among persons belonging thereto. 431 57 105 41 38 158 32 Under 5 5 upwards 6 35 .. .. .. .. .. 3 1 18 1 4 31 2 15 13 33 162 2 6 .. 24 .. .. 1 .. .. 1 1 35 25 39 8 27 100 269 Deaths occurring within the district among persons not belonging thereto. 164 3 5 8 23 104 21 Under 5 5 upwards .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 1 .. 2 3 8 .. .. .. 3 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1 44 22 28 5 6 47 156 42 BETHNAL GREEN SANITARY DISTRICT. TABLE IV. Shewing the Mortality from certain classes of Diseases, and proportions to Population, and to 1000 deaths, 1899. DIVISION I. (All Ages). Total Deaths. Deaths per 1000 of Population (all ages). Proportion of Deaths to 1000 Deaths (all ages). 1. Seven Principal Zymotic Diseases 402 3.12 136.9 2. Pulmonary Diseases (other than Phthisis) 753 5.83 256.5 3. Tubercular Diseases (including Pulmonary Phthisis) 420 3.25 143.1 DIVISION II. (Young Children under 5 years of ages). Deaths. Deaths per 1000 Young Children. Proportion of Deaths to 1000 Deaths of Young Children. 4, Zymotic Diseases 336 18.66 266.7 5. Pulmonary Diseases 274 15.22 217.5 6. Tubercular Diseases 114 6.33 90.4 NOTES. 1 and 4. Includes: Small Pox, Measles, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Whooping Cough, Fever and Diarrhoea. 2 and 5. Includes: Pleurisy, Bronchitis, Pneumonia, Asthma, and other non- Tubercular Lung Diseases. 3 and 6. Includes: Phthisis, Tubercular Diseases of Bones and Joints, and Tabes Mesenterica. BETHNAL GREEN SANITARY DISTRICT. TABLE V. Shewing the Number of Deaths from the seven principal Zymotic Diseases, inclusive of Hospital Deaths, in the ten years 1889 to 1898, and in the year 1899. DISEASE. 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 Annual Average of ten years, 1889-1898. Proportion of Deaths to 1000 Deaths in ten years, 1889-1898. 1899 Proportion of Deaths to 1,000 Deaths in 1899. Small Pox 0 0 0 5 7 5 4 0 0 0 2.1 0.7 0 0 Measles 132 106 100 131 82 135 110 149 109 151 120.5 41.0 90 306 Scarlet Fever 40 34 29 53 71 27 30 40 24 11 35.9 12.2 9 3.0 Diphtheria 102 133 69 119 137 133 102 77 87 64 102.3 34.8 64 21.8 Whooping Cough 62 113 128 122 59 70 33 151 53 110 90.1 30.6 44 15.0 Fever 21 29 19 22 26 26 17 21 20 17 21.8 7.4 38 12.9 Diarrhœa 95 94 77 74 128 54 146 109 151 143 107.1 36.4 157 53 .5 Total in Bethnal Green 452 509 422 526 510 450 442 547 444 496 479. 8 163.3 402 136 .9 44 ST. MATTHEW, BETHNAL GREEN. STREET LIST. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Abbey street ... 2 3 5 10 Bishops road 1 2 3 12 18 Abingdon street ... 2 ... 1 3 Blythe street 1 1 3 4 9 Ada place 1 ... ... 5 6 Bonner road ... ... 2 7 9 Ainsley street 2 1 ... 1 4 Bonner street 1 1 1 5 8 Albert road ... ... ... ... ... Bonwell street ... ... 2 6 12 Albion place ... ... ... ... ... Boreham street 1 ... ... ... 1 Alfred place ... ... ... ... ... Boundary street ... ... ... 3 3 Alma road 6 1 3 7 17 Bradys buildings ... ... ... ... ... Ames place ... ... ... ... ... Brady street 1 2 2 7 12 Ames street 2 ... ... 1 3 Braemar street 1 2 1 4 8 Andrews road ... ... 1 4 5 Bratley street 2 ... ... ... 2 Angela gardens 1 3 1 1 6 Brick lane 2 4 18 17 41 Anglesea street ... 1 3 2 6 Brierley street ... ... 1 4 5 Anns place ... 1 ... 1 2 Buxton street ... ... ... ... ... Antill road ... 1 2 6 9 Buckhurst street 2 6 4 3 15 Approach road ... 1 2 2 5 Bullards place ... 1 ... ... 1 Arbery road ... 1 ... 3 4 Bunsen street ... ... ... ... ... Archer street 1 ... ... 1 2 Burgoyne road ... 1 ... 2 3 Arline street 2 ... ... 3 5 Burnham square ... ... ... 1 1 Artillery street ... 1 ... 1 2 Burnside street 1 2 ... 2 5 Arundel street 2 ... 2 2 6 Busby street 2 5 1 7 15 Ash well road ... 1 ... 2 3 Busby square 1 ... 1 1 3 Auckland road 1 1 1 7 10 Butlers buildings ... ... ... ... ... Austin street 2 1 2 5 10 Butler street ... ... ... 1 1 Bacon street 4 4 4 8 20 Cadell street ... ... ... 3 3 Calvert avenue 1 ... ... ... 1 Baden place ... ... ... ... ... Cambridge circus 3 1 5 7 16 Baker street 1 1 2 1 5 Cambridge street 1 ... 1 1 3 Bakers court ... 1 ... ... 1 Cambridge road 5 7 10 21 43 Bakers rents ... ... ... ... ... Cambridge bldgs ... 1 1 3 5 Bandon road 1 1 1 2 5 2 1 1 5 9 Barnet grove 3 3 4 8 18 Canrobert street ... 5 4 4 13 Barnsley street ... 4 1 1 6 Carlisle street ... ... ... ... 1 Baroness road ... 4 4 4 1 2 Carlton place ... ... ... ... ... Bath grove 2 2 ... 1 5 Carter street ... ... ... ... ... Bath street ... ... ... ... ... Catherine street 1 ... 1 3 5 Baxendale street 3 ... 2 1 6 Centre street 1 ... 1 4 6 Bedford row ... ... ... ... ... Chambord street 4 2 10 6 22 Bellhaven street 1 1 ... ... 2 Chance street ... ... ... ... ... Bethnal green road 7 3 10 21 41 Chapel street 1 1 1 ... 3 Birkbeck street ... 1 4 ... 5 Chapel place ... ... ... ... 1 45 STREET LIST—continued. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Chapman gardens ... ... 1 ... 1 Daniel street ... ... 1 ... 1 Charles court ... ... ... ... ... Darling row ... 1 ... ... 1 Charlotte court ... ... ... ... ... Davis place ... ... 1 ... 1 Charlotte street ... ... 2 3 5 Delta street ... ... ... ... ... Charlotte buildings ... ... ... ... ... Derbyshire street 9 1 6 9 25 Cheshire street 8 3 6 11 28 Derby place ... 3 ... 1 4 Chester street ... 2 ... 1 3 Devonshire place ... ... ... ... ... Chertsey buildings ... ... ... 1 1 Devonshire street ... ... ... 1 1 Chester place ... ... ... ... ... Digby street 1 3 1 4 9 Chilton street 1 ... 5 5 11 Digby walk 1 ... 4 3 8 Chisenhale road 3 1 2 8 16 Dinmont street ... ... ... 2 2 Church street ... ... 5 6 11 Diss street 1 2 5 1 1 9 Church row 1 1 ... 2 4 Dixie street ... 2 2 9 Clare street 2 3 2 5 12 Doveton street ... ... ... ... ... Claremont street 1 ... ... ... 1 Ducal street ... ... 1 3 4 Clarkson street 2 1 ... 6 9 Durant street ... ... 2 3 5 Clarence street ... ... 1 3 4 Eastman street 1 2 2 2 7 Cleveland street ... ... ... 1 1 Club row Ebor street ... ... ... 1 1 Clifton buildings ... 1 ... ... 1 Eckersley street 1 ... ... 2 3 Code street ... 2 2 ... 4 Edward place ... ... ... 1 1 Collingwood place ... ... ... ... ... Ezra street ... ... 2 1 3 Collingwood street ... 8 10 10 29 Elwin street ... 3 3 1 7 Colliers court ... ... ... 1 1 Elliott row ... ... ... ... ... Collins place ... ... ... ... ... Ellesmere road 1 1 4 6 12 Columbia square 1 1 2 4 8 Elvidge court ... ... ... ... ... Columbia road 2 ... 5 6 13 Emma street 1 ... 2 2 5 Conyer street 2 ... 2 4 Ernest place 1 ... ... ... 1 Coopers gardens ... ... 5 5 10 Faith street 1 ... 1 2 1 Cordova road 1 1 2 7 11 Corheld street 7 5 8 11 31 Falcon buildings ... ... 1 ... 1 Cottage place ... ... ... 1 1 Felix street ... 1 3 3 9 Coventry street 2 ... 5 13 20 Fellbrigg street ... ... 4 7 11 Coventry place ... ... ... ... ... Fir.nis street 5 1 5 5 16 Cranbrook street 1 1 6 6 14 Fleet street hill ... 1 1 1 3 2 Cranbrook road ... ... ... 2 2 Flint court ... 1 ... 1 Craven buildings 1 1 1 2 5 Florida street ... 1 3 6 14 6 Crescent place 2 ... 2 6 10 Foster street 1 ... 4 1 Cross street ... ... ... ... ... Fountain court ... ... ... ... ... Crossland square 1 ... 2 1 4 Fournier street ... 1 ... ... 1 Cud worth street 1 ... 1 5 7 Fox street ... 1 1 ... 2 Culham buildings 2 ... 1 1 4 Fox building's ... ... ... ... ... Cymon street 2 1 2 2 7 Fuller street 4 4 5 13 26 Cyprus street 2 2 6 11 21 Gales gardens 4 4 2 6 16 Cygnet street 2 I ... ... 1 Dagnall place ... 1 ... 2 3 Garden place ... 1 1 ... 2 Gardners street ... ... 1 4 5 46 STREET LIST—continued. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Gardners road ... ... ... 4 4 Havelock place ... ... ... 3 3 Garden row ... ... ... ... ... Helens place ... 1 ... 1 2 Gascoyne place ... ... 2 1 3 Henley buildings 2 ... ... 5 7 Gawber street ... ... ... i 1 Henrietta street ... 2 2 3 7 Georges place ... ... ... ... ... Hereford street 2 ... ... 7 9 Georges terrace ... ... ... ... ... Hereford buildings ... ... ... ... ... Georgina gardens 1 ... 1 ... 2 Hersee place 1 1 ... 2 4 George gardens 1 ... 2 4 7 Hill street ... 1 ... 1 2 Gernon road 1 ... ... ... 1 Hollybush gardens 1 2 1 8 12 Gibraltar place ... ... ... ... ... Hollybush place ... ... ... 1 1 Gibraltar gardens 2 ... 1 2 5 Holmes avenue ... 1 ... ... 1 Gibraltar walk 3 2 6 9 20 Horatio street ... ... 1 2 3 Gibraltar buildings ... ... ... ... ... Horts yard ... ... ... 1 1 Gillman street 1 1 1 2 5 Hunslett street ... ... ... 4 4 Glass street ... 1 ... 3 4 Huntingdon bldgs. ... ... ... ... ... 1 3 3 13 20 Hurley buildings ... ... ... 1 1 Gloster street ... ... 2 2 4 Gloster gardens ... ... ... ... ... Godfreys place ... ... ... ... ... Ion square 3 ... 2 5 10 ... 1 1 1 3 Ivimey street 1 ... 1 3 5 Gosset street 3 1 9 12 25 Iffiey buildings ... ... ... 1 1 Granby row ... 1 ... ... 1 James street 1 3 5 3 12 Granby street 3 1 2 10 16 Granby place ... ... ... ... ... Green street 3 5 13 24 45 James court ... ... ... 1 1 Grove street ... ... ... ... ... James place ... ... ... ... ... Grove place ... 2 ... ... 2 Jane street ... ... ... ... ... Grove road 4 2 2 12 20 Jersey street 2 ... 2 4 8 Guinness buildings 6 1 4 15 26 Jubilee place ... ... ... ... ... Grove row ... ... ... ... ... Kay street 1 1 1 4 7 Kelsey street ... ... ... 1 1 Hackney road 4 7 8 17 36 Kenilworth road 4 ... 1 9 14 Hague street ... 1 2 4 7 Kerbela street 3 1 6 6 16 Hague place ... ... ... ... ... Key street ... 2 ... 4 6 Hague buildings ... ... ... ... ... Key court ... ... ... ... ... Half Nichol street ... ... ... 1 1 Kings place ... ... ... 1 2 Hammonds gardens ... 1 ... 1 2 King street ... ... ... 1 1 Himilton road 1 2 ... 6 9 Knottisford street ... 2 ... 1 3 Hare row ... ... ... ... ... Lansdell place 1 ... 2 2 5 Hare marsh ... 1 ... ... 1 Hare street 1 7 7 13 28 Lark row ... ... 1 1 2 Hare court ... ... ... ... ... Law franc road ... 2 ... 2 4 Harold street ... 1 1 1 3 Letchford place ... ... ... ... ... Hartley street 2 6 1 3 12 Leopold buildings ... 2 2 11 15 Hassard street 1 1 5 2 9 Lessada street 2 1 6 7 16 Hassard place ... ... ... ... Liden buildings 1 3 3 1 8 47 STREET LIST—continued. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Lisbon street ... ... 2 2 4 Nichols street ... ... ... 2 2 Lisbon buildings ... 1 ... 1 2 Norah street ... 2 4 2 8 Ltle. Collingwood st. 1 ... 1 1 3 North passage ... ... ... ... ... Little York street ... 1 1 1 3 North place 1 1 ... ... 2 London street 1 1 ... 1 3 Northampton street 3 3 2 4 12 Lucas street ... 1 ... 1 2 Norton street 1 3 3 7 Lyte street ... ... 1 3 4 Octagon street 1 ... ... 1 2 Mace street 2 1 1 10 14 Old Bethnal green road 1 2 7 10 20 Manchester bldgs ... ... ... ... ... Manchester place ... ... ... ... ... Old Ford road 3 4 5 13 25 Mansford street 5 3 8 19 35 Old Nichol street ... ... ... ... ... Mape street 1 ... 1 4 6 Olga street ... I 2 2 5 Margaret place 2 2 3 7 Orange street ... 1 1 1 3 Marian street ... 1 1 ... 2 Oval 2 ... 2 1 5 Marian place ... ... ... ... ... Oxford street ... 1 ... ... 1 Marian square 1 1 ... 3 5 Palm street 2 ... 3 4 9 Marlow buildings ... ... ... 1 1 Martha court ... 1 ... 3 4 Matilda street 1 2 ... 8 11 Palmers road ... ... ... ... ... Mead street ... ... ... 1 1 Park street ... ... ... 1 1 Medhurst road 1 2 1 5 6 Park place ... ... ... 1 1 Medway road ... 2 1 4 8 Parliament place ... ... ... ... ... Menotti street ... 1 4 9 14 Parliament street ... 1 ... ... 1 Middleton street 5 1 2 3 11 Parmiter street 1 1 2 9 13 Middle walk ... ... ... 2 2 Patriot square ... 4 3 7 Minerva street 4 2 ... 4 10 Peacock street ... 1 ... ... 1 Minto place ... 1 1 1 3 Peacock place ... ... ... ... ... Molesly buildings ... ... 1 ... 1 Pedley street ... ... 2 2 4 Morpeth street 4 ... 4 10 18 Peel grove ... 1 1 ... 2 Morpeth road ... ... ... 1 1 Pereira street 2 2 3 4 11 Moss street 2 3 3 13 21 Peter street ... 1 1 2 4 Mount street 1 1 4 2 7 Pitt street 4 2 1 4 11 Mowlem street ... ... 1 2 3 Pleasant place ... ... ... ... ... Nant street ... ... 1 ... 1 Pollard row 1 3 4 7 15 Pollard street ... ... ... 4 4 Pott street ... 1 2 6 9 Neath place ... 2 3 4 9 Poyser street 1 1 4 3 9 Nelson street ... ... 2 4 6 Preston street 3 4 2 2 11 Nelson place 1 ... 1 1 3 Primrose street ... ... 1 ... 1 New Castle street ... ... ... ... ... Princes court ... ... 2 3 5 New Church street ... ... 1 5 6 Princes place ... ... ... ... ... New Nichol street ... ... ... 1 1 Pritchards road 1 3 7 10 21 New Tyssen street ... 1 5 3 9 Prospect terrace ... 1 3 5 9 New square ... ... ... ... ... Providence place ... ... ... 2 2 Newling street 1 3 3 5 12 Punderson gardens 3 ... 8 5 16 48 STREET LIST—continued. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Queen street .. .. .. .. .. South borough place .. .. .. .. .. Oueens buildings 1 1 1 1 4 Spencer passage .. .. .. .. .. Oueen Caroline pice. 1 .. .. .. 1 Squirries street 1 2 3 7 13 Uuilter street 1 2 5 6 14 St. Andrew street .. 1 1 Quinns square 6 7 3 10 26 St. James road .. .. .. 2 2 Ramsey street 1 .. 2 3 6 St. John street 2 .. 3 .. 5 St. Jude street .. 1 1 3 5 Ravenscroft street 3 1 6 8 18 St. Matthias place. .. .. .. .. .. Reform square .. .. .. .. .. St. Peter square .. .. .. 1 1 Rappley place .. .. .. .. .. St. Peter street 2 1 3 5 11 Reuben street .. .. 1 1 2 Stainsbury street .. .. .. 2 2 Riders court .. .. .. .. .. Strahan road 1 1 1 3 6 Roan Horse yard .. .. .. .. .. Streatley buildings 1 .. 1 .. 2 Robert street 3 .. 2 .. 5 Stroud place Robinson road .. .. .. 2 2 Sugarloaf walk 1 1 2 Roman road 3 2 .. 5 10 Summerford street. 3 3 6 11 23 Rooks place .. .. .. .. .. Sunbury buildings. 3 3 6 Ropley street 1 .. .. .. 2 Surat street 3 1 4 s 13 Royal Victor place .. .. .. .. .. Sweet Apple square .. 1 .. 2 3 Royston street 1 2 1 9 13 Sidney street .. 2 3 1 6 Russia lane 3 4 2 6 15 Tagg street 3 6 4 6 19 Sabbage yard .. .. .. .. .. Taplow buildings .. .. .. 2 2 Sale street 1 1 3 5 10 Tapp street .. 2 .. .. 2 Sanford buildings .. .. .. .. .. Tavistock street .. .. 2 .. 2 Sarah street 1 1 3 .. .. Teale street 2 .. 1 2 5 Satchwell rents .. 1 .. .. 1 Teesdale street 1 2 5 4 12 Satchwell street 1 .. 1 1 3 Temple street 3 1 4 6 14 School place .. .. .. .. .. Tent street .. 2 3 5 10 Sclater street 2 2 .. 5 9 Theydon road .. .. .. 1 1 Scott street .. 2 4 5 11 Thomas passage .. .. .. .. .. Seabright street 3 3 6 11 23 Thomas place .. .. .. .. .. Seabright gardens .. .. .. 1 1 Thorold street 2 .. 4 5 11 Selby street .. 3 2 3 10 Three Colts corner .. .. .. .. .. Sewardstone road .. 1 5 7 13 Three Colts lane 1 3 1 5 10 Shacklewell street .. 1 .. .. 1 do. Waterlow dwellings .. .. .. .. .. Sheep lane 1 .. .. .. 1 Sheldon place 1 1 .. .. 2 Thurlow place 1 .. 2 1 4 Sherwood place .. .... .. .. .. Totty street .. .. 3 5 8 Shipton street 2 2 3 5 12 Treadway street 1 4 2 10 17 Shiplake buildings 1 .. 1 3 5 Trinity grounds .. .. 1 7 8 Smart street .. 2 2 1 3 Turin street 1 .. 2 6 9 Smiths place .. .. 1 2 3 Turville street .. .. .. .. .. Sonning buildings .. .. .. .. .. Tuscan street 1 .. .. 1 2 Southampton place .. .. .. .. .. Type street 4 1 1 1 7 Southampton cottgs .. .. .. .. .. Tyrrell street .. .. .. 1 1 Southampton terrace .. 2 .. .. 2 Toyes buildings .. .. 3 3 6 49 STREET LIST—continued. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Name of Street. Zymotic Diseases. Tubercular Diseases. Respiratory Diseases. General Diseases. Total. Usk street 1 2 l 2 6 Wellington place 2 .. .. 1 3 Vallance road 3 1 3 15 22 Wennington road 3 2 1 7 13 Wharf road 1 .. 1 1 3 Wharncliffe street . .. .. 1 2 3 Valley place .. .. .. .. .. Whites court .. .. .. .. .. Venice street .. 1 .. 3 4 Whitechapel road .. .. .. .. .. Viaduct street 2 .. .. 9 11 William place 1 .. .. .. 1 Viaduct place .. .. .. .. .. Willow walk .. .. .. 3 5 Victoria street .. 1 1 1 3 Wilmot street 5 1 3 10 19 Victoria place .. .. .. 1 1 Wimbolt street .. 2 5 1 8 Victoria Park square .. 1 2 3 6 Winchester place. .. 2 .. .. 2 Violet street .. .. .. .. .. Winchester crescent .. .. .. 2 2 Violet row 2 1 .. .. 1 Winchester street 4 2 5 4 15 Virginia road 2 1 4 4 11 do. dwellings .... .. .. .. .. Vivian road 1 1 1 5 8 Wolverley street 1 1 2 4 8 Wadeson street 2 2 2 2 8 Wood street 1 .. 1 3 5 Woods close .. .. .. .. .. Walton buildings 1 2 2 2 7 York place .. .. 1 1 2 Walter street 3 3 1 2 9 Warner place 2 4 1 5 12 Wargrave buildings. 2 .. .. .. 2 Bethnall H.Asylum .. .. .. .. .. Warley street 1 2 8 8 19 Waterloo place .. .. .. .. .. Waterloo terrace 1 .. 1 .. 2 Mildmay Hospital .. .. 1 4 5 Waterloo road 1 1 1 .. 2 Regents Canal .. .. .. .. .. Weaver street 1 .. 1 2 4 Victoria Park Hos. .. .. .. .. .. Weldon street .. .. .. .. .. Wrkhose. previous .. .. .. .. .. Wellington row .. 3 9 9 21 residence not kwn. .... 14 14 39 67 THE VESTRY of the Parish of Saint Matthew, Bethnal Green, IN THE COUNTY OF LONDON. THE CHIEF INSPECTORS ANNUAL REPORT on the work of the SANITARY DEPARTMENT for The Year ending December, 1899. Ordered by the Sanitary Committee to be Printed and Circulated, January, 1900. JAMES PARNELL, Esq., Chairman. THE CHIEF INSPECTOR'S ANNUAL REPORT on the work of The Sanitary Department For the Year ending 31st December, 1899. To the Chairman and Gentlemen of the Sanitary Committee of the Vestry of St. Matthew, Bethnal Green. Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, I respectfully beg to submit for your consideration the following particulars of the work carried out by the staff of your department for the year 1899, being the fourth annual report since the reorganisation of the office and my appointment as Chief Inspector. In so doing, I venture to hope that for the period under review you will find that the very important interests committed to your charge have received the proper and careful attention of the officers in your service, and that you will be of opinion that the year's work is at least equal to any that has gone before. The total number of visits of all kinds made by the five Districts Inspectors during the year amounted to 26,445, which exceeds last year's total by 509 visits. These visits were made up as follows: 987 to cases of infectious disease, 1805 were inquiries into complaints received respecting insanitary premises, 3302 were houseto-house inspections, 345 visits were paid to trade premises such as factories, workshops, bake-houses, slaughter-houses, &c., and the remaining 20,006 were re-inspections of old cases, supervision of repairs, &c. It will be noticed that there were 113 more cases 4 of infectious disease notified than in the previous year. This increase is due to the prevalence of an increased typhoid rate (which has been general throughout London) as well as to the way in which cases of erysipelas are notified. I believe there is a divergence of opinion as to whether this disease ought ever to have been included in the Act at all, and although I am not competent to express any opinion on this I have no hesitation in saying that so long as persons suffering from slight eruptions and the harmless unnecessary pimple are gravely notified as suffering from a dangerous infectious disease—to wit, erysipelas—so long will the health of a district appear worse than it in fact is, if measured by the number of cases of infectious diseases reported The houseto-house visits show an increase of 528. The cases in hand were 726, against 568 at the end of the previous year, an increase of 158. The other inspections do not appear to require any further explanation, and I therefore pass on to the results arising from these visits. First, there was a total of 3933 Nuisances of all kinds abated, which shows an increase of 179 over last year. Of course, in every year a number of the cases are comparatively trifling, and the present has been no exception to that rule, but the following particulars of WORKS AND IMPROVEMENTS will, I hope, show that good solid work is being done and steady improvement effected: 2757 premises have been cleansed, repaired and whitewashed; 236 workshops have been cleansed and 8:29 houses disinfected after infectious diseases; 749 new drains have been provided by the owners, 143 have been repaired and amended; 146 drains have been cleared and ! 90 trapped and ventilated; 147 rainwater pipes and waste pipes have been disconnected from the drain; 1472 w.c.'s have been cleansed, repaired, &c.; 584 have been refitted with new pans and traps, and in 587 cases the w c.'s have been provided with water supply and water supply apparatus; 51 new w.c.'s have been erected, 45 have been ventilated and 23 abolished; 7 partitions have been provided round w.c.'s, to separate same from living rooms or workshops; 111 houses were provided with water, after the supply had been disconnected; 81 cisterns were repaired, cleansed, covered. &c., and in 21 cases the house supply was disconnected from the closet cisterns; the paving of 1093 yards has been repaired; 91 washhouses have been paved; 70 forecourts and 36 stables have been paved and drained; 153 accumulations of dung and other refuse have been removed; 45 new dung pits and 4 receptacles for fish offal have been provided, and 52 animals improperly kept have 5 been removed; 76 cases of overcrowding and 14 smoke nuisances have been abated; 4 cellar entrances to yards were closed, 4 cellars paved and drained, and the illegal occupation of 5 cellars and basements discontinued; urinal accommodation has been provided in 32 cases; 14 complaints of offensive effluvium were remedied, and one well was discovered and filled in; 54 dust complaints were received and attended to, and 21 houses were closed by the owners in preference to executing the necessary repairs; 103 bakehouses, 18 licensed cowhouses and 9 slaughterhouses have been periodically inspected. These particulars, I hope, speak sufficiently for themselves, in so far as mere figures can represent works, but in addition to the above, the following details of our every-day work must be added. These consisted of the removal of 625 persons to hospital, 270 of which were suffering from scarlet fever, 207 from diphtheria, 143 from enteric fever, and 5 from puerperal fever; 6167 articles of bedding, clothing, &c., were removed from various premises, disinfected at the depot and returned to the respective owners, and 22 lots of bedding were destroyed; 1896 notices respecting dustpails were served, and 1803 pails were sold and delivered to occupiers of the several premises, and the sum of £225 7s. 6d. in respect of the same paid into the Vestry's account; 2093 letters were written, 2142 persons called at the office respecting notioes, repairs and enquiries of various kinds; 80 notices were served in respect of combined drains, and 232 notices were served under Section 40 and the drains opened up by our own men for examination and report. This opening of drains is, in my opinion, one of the most useful courses that your Committee ever adopted. It settles effectually all dispute as to who should open the drain, and at the same time discloses its condition. In 87 cases the attention of the District Surveyors was called to dangerous structures, bulged walls, etc., and in some cases results followed; 144 complaints were received from H. M. Inspector of Factories respecting various workshop and trade premises; many of these were of such a nature that in themselves they did not constitute a nuisance under the "Public Health (Loudon) Act," although it was desirable in most cases that the matters referred to should have attention, and in every case where it was possible to effect improvement it was done. The same remark applies to 64 cases received and dealt with during the year from the Mansion House Council on the Dwellings of the Poor; 31 certificates, under Section 48, were granted in respect of new buildings; 6 dead bodies were removed, on sanitary grounds, from rooms occupied in whole or in part by other persons. 6 NEW DWELLING HOUSES. The following premises have come into occupation during the year, and provides a total number of lettings of 434 for domestic occupation, 34 workshops, factories, or warehouses, and 6 additions to schools:— New Buildings. 281 & 283, Cambridge Road 1 Warehouse. Atkins' Factory, Church Bow 1 Factory. 228 & 230 (Green Gate), Bethnal Green Road 2 Dwelling and Shop. Ainsworth House, Ainsworth St. 1 ,, „ 196, Cambridge Road 1 ,, ,, 63 to 71, Columbia road } 13 ,, „ la & 1 to 6, Ezra Buildings } 13 Workshops. 32, Hackney Road 1 Dwelling and Shop. New Infirmary 1 101 & 103, Sclater Street 2 (4 lettings) Dwelling and Shops. 96 & 98, ,, 1 (4 lettings) Dwelling and Shops. "Hop Pole," Temple Street 1 Beer-house. Shop adjoining in Felix Street 1 Dwelling and Shop. "Lord Collingwood," Collingwood Street 1 Public-house. Workshop, Parliament Street and Parliament Court 1 Workshop Delamere Buildings, Colling- 4 Tenements (24 lett- wood Street. ings). " Bricklayers' Arms," Cambridge Road 1 Beerhouse. "Tabara" beer-house, Cambridge Road 1 ,, " Kings Arms," Pritchards Ed.. 1 Public-house. 17, Pritchards Eoad 1 Dwelling and Shop. Starch Works, Old Ford Road 1 (Addition) Factory. St. John's Schools, Peel Grove 1 School. St. James - the - Less School, Sewardstone Road 1 ,, St. James - the - Less Vicarage (addition) 1 Dwelling. Daniel Street Board School (new) 1 School. Olga Street do. (reconstruction) I ,, Globe Road do. (addition) 1 ,, Hague St. do. ,, 1 ,, Nicol Street do. ,, 1 ,, Somerford Street do. ,, 1 ,, Allen & Hanbury, Factory, Coventry Street (additions) 1 Factory. 7 Pumping Station & Lock House, Old Ford Bridge 1 Dwelling. Cookham Buildings (L.C C.) 1 (48 lettings) Dwelling. Burnham Place 1 Dwelling. Perry Bros., New Workshops, 17, Bishops Road 1 Workshops. 2, Viaduct Place 1 Dwelling. ,, Workshop (adjoining) 1 Workshop. 1, ,, 1 Dwelling. " Anchor & Hope." Mape Street 1 Beer-house. 36, Weaver Street 1 Dwelling. Rotherham's, corner of Boundary Street and Church Street 1 Warehouse. 83, 85, 87 & 89, Cloveland Street (Workshops) 4 Workshops. 30, Hackney Road 1 Dwelling. 65 & 67, Old Bethnal Green Ed. 2 Beer-house & Work- (Grant's Estate) shop. Temple Buildings ,, 3 (24 tenements) Dwellings. Canrobert Street ,, 9 Dwellings & Workshops. Catherine Street ,, 3 Workshops. 244, Cambridge Road (addition) 1 Workshop. " Good Intent," Mansford Street (addition) 1 Beer-house. 40, 48 & 50, Mansford Street 3 Dwellings & Workshops. "Prince of Wales," Kay Street 1 Beerhouse. 321 & 323, Cambridge Road (additions) 2 Dwellings and Shops 53, Menotti Street (addition) .. 1 Stables, &c. 8, Delta Street ,, 1 Workshop. Galloway's Factory, North Place (addition) 1 Factory. 124, Cambridge Road (addition) 1 Dwelling and Workshop. 54, ,, ,, 1 Workshop. 231, Cambridge Road (addition) 1 ,, Brick Lane 4 Workshops and Dwellings. Peter Street and Brick Lane Dwellings Hedsor Buildings 1 85 Tenements (2 and 3 rooms). Lalehan ,, 1 75 ,, ,, Benson „ 1 40 ,, „ Abingdon ,, 1 85 ,, ,, Tagg Street (Lane's Factory) 1 Workshop. "Three Crowns," Granby Street 1 Beer-house. 8 Respecting new premises, E. J., of Stepney, was summoned for letting 196, Cambridge Road without the necessary certificate, and for not constructing the soil-pipe of the same premises in accordance with the Bye-Laws, and was fined £1 and 2s. costs and £3 and 2s. costs respectively. COMBINED DRAINAGE WORKS. The following particulars show the amount of work done under this head from the commencement of carrying out works until the end of the year, together with the cost of each job in labour and material since the work was commenced to be done by men employed in your own department. RETURN showing "Combined Drain" or "Sewer" work carried out by the Vestry from the commencement of the Drain and Sewer controversy. Date of Commencement of Works. Premises Drained. Cost of Labour. Cost of Materiasl. 1897. April a Nos. 72 to 80 (even), Collingwood St. April a „ 1 & 3, Buxton Street June a ,, 36, 37 & 38, Gloucester Street April ,, 33 & 45, Arundel Street Works executed by owner, and the cost of main drainage portion (£25 5s.) refunded by Vestry, as per agreement. June ,, 62 & 64, Virginia Road Works executed by owner, and the cost of main drainage portion (£710s.) refunded by Vestry as per agreement. a In the cases marked thus, the works were carried out by the Surveyor's Department, previous to the staff of the Sanitary Department being formed for this purpose. 9 Date of Commencement of Works. Premises Drained. Cost of Labour. Cost of Materials. 1897 July 27 b Nos. 1 to 12, Butler's Buildings £21 recovered from Owner for portion of works. Aug. 9 b ,, 9, 10 & 11, St. James Road „ 13 b ,, 29 to 35 (odd), Digby Street b ,, 16 to 24 (even), Digby Street „ 30 b,, 1 to 6, Whites Court b „ 9, 11, 13 & 15, Code Street Sept. 8 b ,, 53 & 55, Pritchards Road; and Seabright Gardens Oct. 4 b ,, 193 & 195, Globe Road „ 8 b ,, 71 to 93, Seabright Street Nov. 6 b ,, 82 to 90, Collingwood Street; and 67 to 73, Fellbrigg Street „ 10 b ,, 7 & 9, Hare Street; and 1 & 2, Hare Court Dec. 6 b ,, 11, 13 & 15, Three Colt Lane ,, 6 b ,, 44 to 52, Fuller Street „ 6 b ,, 75 to 83, Church Street; and 2, Turville Street „ 6 b ,, 53 to 61 Church Street „ 13 b ,, 224 to 228, Hackney Road „ 29 b ,, 23 & 25, Hartley Street „ 29 b ,, 292 to 298, Hackney Road „ 20 b ,, 66 & 68, Three Colt Lane; and 1898. 199 to 205, Cambridge Road Jan. 10 b ,, 12 to 19, St. James Road „ 19 b ,, 36 to 44, Menotti Street; and 194 to 232, Vallance Road „ 24 b ,. 20, 22 & 24, Seward stone Road „ 27 b ,, Southampton Gardens; and 7, London Street Feb. 2 b ,, 439, Hackney Road „ 5 b .. 25. Clarkson Street ,, 10 b ,, 71 to 77, Green Street „ 8 b ,, 2 to 8, Roman Road ,, 16 b ,, 2 to 8, Wimbolt Street „ 21 b ,, 17 to 22, Little Collingwood Street „ 28 b ,, 48 to 65, Nelson Street March 9 b ,, 1 to 5, Morpeth Street „ 11 b ,, 14 & 16, Approach Road „ 11 b ,, 4, Club Row „ 29 b ,, 30 & 32, Church Street; and Ebor Street „ 23 b ,, 32 to 42, Weaver Street „ 31 b ,, 24 to 34, Birkbeck Street April 13 b ,, 17 & 18, Lessada Street March 30 b ,, 34 to 46, Nelson Street April 14 b ,, 173 & 175, Grove Road b In the cases marked thus, the works were carried out by men employed by the Sanitary Department, but the accounts for labour and material were kept in the Surveyor's Office. 10 Date of Commencement of Works. Premises Drained. Cost of Labour. Cost of Materials. 1898 £ s. d. £ s. d. April 2 Nos. 15 to 23, Weaver Street; 23 to 30, Pedley Street; and 14, Fleet Street Hill 48 9 0 33 0 2 „ 13 ,, 1 to 11, Jane Street; and 14, 15 & 16, Octagon Street 18 5 7 21 17 6½ 21 ,, 67 to 87, Collingwood Street 22 15 0 13 10 8 „ 25 ,, 7, 8 & 9, Paradise Row 8 19 10½ 8 1 1½ „ 25 „ 1 to 37, Kev Street; and 2 to 74 19 7½ 45 5 6½ 32, Faith Street May 3 ,, 41 to 47, Kerbela Street; and 78, Bacon Street 14 14 ll½ 9 15 8½ „ 10 „ 1 to 33, Pitt Street; and 474, 476 & 478, Bethnal Green Road 66 7 1 47 19 9 „ 18 ,, 34 to 54, Coventry Street 32 5 9 18 8 0 June 1 ,, 2 & 4, Three Colt Lane; and 178 & 180, Brady Street 8 11 1½ 6 5 3½ „ 17 „ 1, la & 3, Chance Street; and 34, Church Street 42 12 3½ 14 5 7 July 5 ,, 37 to 55, Hartley Street 37 19 6½ 14 16 3 „ 18 „ 1 & 2, Pitt Street (west side); 15 to 27, Pott Street; and 1, 2 & 3, Archer Street 21 19 8½ 10 4 0½ ,, 25 ., 11 & 13, Pott Street (west side) 3 0 8 2 5 1 ,, 27 ,, 1½& 2a, Pitt Street (west side); and 1 to 11, Lucas Strtet 17 17 6½ 6 0 1 Aug. 4 ,, 1 to15, Fox Street 34 13 10 20 1 2½ July 28 ,, 45, 47 & 49, Pott Street 13 6 7 7 7 9½ Sept. 4 No. 12, Lucas Street 7 19 0 3 17 4½ Aug. 8 Nos. 17 to 31, Chilton Street 30 2 6½ 20 4 5 „ 12 ,, 42 to 50, Canrohert Street; and 2 to 20, Middleton Street 62 4 8 25 6 7 Oct. 1 ,, 269 to 275, Brick Lane 16 6 1½ 9 8 1 „ 4 ,, 2, 4, 6 & 8, Chance Street; and 42, 44 & 46, Church Street 20 6 0½ 14 12 9 ,, 7 „ 41, Fellbrigg Street; 35, 37 & 39, Northampton Street 11 9 10 9 8 5 „ 28 ,, 47, 49 & 51, Fuller Street 15 8 2½ 7 17 8 ,, 31 ,, 57 to 80, Collingwood Street 27 12 11 19 18 11 Nov. 11 ,, 3, 5, 7 & 9, Pott Street; and 466 & 468, Bethnal Green Road 42 6 9 22 3 10 „ 21 ,, 33 to 43 (odd), Pott Street; and 29 to 34, Pitt Street 37 14 0 18 12 2 Dec. 9 ,,1 to 25(odd), Faith Street 29 18 1 20 16 10½ „ 15 1899. ,, 22 to 32, Fellbrigg Street 27 18 10 11 18 8½ Jan. 17 ,, 18 to 26, 20 8 9 1114 3 ,, 16 Nos. 14, Clare Street 14 19 10 7 11 1½ „ 28 Nos. 31 to 59, Coventry Street 45 10 2½ 22 16 4½ „ 28 ,, 6 to 16, Ada Place 27 0 9½ 14 2 6 Mar. 7 ,, 27 & 29, Ames Street 10 11 2½ 5 11 2 ,, 3 ,, 224 & 226, Green Street; and 1, 2 & 3, Violet Row; and 75 & 77, Moss Street 33 3 1 11 16 6½ Th sum of £10 178. lOd. was recovered from the owners of Nos. 466 & 468 Bethnal Green Road. 11 Date of Commencement of Works. Premises Drained. Cost of Labour. Cost of Materials. 1899 £ 8. d. £ 8. d. Mar. 22 Nos. 61 to 81, Welligton Row 48 0 5 17 1 7 April 17 ,, 28 to 44, Key Street 40 4 4½ 12 6 11½ „ 25 Olga Street Board School; 1 & 3, Arbery Road; and 29, 31, 33 & 35, Medway Road 33 12 1½ 17 17 9 May 3 Nos. 61, 63 & 65, Viaduct Street 4 7 7 2 16 2 „ 8 ,, 21 & 31, Gardener's Road 23 5 0 13 3 0 „ 24 ,, 2 & 4, Royston Street; and 23, Bonner Street 21 4 4½ 9 2 3 „ 25 d,, 197 to 207, Globe Road; and 70 to 76, St. James Street 50 3 2 22 17 7 June 23 ,, 13, 15, 17 & 19, Usk Street 12 15 2 6 1 10 „ 28 ,, 64 to 81, Royston Street 30 2 4 18 11 8 „ 29 ,, 131, 133 & 135, Cambridge Road; and 1, Oxford Street 22 10 0 7 11 7 No. 28, Weaver Street 34 10 9 20 18 9 Aug. 16 ,, 37, Wolverley Street 4 14 6 1 15 2½ J uly 31 ,, 40, Rivenecroft Street 2 0 7 2 13 0 „ 18 Nos. 35 to 55, Menotti Street 33 4 74 21 19 8½ 12 ,, 18 to 24, New Tyssen Street 22 16 7½ 14 19 2 Sept.6 14 to 24, Arundel Street 15 8 4 9 9 8 Oct. 6 ,, 81 to 91, Bishops Road 72 3 7 30 13 7 Dec. 2 No. 33, Roman Road 7 1 0½ 1 15 2 „ 2 Nos. 1 to 8, Octagon Street 13 19 2 10 16 10 Sept. 9 The Mortuary, Church Row 1 17 10 0 11 3 „ 18 No. 115, Bishops Road 1 16 10 0 8 11 „ 18 Nos. 5, 7, 9 & 11, Brierley Street 5 2 3½ 3 2 1 „ 25 No. 35, Church Row 3 12 6½ 1 19 5 „ 25 ,, 127, Coventry Street 2 11 8 2 0 5 Oct. 28 Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, New Church Street; 18, 20 & 22, Pedley Street; and 1, 3, 5 & 7, Weaver Street 57 14 9 29 14 9 Dec. 12 ,, 83, 85, 87 & 89, Sclater Street 7 10 6 5 6 1 Nov. 18 ,, 227, 229, 231 & 233, Cambridge Road f 45 15 8 13 1 2 Dec. 28 ,, 29, 31 & 33, Norton Street 8 16 1 5 19 4 Aug. 29 Bedford Row and Mape Street 14 9 11 3 15 10 July 28 Drains were unstopped at— No. 18, Derbyshire Street ,, 13, St. Andrew Street „ 37, Green Street on application of Owners, who paid cost of same. During the year a number of small miscellaneous jobs have been carried out, at a total cost of £25 10s. 9d.—opening up drains for examination, and the like. d The sum of £16 2s. 2½d. was recovered from Owners in part payment of the works carried out. e The branch drain works at Nos. 28 & 30, Weaver Street, was carried out by Vestry's men at the cost of the Owners. f In this case, the Owners of Nos. 229 & 231 made application that the Vestry should re-lay the branch, drains, &c. This was done, and the cost of the works, £13 15s. 7d., charged to the Owners. 12 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) ACT. Under this Act, 3888 Intimations and 2383 Notices were served. These were followed in 678 cases by a third or Final Notice. Including 28 summonses taken out, but not heard, in 1899 the number of summonses dealt with was 159. Of these, 39 were withdrawn, the nuisances complained of having been abated. Twenty-eight magistrate's orders to abate nuisances were made, and 2 orders to close premises. In 56 cases where works had been done orders were obtained for the Vestry's costs. Fourteen cases were not disposed of at the end of the year, and the remaining cases do not call for any special comment, except those which will be dealt with under separate heads. SMOKE NUISANCES. The action of your Committee, previously commenced, has been continued throughout the year, and the clauses of the Act relating to smoke nuisances has been steadily and regularly enforced, with the result that there has been a great improvement in this direction. No one has been summoned without full notice, and after every opportunity for improvement has been given. Sixty-eight Intimations and 39 Notices were issued; 13 summonses were taken out, and of these 1 was unconditionally withdrawn in consequence of a technical error in description; 1 was withdrawn on payment of £3 3s. costs, the proprietor of the factory having made alterations to his boiler and shaft, and one in consequence of a change having taken place in the occupation of the premises. In the last case the Vestry's costs were also paid. In two cases the magistrates made an order to prevent a recurrence of the nuisance, with £3 3s. costs in each case, and in the remainder fines ranging from £1 to £10 were imposed. In connexion with this I wish to record my appreciation of the assistance rendered by Mr. Spencer, of the Public Control Department of the London County Council, and Dr. King Warry, Medical Officer of Health of the Hackney Vestry, who each directed one of their officers to attend at Worship Street and give evidence on our behalf, and which evidence greatly strengthened our case, with the result that a fine of £10 was imposed. UNSOUND FOOD AND MARKET INSPECTION. The following cases occurred in respect of unsound food exposed for sale: J.S., 11, St. John Street, exposing rotten cherries in Brick Lane, fined £10, about one barrow-load of cherries seized 13 (money paid); G. M., 10, Sidney Street, exposing unsound beef for sale in Green Street, fined £10 (money paid), about 201b. of beef seized; M. G., 154, Hanbury Street, exposing rotten cherries and strawberries in Brick Lane, gave false address and absconded, about one barrow-load of fruit seized; G. G., 515, Hackney Road, exposing bad meat at his shop, fined £50, about 5½owt. of meat seized (money paid); G. G., 515, Hackney Road, for second offence sent to prison for two months, about 2½cwt. seized; J. D., 192, Brick Lane, unsound condensed milk used for the manufacture of caramels and caramel toffee, fined £25 or one month, 43 tins of milk seized. A number of vendors were cautioned that the quality of the food offered for sale was pretty close to the line. Early in the year I reoeived communications from Blanktown, in the Midlands, and elsewhere, to the effect that horse-flesh and carcases of animals that had died before being slaughtered were being sent to a railway arch just outside the boundary of our parish, where a catsmeat business was ostensibly carried on, and that such meat was subsequently used for meat pies, sausages and other table delicacies. The premises not being in our district, I communicated such information as I possessed to the proper officers, and was informed that they had known of what was going on there for some time, but what could they do, every time they visited they were told the proprietor bought and sold cat and dog's meat, and he had nothing to do with what his customers did with the meat they bought from him. I did not feel disposed to let the matter rest so comfortably, particularly as the place was next door to our own markets. With your permission I obtained some outside assistance, watched the place night and day, and very soon satisfied myself that the cat and dog's meat story was only a part of the tale. In fact, I very soon found that the customers included a " manufacturer of high-class meat pies," as well as a sausage maker, both of whom I traced to their business premises in two neighbouring parishes. Further observation disclosed the fact that other of the customers were about as unlikely a looking lot of cats' barrow men as could well be imagined, and I therefore decided to do what ought to have been done by another authority, i.e., make some attempt to stop this filthy trade. My difficulties were aggravated by the fact that all the persons whom I traced for a period of several weeks, resided outside our district, where, of course, I could not make any seizure, or take any action. I therefore placed myself in communication with the officers of three neighbouring parishes, and put them in a position to see for themselves what I had seen, at the same time suggesting that they should follow the meat from the railway arch to the premises in their respective districts, and on its arrival there, seize it, and 14 prosecute the cats' meat merchant at the arch, as well as the makers of the table delicacies. I had hoped to have bagged at least three, but in spite of all my preparation, the thing was muddled by two of the officers. In the other case—that of Hackney—they entered into the matter in the most creditable and workmanlike manner, with the result that at the North London Police Court, on May 10th, Mr. A., a manufacturer of meat pies, etc., was fined £50, and Mr. H., the esteemed dealer in cats' meat, was at the same time fined a similar sum. This was so far satisfactory, but it is to be deplored that throughout the whole of these proceedings, I received absolutely no assistance from the authority of the district in which this place is situated, or from its officers, although there is every reason to believe the thing had been going on for a considerable period. At about the same time I became aware that a considerable underground trade was being carried on in unsound condensed milk, chiefly amongst pastrycooks and confectioners, some of whom I find use this stuff for making caramels and caramel toffee. Again with your approval I co-operated with the officers of neighbouring districts, with the result that a number of seizures were made, and substantial fines were in all cases subsequently inflicted. Only one of the cases—that mentioned above—at 192, Brick Lane, occurred in our Parish, but since then Inspectors Bridel and Mills, acting under my instructions, seized 125 tins of bad condensed milk at 58, Collingwood Street, and 83 tins of sardines at 71, Cambridge Road. At the time of writing, two summonses in respect of these seizures are pending, and I will, therefore only add that arising out of them, Inspeotor Bridel proceeded to Islington, and gave such information to the officers of that authority as resulted in their making a seizure of upwards of two thousand tins of blown sardines, salmon, condensed milk, etc., on the premises of a man who, I have reason to believe, has been largely engaged in trafficing in unsound food stuffs of this description. These cases occurring partly in two or three districts and therefore not under the jurisdiction of any one authority, seem to point to the desirability of there being some central authority who could deal with such matters whether occurring in any one, two or three districts. Of course the Public Health Act did create a central sanitary authority of a kind, but I mean an authority with a department and officers who would make themselves acquainted with local conditions and requirements and be prepared to cooperate in carrying the thing through to a successful issue in the interest of London as a whole. An authority whose policy apparently consists of criticisms suggesting by implication nothing but default on the part of local authorities and with no suggestion 15 of advice or assistance, does not seem to fill the requirements of a central sanitary authority at all. SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACTS. 201 Samples of food and drugs were taken and submitted to the public analyst, Mr. Stokes, during the year. This is a larger number of samples than has ever been taken in this parish in any previous year. The samples consisted of—butter 67, milk 72, coffee 11, cheese 3, arrowroot 6, pepper 4, mustard 6, flour 5, sugar 2, chocolate 2, oatmeal 2, cocoa 2, camphorated oil 3, citric acid 3, oil of juniper 1, eucalyptus oil 1, glycerine 1, disinfectant powder 1, bread 2, cocoa powder 2, water 4, and cornflour 1. As in previous years the dairy trade takes an easy first place in the list of fraudulent trading, 13 of the " milks" and 28 of the " butters " having been adulterated. All the runaining samples were certified as genuine. With regard to the adulterated samples, 44 summonses were issued and fines ranging from 5s. to £20 were imposed. The sum of £272 10s. 6d., £52 5s. 6d. of which were costs, were recovered from the various defaulters and paid into the Vestry's account. In one case I had reason to suppose that the defendant, a retail shopkeeper, had himself been imposed upon by the wholesale trader, and that he sold our agent the mixture just as he bought it, believing it to be butter. The Court was so informed, no conviction was recorded against the defendant, and he was only ordered to pay our costs, £2 14s. 6d. He thanked the magistrate and myself most profusely and rewarded our kindness by subsequently absconding without paying the money. One vendor of milk was fined £3 and £2 2s. costs for refusing to serve milk from a second can on his barrow. He absconded, but had his journey for nought, for with some little trouble we found him and recovered the fine. R. R. and M. R., of 61, Old Bethnal Green Road, were fined respectively £2 and £3 3s. costs and £1 and £1 1s. costs for assaulting Inspector Henley and preventing his taking a sample of butter purchased by an agent from their shop. In this case Mr. Henley acted in a most correct and proper manner under circumstances of the greatest possible provocation. The case of J. H, 2, Lisbon Street, was somewhat remarkable on account of the fact that defendant on receipt of our summons issued one against his assistant for not obeying his instructions as to the sale of margarine, representing that he did all in his power to carry out the Act properly. As soon as I had notice of this I caused a number of purchases to be made and kept observation on the Bhop in order to ascertain the accuracy of the story set up. By the date of hearing I had provided for the Counsel then acting for the Vestry sufficient material for turning the 16 defence head over heels, but for some reason or other the defendant was allowed to leave the witness box without being cross-examined on the number of purchases, etc., that had been made, which went to show that the defence set up was ludicrous. As a result our summons was dismissed and the servant fined £5, but as I recovered the £5 for the Vestry I do not know that much harm was done. I did not, however, let the matter rest there. I continued having purchases made at his two shops, and having fully satisfied myself as to the nature of the business done I got Inspectors Richards and Mills, each with an agent, to make a purchase of "1s. 2d" simultaneously at each of his two shops. The "1s. 2d.," as I fully expected from the previous purchases, proved to be margarine, and three summonses were issued. The defendant this time summoning his assistants in both shops had to again enter the witness box on the day of hearing, but on this occasion he succeeded in getting himself fined £10 on each summons, a total of £30, whilst the summonses against his two girls wereof course dismissed. HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMITTEE ON FOOD PRESERVATIVES. In addition to the above samples, taken in the ordinary way, your Committee was asked to have a number of samples of food taken and forwarded to the Government Laboratory for analysis by the Government's Analysts, on behalf of and for the information of the Committee appointed by the House of Commons to inquire into the materials used for colouring and preserving food of different kinds. You acquiesced, and I was directed to render every assistance possible in the matter, and since the 6th of August I have from time to time had purchased and delivered to the Government Officers 69 samples of food. These were purchased on various dates and in various parts of the parish, and consisted of milk 8, German sausages 7, garlic sausages 1, pork sausages, 1, brawn 3, butter 6, tins of potted meat 4, fresh herrings and haddocks 2, soles 1, cream (potted) 3, corned beef 1, mackerel, hake and plaice 3, separated milk 1, cheese 3, margarine 2, bacon (cooked and uncooked) 7, lard 1, sugar 3, lime juice 2, lemon squash 1, jam 3, pork pies 1, beef jelly in bottle 1, fruit jelly in tablet 1, soup in bottle 1, meat juice extract 1, and soup in tin 1. Inspector Richards assisted me in this matter, and your Committee will be pleased to know that the services you allowed us to render have been appreciated. None of the results of the analyses have been made known, and I assume that we shall have to wait for any further information until the Committee's report is published. 17 THE NEW SALE OF FOOD AND DRUGS ACT. Early in the year, when the Bill amending the Sale of Food and Drugs Act was before a Committee of the House of Commons, I, with your approval, wrote on several occasions to the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture calling attention to what then appeared to be most unworkable conditions. I also wrote both the Hon. Members for Bethnal Green, asking them on your behalf to make every effort to get some amendments made. I further attended at the House on several occasions, and had interviews with the Hon. Member for the North-East Division, and several other members interested in the matter, to whom I pointed out the desirability of altering several of the new propositions (one could not call them amendments). In due course some considerable alterations were made, and the Bill subsequently became an Act, called the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1899, and with three other Aots, namely, the Sale of Food and Drugs Act, 1875, the Sale of Food and Drugs Amendment Aot, 1879, and the Margarine Act, 1887, is now the Act to be worked by the various local authorities. The original Act was complicated, highly technical, and certainly not capable of easy administration. We have now four Acts all more or less suffering with the original complaints, to which have been added a few amendments, and I fear several uncertainties, whioh there is every reason to suppose will at no distant date have to be referred to the High Court for elucidation. This is how the Legislature encourages local authorities in their duty. REFUSE OF DUST AND DOMESTIC REFUSE. In consequence of numerous complaints a Special Sub-Committee was appointed to enquire into the question of the Dusting. Several meetings were held, and resulted in the pailmen's districts being re-arranged, and the number increased from 7 to 9. A new oode of directions were drawn up for the guidance of the men, and 20,000 handbills were issued, and one left at every house in the parish. I think on the whole there is some improvement. HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES ACT. Under this Act nine notices were served in respect of nine houses in Ames Street certified by Dr. Bate as unfit for human habitation. Immediately on receipt of the notices the owners set to work and carried out considerable repairs, and so prevented any further action being taken. With regard to cases where action had been taken in previous years, one house was demolished and a 18 new one built, nine other houses in different part of the parish have been demolished, and new ones on some of the sites are in course of erection, seven closing orders in respect of 81 to 87 odd Collingwood Street were determined, the premises having been repaired. As your Committee well knows action as above can only lead to the closing and repair or perhaps demolition of houses unfit for human habitation, and although of the highest possible importance from a sanitary point of view it provides no solution of the difficulty of Housing the Working Classes. As regards housing accommodation we are no better off than at the end of last year, and so far as one can judge there is no early prospect of any improvement being effected. This question seems to provide endless material for discussion at various places. Numbers of earnest, well-housed, comfortable people meet to hear lectures, discuss papers, and pass resolutions with more or less unanimity, and go home again, feeling that at least they have done their duty ; but with all the theorising and discussion the matter does not appear to make the slightest progress, and overcrowded London remains overcrowded. PETTY CASH ACCOUNT FOR YEAR. I append a detailed statement of all sums received and expended for each month throughout the year. From this it will be seen that the expenditure under this head for the year amounted to £220 10s. 8¼d. The total amount recovered for the same period from all sourees amounted to £507 3s. 2d. Of this £25 9s. 8d. represented costs of drainage works recovered from owners of premises, and the sum of £10 4s. in respect of prosecutions by the Surveyor, but which as a matter of convenience was collected by me with other amounts. The sum of £8 19s. was also received in fines payable to this authority from prosecutions instituted by the London County Council. Deducting these and the drainage accounts, it will be seen that the nett sum recovered by this department was £462 10s. 6d., against an expenditure of £220 10s. 8¼d. STATEMENT OF CASH ACCOUNT. Amount received each month from Finance Committee. Amount expended for Postage. Small accounts, under £2. Amount paid for overtime, inspecting Markets. Infectious and special cases Coach Hire visiting same. Police Court Summonses and Orders. Mortuary for Washing and for Removal of Bodies. Cost of samples and executing Sale of Food and Drugs Act. Petty Disbursements Fines, Costs, &c., recovered and paid into the Vestry's Account. 1899. £ s. d. £ 8. d. £ 8. d. £ 8. d. £ 8. d. £ s. d. £ 8. d. £ 8. d. £ 8. d. £ s. d. January a20 6 2 2 12 4 3 0 3 - 0 5 0 2 10 0 0 7 3 0 16 2½ 1 10 9 25 6 10 February 15 0 0 1 18 10 2 0 9 - 0 19 8 1 6 0 0 10 0 2 2 8½ 2 16 2 11 9 0 March 5 0 0 2 16 11 5 2 11 3 0 0 0 10 0 2 13 0 0 12 4 1 13 4½ 3 12 8 h44 7 0 April 20 0 0 2 7 2 2 13 0 4 2 0 0 5 0 2 16 6 - 1 19 2 3 5 7 62 12 0 May 20 0 0 1 18 5 3 3 10 2 10 0 0 16 0 2 8 6 0 4 3 1 13 7 7 10 3 31 17 0 June 20 0 0 2 13 1 2 15 5 4 0 0 0 8 0 6 11 6 - 0 1 0 5 2 5 50 13 6 July 20 0 0 2 16 7 45 0 8 5 15 0 0 6 6 3 9 6 - 0 16 8 7 3 10 58 18 0 August — 2 5 0½ c2 18 5 5 0 0 - 0 13 0 - - 2 12 2½ i53 0 10 September 40 0 0 2 0 4 d3 12 104 4 0 0 0 13 0 0 17 0 - - 0 12 7 9 16 0 October 20 0 0 2 17 6 1 4 5 4 6 0 0 5 6 0 16 0 0 9 9 0 12 11 2 8 8 17 10 0 November 20 0 0 2 18 2 3 9 6 2 10 0 1 6 0 f 3 15 6 - 2 13 7½ 13 0 9 j96 10 0 December 20 0 0 2 1 10 1 0 9 2 10 0 1 8 6 4 1 0 — 0 3 6 13 16 10 k45 3 0 Totals for Year £220 6 2 £29 6 2½ £36 2 9½ £37 12 0 £7 3 2 £31 17 6 £2 3 7 £12 12 8¾ £63 12 8½ £507 3 2 a Including £5 6s. 2d. brought forward from last year. b Including 9s. 2d. for procuring samples for Government Enquiry. c Including 11d. for procuring samples for Government Enquiry. d Including £1 4s. Id. for procuring samples for Government Enquiry. e Including 4s. for Surveyor's summonses. f Including 2s. for Surveyor's summonses. g Including £6 17s. 10d. for drainage works, and £5 2s. respecting prosecution by Surveyor. h Including £4 for assault on Inspector when taking samples. i Including £10 9s. 10d. for execution of drainage works. j Including £2 10s. for drainage works, and £5 2s. respecting prosecution by Surveyor k Including £5 12s. for drainage works. 20 MORTUARY RETURN FROM 1st JANUARY TO 31st DECEMBER, 1899. Number of Bodies removed by Order of the Coroner 288 „ „ „ „ Sanitary Inspector 6 „ „ „ at request of Relatives 132 Total number of Bodies removed to Mortuary 426 Number of Inquests held during the year 288 Post Mortem Examinations made 115 SANITARY STAFF. During the year the following changes have taken effect among the staff of your department: — Mr. Mills, who had previously acted as superintendent of combined drainage works, qualified himself as a sanitary officer, and in March, on your recommendation, the Vestry appointed him as additional inspector. The decrease in the amount of work and number of men employed by the Vestry in connection with " combined drains" has enabled me to take advantage of Mr. Mills' services in many ways, specially in the better supervision of new buildings, drainage, &c., and in connection with several of the seizures of unsound food and the procuring of samples. From the date of his appointment Mr. Mills has rendered most valuable assistance and has shown every disposition to assist me and to carry out any duties entrusted to him in a most careful and painstaking manner. In the early part of October your Committee resolved to have the drains of all premises visited by the inspectors tested with a surface test. This necessitated a re-arrangement of the method of carrying on our house-to-house work and other inspections. A Sub-Committee was appointed to enquire into and report upon the matter, and as a result it was decided that each inspector should be required to set aside one day in each week for house-to-house work and that an assistant at 30s. per week be appointed to accompany and assist each in rotation with the testing of the drains. Mr. J. Jones, who has been in your service as junior sanitary clerk about four years, applied for and was appointed to the new post of general assistant, in my judgment an advantageous arrangement. This caused a vacancy for a junior clerk, and after advertisements had been issued Leonard Massey was appointed at 15s. per week and commenced his duties here on the 20th of November. Massey brought a capital school record and 21 testimonials with him, but of course had no business training or experience. I hope he will endeavour to make himself a useful assistant. Although not quite a change of staff, it is necessary to record a new departure taken by your Committee as to the payment of the weekly servants and labour of the Sanitary Department. On 29th November you decided that your wages account should be kept separate from the general labour account of the Vestry, and agreeably to your instructions, estimates and accounts have been submitted each month to the Finance Committee and a cheque drawn for the amounts required for the payment of all weekly servants and casual labour. Earlier in this report I ventured to express the hope that you would consider the work of this year at least equal to any that has gone before. I return to this for the purpose of replying to some little criticisms that has fallen from some of your members at different times. It has been said that some of the inspectors' reports are vague, and on more than one occasion they have been referred back for further enquiries and particulars, that was said ought in an efficient inspection to have been ascertained at the first visit. It has also been said that in addition to some inefficient primary inspections the manner in which cases are reinspected and reported for legal proceedings leave something to be desired, and that too long a time is allowed to elapse in many cases of a serious character before they are put in for summons. So far from objecting to criticism I invite it; so long as it is fair, it can only do good. With your permission I desire to add that it is because in the main I believe your staff is doing good useful work, I regret that there should be any lapses to mar what is otherwise good and satisfactory. For any Inspector who on visiting premises can only record such meagre details of the conditions existing, as to make use of the word "Report" a misnomer, I have no apology to offer, and the members of your Committee would, I venture to think, do well to call attention to every case as it arises rather than to complain in a general way. There can be no two opinions that any officer who presents a so-called report, merely recording that "the water has been cut off," or that "the roof is said to leak," or some similar single item, without attempting to describe any other conditions, or even if the premises are occupied as a dwelling, or used as a workshop, and does not apparently endeavour to ascertain the number of occupants, lays himself open to the remark that his work is done inefficiently, and I repeat my regret that officers who on the whole are doing such good work should in a few cases lay themselves open to criticism of this nature. I know in the past it has been the custom to assume that conditions other than those 22 mentioned are to be considered as satisfactory; but assumption does not appear to do now, and I do not think members expect too much in asking that when an inspection is made it shall be carefully made, and the conditions briefly and accurately reported. If no nuisance exists let it so appear on the report, and not left to be assumed. Before concluding this report J desire specially to refer to two matters which have considerably exercised my mind for some time past, but no suitable opportunity has occurred to bring them to your notice. I refer (a) to the question of Food and Market Inspection, and (b) the position of the oldest officer in the service of your Department. With regard to the first your Committee is aware that for some considerable period of the year two inspectors are on duty in the markets on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings. Further, for some months certain of the inspectors in turns looked after the markets in Green Street and Brick Lane during the busy part of eaoh forenoon. With so large an area of street markets as we have in Green Street, Brick Lane, Bethnal Green Road, Cambridge Road (southern end), and to a small extent in Hackney Road, as well as the various shops, it is obvious that to provide efficient supervision during the forenoons by the ordinary staff considerably interferes with the daily routine district work. Personally I do not consider the existing arrangements, either as to forenoons or Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings, at all satisfactory. The recent seizures of unsound food shows clearly the need for constant and effioient inspection of the markets, and it is for you to consider and decide whether you are satisfied with existing conditions, or whether you will recommend any ohanges for the purpose of securing that the food in your markets shall be subject to proper supervision all the year round. With regard to the other matter referred to, many of your Committee may not perhaps realise that Mr. Lapworth is now approaching his fortieth year of service, and I desire to bring to your notice the fact that although every phase of work in the department has completely changed and changed again during the period of his service, Mr. Lapworth is still expected to work a district, test drains, etc., and keep toll with your younger officers who have entered the services under conditions never dreamt of in his more youthful days. Let me say as a matter of simple truth and justice that from the time I was appointed to take charge of the work of your department Mr. Lapworth cheerfully and loyally accepted the new arrangement and so far as lay in his power he has rendered me every assistance possible in carrying out your work. Notwithstanding all this I venture to submit that the time has now come for considering whether it is not 23 possible to introduce some arrangement for relieving him of some of the more onerous duties of his post. His district has been visited house-to-house all through and considerable work done in it. I therefore suggest that if no other arrangement is possible he should not be expected to make the same total of visits per week as the other inspectors, but that he should be required simply to attend to the complaints, infectious diseases and matters of a similar character as they occur in his district. In closing this account of the year's proceedings I respectfully beg to thank the Chairman and members of the Committee for their continued support, which alone has enabled me to carry on the work of your department. I am, Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, JOHN FOOT, Assoc. Mem. Royal Inst. Public Healthy Chief Inspector.