LON 1 REPORT on the SANITARY CONDITION of the CITY OF LONDON FOR THE YEAR 1894, by W. SEDGWICK SAUNDERS, M.D., F.S.A., fellow of the chemical society, fellow of the institute of chemistry, medical officer of health and public analyst for the city of london, late president of the hunterian society. LONDON: Printed by MILTON SMITH & Co., Ld , Devonshire Street 1895. REPORT on the SANITARY CONDITION of the CITY OF LONDON FOR THE YEAR 1894, by W. SEDGWICK SAUNDERS, M.D., F.S.A., fellow of the chemical society, fellow of the institute of chemistry medical officer of health and public analyst for the city of london, late president of the hunterian society, &c., &c. LONDON: Printed by MILTON SMITH & Co., Ld., Devonshire Street 1895. At a Meeting of the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London, held at the Guildhall of the said City on Tuesday, the 24th September, 1895. HENRY THOMAS GORDON, Esq., F.R.I.B.A., In the Chair. The Medical Officer of Health laid before the Court his Report for the year, 1894. On the Motion of Mr. Morton, It was Resolved— That the said Report be referred to the Sanitary Committee, with power to forward copies thereof to the Local Government Board and the London County Council. Resolved also- That the said Report be printed and circulated for the information of the Commissioners in due course. H. MONTAGUE BATES, Principal Clerk. TO THE HONOURABLE THE COMMISSIONERS OF SEWERS. Gentlemen, I have the honour to submit my Annual Report for the year 1894. The year has been one of increasing activity in Public Health Administration owing to recent changes in the law; notably the "Public Health (London) Act, 1891,"-the extension of the "Notification of Infectious Diseases Act,"-the "Factory and Workshops Acts,"-and the preparation of Bye-laws and Regulations for the future conduct of the Department in the City of London, etc., etc. The variety of the work, as shewn in the accompanying details, is considerable, and attention may be drawn to the fact that, in consequence of the stringent requirements of recent legislation, a class of property has been dealt with which formerly was left to the resources of private persons. 6 The general health of the City has been satisfactory, no epidemics have disturbed the public mind, and the same excellent condition of cleanliness of the pavements and roadways has been maintained in spite of the enormous traffic, pedestrian and vehicular, to which they are subjected. The City of London Registration District comprises 672T acres excluding tidal water or foreshore. The number of inhabited houses and holdings, as shewn by the Day-Census taken in 1891, was 27,827, and therefore the numbers given in the Imperial Census at 5,819 is misleading, and evidently applied only to houses in which one or more persons slept on the night of enumeration, whilst with much greater reason and justice, the Day-Census included houses or tenements in which persons were actively employed during the day. In discussing the general sanitary condition of a district having an enormous floating 7 population, such as the City of London, it is essential to bear in mind that 89 per cent. of such persons are non-residential. The Imperial census returns for 1891 shew a population of 38,320, being a decrease of 13,085 from the previous decennial 1881; 37,663 for 1871, and 73,743 for 1861, thus:- City Population in 1861 112,063 „ 1871 75,983 „ 1881 51,405 „ 1891 38,320 The estimated Night population for the City at the end of June, 1894, was 34,831, and assuming that the population has gone on diminishing since 1891 at exactly the same rate it did between that date and the census in 1881, the population for 1901 may be estimated at 28,357. 8 This expectation is quite arbitrary, and may probably be upset at the next census, since an estimation of this character in small communities like ours is less trustworthy than in larger ones. These figures, I repeat, refer to the Night population only. The Day-census which was taken by the Corporation of London in May, 1891, at its own expense, proved that 1,186,000 persons and 92,000 vehicles entered and left the City on the day the counting was made. The population of the City as ascertained by the Day-census was found to be in 1866170,133, in 1881-261,061, and in 1891301,384, shewing an increase between 1866 and 1881 of 90,928, and between 1881 and 1891 of 40,323, so that if this progressive augmentation has been maintained since 1891, a Day-census at June, 1894, would have shewn a population of about 315,400. 9 The density of the day population is the highest in the United Kingdom, being approximately 469 persons per acre, as against the 33 chief Cities and Boroughs, which average 34.9 per acre. Now if we calculate the density upon the night population only we shew 51.8 persons per acre, which would be misleading and absurd. This anomaly was recognised as far back as 1866 by the late Dr. Farr, then Superintendent of Statistics at Somerset House, who, in giving his evidence before a Select Committee of the House of Commons, stated- "That the City of London was of much "greater importance than it was made to appear "from the figures contained in the Imperial "Returns, and that persons having offices in "the City, but sleeping out of it, ought to be "taken into account." These remarks apply with even greater force in present times, when we consider that 10 the number of persons actively employed in the City during working hours has increased 185 per cent. during the last 29 years. I mention these facts to emphasize the extreme difficulty of calculating a basis upon which we should determine a reliable Death Rate for the City. During 1894, 993 deaths were registered, including 562 persons dying in the City but not belonging thereto. [In St. Bartholomew's Hospital alone 560 occurred of non-residents, and two in the Royal London Ophthalmic Hospital, Moorfields.] Deducting these deaths we have to deal with 431 persons, but have now to add the deaths of 169 persons who died in City Institutions in outside districts, where of course they were registered. This then gives the actual mortality upon which the death rate should be calculated of 600 persons. No less than 10.5 per cent. of these 600 deaths were caused by injuries or violence, a large proportion of them including persons found 11 drowned in the Thames whose residence being unknown were registered as deaths occurring in the City. Many newly born infants found concealed in railway carriages, cloak rooms, &c., in the 28 railway stations, dust bins, and out of the way places within the district. The death rate for the City of London in 1894, upon these data, was 17.2 per 1,000 per annum of the population, that for the whole of the Metropolis during the same period being 17.4. The number of deaths from the principal zymotic diseases works out low as a whole, viz., 0.72 per 1,000. The deaths of children under 1 year of age to 1,000 births comes out 157 against 143 for the whole of London. The highest being 210 in St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and the lowest, 86 in Stoke Newington (with a population very near the City, viz., 34,172). [In one case the Registrar's Certificate recorded the death of a lad at. 16 as "Pus in the brain and scull caused by a billiard ball 12 hitting against another (ball), and rebounding striking him in the forehead"-(Inquest.)] The number of children born in the City (see table B) was 520, the Birth Rate, therefore, was 14.9 per 1,000, the lowest in the Metropolis: St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, the next lowest, being 17.0. Of the births 410 were successfully vaccinated, 2 were insusceptible, 44 died before the age for vaccination, 17 were postponed by Medical Certificate, 42 removed into other districts and were lost sight of, and 5 were still pending at the end of the year. During the same period a number of adults, &c., were revaccinated. The Birth Rate for the whole of London is given as 30.1. The following tables A and B are compiled in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Board, upon the form prescribed by that Department. (A) TABLE OF DEATHS during the Year 1894, in the City of London, classified according to Diseases, Ages, and Localities. (A) [Prepared in accordance with the Instructions of the Local Government Board.] Names of Localities adopted for the purpose of these Statistics; Public Institutions being shown as separate localities. 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. 1 and under 5 5 and under 15 15 and under 25 25 and under 60 60 and upwards. Small-pox. Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Membranous Croup. Fevers. Cholera. Erysipelas. Measles. Whooping Cough. Diarrhœa and Dysentery. Rheumatic Fever. Ague. Phthisis. Bronchitis, Pneumonia, and Pleurisy. Heart Disease. Injuries. All other Diseases. Totals Typhus. Enteric or Typhoid. Continued. Relapsing. Puerperal. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. ST. BOTOLPH 100 30 7 1 6 26 30 Under 5 2 1 3 6 1 8 2 14 37 5 upwds. 1 1 11 16 9 6 19 63 CRIPPLEGATE 32 5 3 1 10 13 Under 5 1 2 5 1 9 5 upwds. 1 1 2 10 2 1 6 23 ST. SEPULCHRE *68 9 5 4 *6 20 24 Under 5 1 8 1 4 14 5 upwds. 2 7 12 5 *9 19 *54 ST. BRIDE 73 16 3 2 3 26 23 Under 5 1 1 4 1 11 18 5 upwds. 4 11 7 12 21 55 ALLHALLOWS 121 15 4 3 5 68 26 Under 5 2 1 5 3 7 18 5 upwds. 1 8 16 15 25 38 103 BROAD STREET 29 4 2 2 12 9 Under 5 1 2 1 2 6 5 upwds. 3 8 8 4 23 PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. CITY POLICE HOSPITAL 2 2 Under 5 5 upwds. 2 2 ST. BARTHOLOMEWS HOSPITAL 560 51 83 56 78 238 54 Under 5 1 24 2 1 8 1 22 5 7 63 134 5 upwds. 1 4 19 1 2 26 32 68 56 217 426 WORKHOUSE (CASUAL WARD) 6 3 2 1 Under 5 3 3 5 upwds. 2 1 3 ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL 2 1 1 Under 5 5 upwds. 1 1 2 totals 993 133 107 66 101 405 181 Under 5 3 26 2 2 3 11 10 3 54 5 16 104 239 5 upwds 2 5 21 2 1 2 1 61 110 115 110 324 754 The subjoined numbers have also been taken into account in judging of the mortality of this Division of the Sanitary District. Deaths occurring outside the Division or District among persons belonging thereto. †169 Under 5 5 upwds 1 14 20 17 1 116 169 Deaths occurring within the Division or District among persons not belonging thereto. ‡562 51 83 56 78 239 55 Under 5 1 24 2 1 8 1 22 5 7 63 134 5 upwds 1 4 19 1 2 26 33 68 57 217 428 * Including a man hanged in Newgate Prison for murder. †Homerton Workhouse. Bow Infirmary, and Lunatic Asylum, Dartford, to be added to total deaths. ‡ To be deducted from the total deaths. TABLE of POPULATION BIRTHS AND OF NEW CASES OF INFECTIOUS SICKNESS, coming to the knowledge of the Medical (b) Officer of Health, during the year 1894, in the CITY OF LONDON, classified according to Diseases, Ages, and Localities. (b) [Prepared in accordance with the Instructions of the Local Government Board.] Names of Localities adopted for the purpose of these Statistics; Public Institutions being shown as separate localities. Population at all Ages. Registered Births. Aged 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. Census 1891. Estimated to middle of 1894. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Small-pox. Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Membranous Croup. fevers. Cholera. Erysipelas. Small-pox. Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Membranous Croup fevers. Cholera. Erysipelas. Typhus. Enteric or Typhoid. Continued. Relapsing. Puerperal. Typhus. Enteric or Typhoid. Continued. Relapsing. Puerperal. ST. BOTOLPH 8,944 8,300 187 Under 5 12 5 1 8 6 5 upwds. 13 11 4 8 11 10 4 1 CRIPPLEGATE 4,539 3,899 51 Under 5 1 1 5 upwds. 1 3 2 8 1 3 2 2 ST. SEPULCHRE 4,444 4,172 67 Under 5 3 4 1 3 2 5 upwds. 7 1 4 3 7 1 2 ST. BRIDE 6,594 6,090 83 Under 5 4 1 4 1 5 upwds. 12 4 1 4 11 3 1 ALLHALLOWS 10,422 9,520 101 Under 5 6 1 6 1 5 upwds. 2 13 6 5 9 2 11 4 3 2 BROAD STREET 3,377 2,850 31 Under 3 1 5 upwds. 2 9 1 5 2 4 2 PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. CITY POLICE HOSPITAL 15 Under 5 5 upwds. 1 2 ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S HOSPITAL 847 Under 5 1 1 5 upwds. 3 3 1 2 *WORKHOUSE (CASUAL WARD) 78 Under 5 5 upwds. *ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL 98 Under 5 5 upwds. TOTALS 38,320 34,831 520 Under 5 25 13 2 1 21 12 5 upwds. 2 51 25 29 40 2 45 21 16 7 * No case of "infectious sickness" occurred at these Institutions during the year. 17 ARTIZANS' DWELLINGS. At the Artizans' Dwellings in Houndsditch, we have to deal with a population of say 1,066 persons-53.5 per cent. being Adults, and 46.5 per cent. children. The Death Rate in these buildings was 14.1 per 1,000 per annum, of which GO per cent. were children under 5 years of age. Deaths from children under one year to 1,000 births, 170, as against 156 for the City generally and 143 for all London. The Zymotic Death Rate is comparatively high, being at the rate of 2.81 per 1,000 per annum, as against 0.72 in the City as a whole, and 2.6 for the Metropolis. (Table C.) 18 This compares very favourably with other Dwellings of the same class as shewn by table below:- 1894. Death Rate. Zymotic Death Rate. Birth Rate. City of London (5 Blocks in Houndsditch) 14.1 2.8 44.1 Great Wild St. Block Peabody 18.9 2.1 39.3 Little Coram St. Block 11.5 - 38.4 Model Houses, Streatham 46.8 5.2 26.0 Thurstan & Holland Model Buildings, Newton Street 11.5 3.8 7.6 The Birth Rate is high in our dwellings, viz.: 44.1 per 1,000, as against 14.9 for the whole of the City, and 30.1 for all London, and in a great measure accounts for the correspondingly large infantile mortality, viz., 170 per 1,000 births. No births of illegitimate children were recorded. (C) Table of DEATHS DURING THE YEAR 1894, IN THE ARTIZANS' DWELLINGS, STONEY LANE, HOUNDSDITCH, (c) classified according to Diseases, Ages, and Localities. Name of Block. 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. 1 and under 5 5 and under 15 15 and under 25 25 and under 60 60 and upwards. Small-pox. Scarlatina. Diphtheria. Membranous Croup. Typhus. Enteric or Typhoid. Fevers. Puerperal. Cholera. Erysipelas. Measels. Whooping Cough. Diarrhœa and Dysentery. Rheumatic Fever. Ague. Phthisis. Bronchitis, Pneumonia, and Pleurisy. Heart Disease. Injuries. All other Diseases. Total. Continued. Relapsing. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (F) (g) (h) (i) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. NORTH BLOCK 3 2 1 Under 5 1 1 2 5 upwds. 1 1 SOUTH 4 1 1 2 Under 5 1 1 2 5 upwds. 1 1 2 KING'S 1 1 Under 5 1 1 5 upwds. QUEEN'S 5 4 1 Under 5 1 3 4 5 upwds 1 1 PRINCE'S 2 2 Under 5 5 upwds. 1 1 2 totals 15 8 1 1 3 2 Under 5 1 1 1 1 5 9 5 upwds. 1 1 2 2 6 21 221 Notifications of Statutory infectious diseases were received, and does not include Measles or Whooping Cough, which annually destroy a large number of young people. It will be seen by reference to Table B, on pages 13 & 14, that of the 189 persons who were attacked during 1894, 124 or 65.6 per cent. were removed to Hospital. Only seven of the 40 cases of Erysipelas were so treated, but deducting these we note that of the remainder, viz. : Small-pox, Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Membranous Croup, Typhoid, and Puerperal Fever, 78.5 per cent. were taken to an isolation hospital. Of Scarlet Fever and Diphtheria, no less than 86.8 per cent. of each disease were removed. 187 Premises were disinfected after infectious disease. The difference between the number of notifications received and the number of premises disinfected, is accounted for by the fact that in some instances several cases occurred in one house, whilst in others ♦ notifications were received in duplicate. 22 4,446 Articles were received at Golden Lane, and returned to the owners after disinfection. A steam disinfecting apparatus of the most modern and approved type, together with the necessary buildings, has been erected; at the same time the old fumigating chambers have been retained, so that a substantial increase of efficiency has been afforded in the methods and rapidity in which the processes are conducted, by which the goods sent to be disinfected are rendered completely safe from infection and returned to their owners within a few hours. In a few cases compensation was given to the owners of bedding and clothing, when such articles were destroyed, as being unfit for further use. 127 Bodies were received at the City Mortuary, and there kept in decent custody until the time of burial. 67 Coroner's Inquests were held on bodies, and three inquests on fires. 23 ASIATIC CHOLERA. Notifications were received from Nine Foreign Ports infected with Cholera. relating to 86 persons, as shewn by THE FOLLOWING TABLE:- 1894. No. of Persons arriving in the City of London from Foreign Ports infected with Cholera. Notified. ANTWERP. HAMBURG. LIBAU. ROTTERDAM. AMSTERDAM. THE HAGUE. ST. PETERSBURG. MARSEILLES. SULINA. January 23rd 1 2 - - - - - - - June 19th - - 1 - - - - - - „ 31st - - 1 - - - - - - September 25th - - - 23 8 1 1 7 - October 9th 5 - - 6 2 - - - 2 ,, 23rd 16 - - 6 - - - - - November 6th - - - 4 - - - - - Totals, 86 Persons. 22 2 2 39 10 1 1 7 2 AMBULANCE SERVICE. In connection with the subject of infectious disease it may be useful information if I call attention to the Ambulance Service of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. Of this service it would be impossible to exaggerate the importance to both Medical Officers of Health and to the public generally, and I should like to bear testimony here to the promptitude and thoroughness with which it is carried out. I need not dwell upon the advantage derived from the immediate removal from the homes of the poorer classes in contagious cases. In the tenement houses we have to deal with where isolation is impossible, the separation of the sick from the sound affords the only security against the spread of disease, adds much to the comfort of the remaining occupants, and allows the Sanitary Officers to institute precautionary and preventive measures much sooner than would be possible 25 if the patients were treated at home and forming fresh centres of infection. A very few years ago the rapidity with which patients are now removed from their homes to hospital would have been considered fabulous and unworthy of credence, but the modern invention of Telephony has accelerated matters to an extent unattainable up to the date of its introduction. In illustration of the speed with which these removals are sometimes accomplished, I will only refer to one of many instances which have occurred in my experience, viz:A domestic servant residing at one of the City Rectories was attacked with scarlet fever, the moment the rash was discovered her master, the Clergyman, solicited my assistance in getting the patient removed to hospital. My office being in direct telephonic communication with the Head Quarters of the Metropolitan Asylums Board, Norfolk Street, Strand, I begged they would send for the case at once. The Officer at Norfolk House passed on my 26 message to an Ambulance Station where I am informed that carriages are kept properly equipped to start at any moment, and the woman was removed from the Rectory within twenty-five minutes of my receiving the first intimation of her case. The following are the regulations under which this great boon is available to the public at large:— METROPOLITAN ASYLUMS BOARD. Regulations for the Removal of Persons suffering from infectious diseases. 1. Apply on week days, between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., to the chief offices. Postal address: Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C. Telegraphic Address: Asylums Board, London. Telephone Number 2587. N.B.—Applications in the latter part of the day 27 must be dispatched in time to reach the Offices before 8 p.m. At night between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m., and on Sundays, Christmas Day, and Good Friday, to the Ambulance Stations. Eastern Ambulance Station, Brooksby's Walk, Homerton, N.E. South-Eastern Ambulance Station, New Cross Road (near Old Kent Road Railway Station), S.E. Western Ambulance Station, Seagrave Road, Fulham. S.W. 2. Removal to the Board's Hospitals. (a) Only persons suffering from Small-pox, Fevers or Diphtheria are admitted into the Board's Hospitals. (b) Every application must state the name, age, and full address of the patient, from what disease suffering, and in cases of fever, the particular kind of fever; and also the name of the person making the application. (c) Unless a Medical Certificate be handed to the Ambulance Nurse the patient will not be removed. 28 (d) Patients should leave all valuables, money, &c., and all outside clothing at home, should wear body linen only, and be wrapped in the blankets provided for the purpose. (e) The Ambulance Nurse will leave, at the house from which the patient is removed, a notice stating the Hospital to which the patient is to be taken, and a copy of the regulations as to visiting, &c. 3. Conveyance to other Places. (a) Persons suffering from any Dangerous Infectious Disease may be conveyed by Ambulance to places other than the Board's Hospitals. N.B,—Dangerous Infectious Diseases include the following:—Small-pox, Cholera, Diphtheria, Membranous Croup, Erysipelas, Scarlatina or Scarlet Fever, Typhus, Typhoid, Enteric, Relapsing, Continued and Puerperal Fevers, and Measles. 29 (b) Every application for an Ambulance must state:— (i.) Name, sex, and age of patient. (ii.) Description of disease, and, in the case of fever, the particular kind of fever. (iii.) Full address from which the patient is to be conveyed. (iv.) Full address to which the patient is to be conveyed. (c) The patient must be provided with a Medical Certificate of the nature of the disease, to be handed to the Driver of the Ambulance. (d) The charge for the hire of the bulance, including (when the patient is over ten years of age) the services of a male attendant, is 5s. This amount must be paid to the Driver, who will give an official receipt for the same. 30 (f) One person only will be allowed to accompany the patient, and such person may be conveyed back to the place from which the patient was conveyed. If desired, a Nurse will be supplied at an additional charge of 2s. 6d. for her services. (/) The Ambulances may be sent outside the Metropolitan district only by special sanction of the Ambulance Committee or of the Clerk to the Board, and in such cases an extra charge will be made of 1s. for every mile outside the Metropolitan area. 4. The Drivers of the Board's Ambulances are not allowed to loiter on their journeys or to stop for refreshments on pain of instant dismissal. It is particularly requested that any breach of this regulation, or any neglect or incivility on the part of the Drivers, Nurses, or Attendants may be immediately reported to the undersigned. 31 The Servants of the Board are forbidden to accept any gratuities or refreshments. By order, T. DUNCOMBE MANN, Clerk to the Board. Dated 15th January, 1892. N.B.—PENALTY—By Section 70 of the "Public Health (London) Act, 1891," it is enacted that—" It shall not be lawful for any owner or driver of a public conveyance knowingly to convey, or for any other person knowingly to place in any public conveyance, a person suffering from any dangerous infectious disease, or for a person suffering from any such disease to enter any public conveyance, and if he does so he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding TEN POUNDS . . " 32 SHELTER FOR TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION DURING DISINFECTION. Public Health (London) Act, 1891, Sec. 60 (Sub-Sec. 4). After much inquiry, labour, and disappointment, the Sanitary Committee selected a new commodious buiding at 6, Cotton Street, Aldersgate Street, at a rental of £275 and taxes, which, with the sanction of the Commissioners of Sewers, was adapted for the combined purposes of an office for the Sanitary Inspectors, and a Shelter for persons temporarily dispossessed of their homes during disinfection of the same after infectious disease. The premises are large, light, and airy, consisting of five floors and basement. The Basement contains two kitchens, one for the public and one for the caretaker, fitted with cooking range, dresser, cupboards, tables, benches, culinary utensils, and other 33 necessaries, &c. Also two water-closets, two baths, lavatories, and wash-house. Ground Floor.—Fitted up for use of six Sanitary Inspectors during the rebuilding of the new offices for the Commissioners of Sewers at Guildhall. First Floor.—Sitting room and two bedrooms for Caretaker, with large linen closets on landing, water-closet, &c. Second Floor.—First room: Bedroom for boys under 12 years. Second room: Double bed for married couple. Third room: Single beds for children. Fourth room: Two single beds for girls under 12 years. Water-closet and lavatory on landing. Third Floor.—First room: Two single beds for adult females. Second room: Two bedsteads in reserve, and a large space left for further development if required. Watercloset for females only on landing. 34 Fourth Floor.—Large airy room with six single beds for adult males. Water-closet for males on landing. The above fittings have been carried out in a substantial manner, at a cost, including drainage, water, and gas fixtures and furniture, of £1,063 6s. 11d. The place was opened 25th January, 1894, during which year 24 families, comprising 43 adults and 34 children, total 77 persons have been accommodated with comfortable lodging, and piain and wholesome food. Of the 24 families received, 10 families had been living in one room only for all purposes, 11 families had two rooms for their home, and the remainder, three rooms. The diseases which necessitated their application for admission were— Scarlet Fever10 cases. Diphtheria 7 ,, Enteric Fever 5 ,, Small Pox 1 case. Erysipelas 1 ,, 24 cases. 35 Without exception, the recipients were well conducted, and appeared to be very grateful tor the benefits they had received. The shelter and offices are in charge of a caretaker, who is responsible for order and cleanliness, and a Sanitary Inspector sleeps on the premises every night. The extension of installations of electricity marks a new era of sanitation, and much benefit must accrue to the moral and physical condition of the employes in large commercial establishments, who have hitherto been condemned to work long hours by day and night in gas-heated, ill-ventilated basements, and breathing prerespired air, resulting in pale faces and flabby muscles, to say nothing of the relief afforded to the respiratory and visual organs. At the end of the year there were nearly 3,000 private consumers of electricity, using upwards of 136,000 incandescent lamps; 483 electric lamps are now placed in the principal 36 streets, displacing no less than 1,338 gas lamps, which have been removed. The establishing of underground conveniences in fourteen places in various parts of the City are additional factors in providing for the necessities and comforts of the citizens. These contained, up to the end of the year, 141 compartments as urinals, and 71 waterclosets, and others are shortly to follow. In addition to the above there are 42 separate places used as public urinals above ground. I regret to say that only six water-closets have been provided for women, all in one locality, we are, therefore, in this respect lamentably behind some of the northern cities on both sides of the Tweed. The refuse removed from the City in 1894 consisted of 31,156 cartloads of street sweepings and 41,626 loads of house and trade refuse: total 72,782. The Destructor apparatus at Lett's Wharf has not shown the same satisfactory results as obtains in some 37 cities, owing I believe to the small quantity of carbonaceous matter left in domestic dustbins in London where coal is dear as compared with northern districts where it is less than half the price, moreover the large quantity of straw and packing material collected from our markets and warehouses rather check than encourage the free combustion necessary for obtaining the full advantages of cremation. Respecting the collection of house-refuse, great benefit has accrued from the extension of the "skip-system," which has enabled us to take away most of the public dust-bins from courts and alleys where they were found to be a constant source of nuisance and complaint. We have now 646 skips in use, and many more will be wanted. 1,401 separate premises were inspected. 9,998 inspections were made, including reinspections of the same property. This number includes the original defects discovered by the Inspectors in the daily discharge of 38 their duty—the entries in the complaint book at Guildhall—as well as reinspection of the same property during the execution of the works required to remedy defects originally found; or in other words to supervise the repairs, a repetition which has frequently involved ten or twelve visits to the same property. At 936 different places sanitary defects of a more or less grave character were remedied, including new systems of drainage at large establishments, notably that of Christ's Hospital and other places of scarcely less importance. It follows therefore 95.8 per cent. of the places reported were dealt with under your powers as a sanitary authority, under my supervision. 897 "Orders" were made by the Commissioners to abate various nuisances reported to them, including noxious trades, smoke evil, neglect of dung-pits, fried fish shops, dirty bakehouses, &c., &c. Special attention has also been bestowed upon cases of foul 39 tions from sewer ventilators in roadways (to correct which shafts are erected where possible in front of adjacent buildings, where the consent of owners can be obtained: during 1894 sixteen of such shafts have been put up). I learn from the Engineer's Annual Report that 387 premises were drained in 1894. Much of this work was done from plans prepared by my Department, so far as relates to the interior of buildings; all work external to the line of frontage in any structure being within the province of the Engineer. 40 HOUSE TO HOUSE INSPECTION. At the outset of this question we are met with the first Section of the Act of 1891, which directs "that it shall be the duty of ever "Sanitary Authority to cause to be made from "time to time inspection of their district, with a "view to ascertain what nuisances exist calling for "abatement under the powers of this Act, and to "enforce the provisions of this Act, for the purpose ''of abating the same, and otherwise to put in force "the powers vested in them relating to Public health "and local government, so as to secure the proper "sanitary condition of all premises within their "district." The additional power thus given to Local Authorities forms an entirely new departure, since it involves a systematic and periodical inspection of all buildings, public and private, the great bulk of which have hitherto only come under the cognisance of my department when sanitary defects were complained of, and 41 we are now enabled, subject to proper notice, to enter upon premises and remedy defects in cases in which heretofore our interference would have been fiercely resented. This house-to-house inspection has revealed the fact that many premises formerly regarded as private dwellings should be really classed as tenement houses, since, in addition to there being more than one family residing in the same, defects exist in the water supply and other matters. Attention has been more particularly directed to premises and dwellings of the better class, the occupants of which are becoming more and more exacting, owing to the increased knowlege acquired by the public upon all sanitary questions. Some of these premises are of great size, and employ many hundreds of persons. I need only mention the Bank of England, which stands upon upwards of three acres of ground, blocks of offices, as Gresham House, Palmerston Buildings, East India House, 42 Stock Exchange, &c., and many enormous insurance, banking, and gigantic commercial establishments. In addition to these there are no less than eighteen railway stations in the City. The business of attending to this class of complainants—merchants, bankers, warehousemen, &c.—is necessarily more onerous than with poorer dwellings, and entails numerous appointments with owners, architects, builders, and others. It is not an uncommon thing for an Inspector to have as many as ten of such places to visit in a single day. This portion of the work has been steadily increasing during the last few years, and absorbs much of the time of the Inspectors. It has been objected that the City of London is only one square mile, and that therefore the necessary operations of the Sanitary Department are restricted to this area; but a moment's reflection will dispose of this fallacy when we remember the conditions under which 43 the City is occupied during working hours. We have only to point to the construction of the business premises—the piling of one floor over another for many stories high, each floor being occupied by separate occupiers, forming in itself a distinct tenancy, having all the rights and privileges of an independent building, and claiming as much attention from every branch of our municipal system as if it stood alone—to show that such a contention is not only misleading and illogical, but absurd. It would, in my opinion, be a fair and moderate estimate to put the superficial area over which we have jurisdiction at four square miles instead of one. We have in fact, to deal with about 28,000 separate tenancies with a day population of 301,384, whereas in the Parish of Kensington there are only 23,000 inhabited houses for 166,321 persons. For details of House to House Inspection see tables D, E, F. WEST DISTRICT. (D) House to House Inspection. NAME OF STREET. No. of Houses. Defects found. Defects remedied. New Drains. Closed. Skips provided. Flushing Cisterns fixed. Daws Court 3 3 King's Head Court 3 7 7 3 1 3 Middlesex Passage 5 15 5 Cock Lane 8 16 16 6 8 2 Bartholomew Place 4 4 4 4 4 Hutton Street 5 12 12 5 2 Temple Lane 3 3 3 3 3 Primrose Hill 2 13 13 2 2 Green Dragon Court 7 32 32 7 Currier's Row 9 47 47 9 Robin Hood Court 7 8 8 Tudor Street 11 34 13 7 7 Hosier Lane 16 42 14 Fleet Lane 4 4 4 4 3 New Court 10 14 Pleydell Street 5 14 Brittons' Court 2 Ireland Yard 3 16 Whitefriars Street 2 3 3 1 New Street Square 6 6 6 5 East Harding Street 1 1 1 1 New Street 1 1 1 1 Plum Tree Court 1 5 5 1 Shoe Lane 1 4 4 1 Gunpowder Alley 5 5 124 271 193 66 9 26 13 MIDDLE DISTRICT. (E) House to House Inspection. NAME TO STREET. No. of Houses. Defects found. Defects remedied. New Drains laid. Closed. Skips provided. Flushing Cisterns fixed. 5 13 13 3 Glover's Hall Court 4 17 17 Middle Street I 7 Newbury Street 16 58 34 5 Breams' Buildings 4 Little Britain 7 15 13 2 Cross Key Court 4 18 Little Swan Alley 2 12 Albion Buildings 24 44 44 Bartholomew House, Cloth Fair 20 17 17 Bridgewater Place 12 37 30 12 White Rose Buildings 10 Harts Court 4 10 10 4 113 248 178 7 19 EAST DISTRICT. (F) House to House Inspection. name of street. No. of Houses. Defects found. Defects remedied. New Drains constructed. Premises closed. Skips provided. Water disconnected and Flushing Cisterns fixed. Cock and Hoop Yard, Houndsditch 6 6 Heneage Lane, Bevis Marks 7 36 36 5 7 Vine Street, Minories 11 49 45 8 11 Botolph Alley, Eastcheap 10 37 34 7 Queen's Court, Minories 4 25 25 4 4 George Street 6 21 21 5 6 Ellison Street, Middlesex Street 14 49 43 14 14 New Street, Bishopsgate 5 8 8 4 5 Clark's Yard, „ 3 5 5 3 3 Swedeland Court, „ 4 4 Providence Place, Middlesex Street 20 16 6 20 Artillery Lane, Bishopsgate 14 25 25 7 14 Montague Court, ,, 5 5 Crown Place, Aldgate 7 16 16 7 7 Trinity Buildings, Gt. Tower Street 8 13 5 Peacock Court, Minories 4 18 4 Brushfield Street, Bishopsgate 7 20 20 7 7 Cock Hill, 4 4 Little George Street, Minories 6 11 11 6 6 Enoch Court, Goodman's Yard 5 5 5 Gravel Lane, Houndsditch 5 9 9 2 3 New Square, Minories 6 10 10 6 6 3 Wrestler's Court, Camomile Street 11 11 11 9 2 Circus, Minories 6 12 12 3 6 3 Red Lion Court, Minories 4 10 2 Redgate Court, 5 12 4 2 187 418 353 87 23 116 13 47 28 Houses have been condemned as permanently unwholesome and unfit for human habitation, as per table below. Where situate. Number of House. Gunpowder Alley, Shoe Lane 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 Dawes Court ,, „ 1, 2 and 3 King's Head Court ,, „ 15 Cock and Hoop Yard, Houndsditch 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Swedeland Court, Bishopsgate 3, 4, 5 and 6 Cock Hill, Bishopsgate 4, 5, 6 and 7 Montague Court „ 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 Total Number of Premises Condemned 28 The whole of the above have been demolished, with the exception of the five houses in Montague Court, Bishopsgate, closed but not yet pulled down. The action taken in this matter has, by the advice of your Solicitor, been conducted under the special powers conferred upon you by the " City of London Sewers Acts, 1848. 1851." 48 SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS. In this connection, it may be useful to recapitulate the measures adopted during the summer months: (1) The dust-bins should be emptied every day, and no organic matter or filth of any kind allowed to accumulate in dwelling houses, it being remembered that animal and vegetable refuse putrify and become offensive with great rapidity in hot weather. (2) The sewers should be frequently and freely flushed with water, delivered under pressure, and deodorants used when necessary. (3) The catch-pits in connection with the street gullies should be emptied and flushed with a powerful disinfectant at least twice a week. (4) The asphalte, granite, and wooden ways should be watered daily with a disinfectant. [The wooden pavements 49 being constantly saturated with organic matter, from the excreta af animals, &c, require a solution of at least double the strength of that used on the other roadways.] (5) The courts, alleys, and water channels in the worst districts should be sprinkled every twenty-four hours with a disinfectant, as may be directed. (6) The entrances and side walls of the narrower courts should be kept sweet with lime-wash applied hot, which should be renewed as often as occasion demands. (7) All house refuse should be removed daily, and the public instructed to keep their dust-bins clean and occasionally limewhite the insides. (8) The public dust-bins should be emptied daily, and their interiors limewhited and deodorized when foul, and the skips kept scrupulously clean. 50 (9) The regulations for the daily removal of hog-wash and all kinds of animal and vegetable refuse from taverns and restaurants should be stringently enforced. (10) The trade refuse from fish and poultry shops should be kept in covered iron skips until the scavengers are ready to collect it, and in order to prevent any nuisance arising from the same, persons interested should be advised to sprinkle all offal, &c., with a oneper-cent. solution of Permanganate of Potash during the time it is retained in their shops. (11) The street orderly bins should be emptied daily, and their contents occasionally deodorized. (12) The scavengers should be directed to keep the dust carts covered with the tarpaulins in travelling through the public streets. 51 (13) Stables, cow-sheds, and dung pits, should be frequently limewhited, and persons conveying manure, or other offensive material, through the City during prohibited hours, should be prosecuted. [Sec. 114, 'Sewers Act, 1848.'] (14) The common lodging houses should be kept under frequent supervision. (15) The Food Inspectors should be joined to increased vigilance in detecting and seizing every description of unsound food [meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, milk, &c.] (16) The condition and situation of the water receptacles in buildings should be constantly inspected, and the public warned of the consequences of their cisterns being placed in inaccessible places, or allowed to remain without covers—very often exposed to the sun and every 52 abomination that may be floating in the air. 17) The cisterns in every house or building should be thoroughly emptied and scrubbed out once a month during the hot season, and care taken that all water used for drinking and cooking purposes be drawn from a cistern totally disconnected with waterclosets, or other source of contamination, it would be prudent to boil all water and milk used for drinking. Individuals may further do much in the same direction by a careful observation of the ordinary rules of health. Of these the primary and most important are rigorous cleanliness of persons and households, the proper ventilation of living and sleeping rooms, the selection of wholesome food, the avoidance of excess in diet and alcoholic stimulants, heated rooms and large assemblies, late hours, and excess of fatigue, the due regulation of clothing so as to keep the body 53 at an uniform temperature, and limiting, as far as possible, mental disquiet and business worries. It would also be prudent for all persons to submit to revaccination of themselves, their families, and employes, there being some indications of a visitation of small-pox. SUMMER FLUSHING OF COURTS AND ALLEYS. For many years past it has been the practice to flush the courts and alleys during the hot months in the most crowded and poorest parts of the City, by which accumulations of filth are nightly washed away. This has been followed by the free use of deodorants in the channels running through the centres of the smaller courts, and the gutters in the larger ones. The following lists of places shew where this operation has been carried out:— SUMMER FLUSHING OF STREETS, COURTS, &c. The usual Summer flushing of streets, courts, and alleys was carried out, and continued during the months of June, July, and August, in the following places. Those marked *** every twenty-four hours, those marked ** twice a week, those marked * once a week. Those marked with a † only required attention until the Widegate Street Improvement was completed. EAST DISTRICT. *** Montagu Court ** Rose Alley ** Cock Hill † ** Windsor Street † ** Sandy Street † ** White Rose Court ** Swedeland Court ** Artillery Lane † ** Catherine Wheel Alley ** Mason's Court ** New Street, Gravel Lane ** Hutchison Street ** Hutchison Avenue Bishopsgate ** Redgate Court ** Red Lion Court ** Worley Court ** Crown and Shears Place Minories ** Carter Street, Houndsditch ** Church Row *** Harrow Alley Aldgate ** Church Row, Fenchurch Street ** Northumberland Alley *** French Ordinary Court *** St. Mary-at-Hill, Lower Thames Street *** Lower Thames Street (especially in front of Billingsgate Market and H.M.'s Custom House) EAST DISTRICT—Continued. ** Ellison Street *** Pudding Lane ** Providence Place *** Botolph Lane ** Middlesex Street (part of) *** Fish Street Hill ** Garden Place *** Waterman's Steps **'* Custom House Pavement *** Love Lane. Eastcheap *** London Bridge Steps MIDDLE DISTRICT. ** Honeysuckle Square Milton Street *** Three Herring Court Red Cross Street ** Hart's Court ** Bridgewater Place Fann Street ** Hare Court ** Shaftesbury Place ** Maidenhead Court *** Half Moon Passage *** Gregory Place * Fann Street Aldersgate * Jacob's Well Passage, Barbican ** Cockerell's Buildings * Fenton's Buildings ** Bartholomew Place ** Three Nuns' Court, Aldermanbury * Mason's Avenue * Church Alley Basinghall Street * Moorgate Street Buildings * Copthall Buildings * Union Court, Old Broad Street * Peahen Court * Helmet Court Wormwood Street MIDDLE DISTRICT—Continued. * Bartholomew Close ** Barley Mow Passage *** Back Court *** Back Passage ** Sun Court ** New Court *** Turpin's Passage *** East Passage *** Red Lion Passage Cloth Fair ** Cloth Fair ** Middle Street ** Kinghorn Street ** Cloth Street ** Montagu Court ** Little Montagu Court ** Montagu Place ** Cox's Court Little Britain * Gun Yard, Bishopsgate ** Miles Lane, London Bridge ** Upper Thames Street * Friar's Alley * Brook's Yard ** St. James's Place, Garlick Hill Upper Thames Street ** Huggin Court and Lane, Upper Thames Street * Sermon Lane, Doctor's Commons * Foster Lane * Carey Lane * Gutter Lane * Goldsmith Street Cheapside WEST DISTRICT ** Bishop's Court * Prujean Square * Evangelist Court, Pilgrim Street Old Bailey * Castle Court, Poppin's Court * Three Tuus Passage * King's Head Passage Ivy Lane WEST DISTRICT—Continued. ** Dolphin Court ** Horse Shoe Court * Pilgrim Street *** Cob's Court, Broadway * Boy Court Ludgate Hill * Johnson's Court * Red Lion Court * Bolt Court * Pleydell Court * Hind Court * Wine Office Court * Crown Court * Poppin's Court Fleet Street * Glasshouse Alley, Tudor Street * St. Bride's Avenue ** Bell's Buildings, Salisbury Square ** George Yard ** Ashentree Court ** Britton's Court Whitefriars Street * Paul's Alley * Cannon Alley * Lovell's Court * Panyer Alley * London House Yard * Stationers' Hall Court Paternoster Row * Queen's Head Passage, Newgate Street * Paternoster Buildings ** Fleet Lane * Harp Alley * New Square Farringdon Street *** Holborn Viaduct Steps ** Green Dragon Court ** Currier's Row * Ireland Yard * Cloisters Court St. Andrew's ** Bull Inn Chambers, Holborn ** Bloomfield House Yard, Snow Hill * Took's Court, Furnival Street WEST DISTRICT—Continued. ** Fleur-de-Lis Court * Trinity Passage ** Nevill's Court ** Norwich Court * Greystoke Place * Plough Court Fetter Lane ** Gunpowder Alley ** Daw's Court ** King's Head Court ** Robin Hood Court Shoe Lane * Queen's Head Court * Ball Court Giltspur Street ** Sugar Loaf Court ** Hanging Sword Alley ** Upper Thames Street * Crown Court, Chancery Lane ** Holborn Buildings Dorset Street The Engineer reports that the cost of water for this service for the year was £799 18s. 11d., irrespective of water for street watering, at £692 0s. 0d. LIME-WHITING. OF COURTS. "The following courts were cleansed and lime-whited as usual, and where the same are approached by a covered way, the soffit, or ceiling, was treated in a similar manner:— EAST DISTRICT. Montagu Court † Swedeland Court Rose Alley † Catherine Wheel Alley (each entrance) Hutchison Avenue (Stoney Lane entrance) Cock Hill, Bishopsgate Providence Place Garden Court Middlesex Street Redgate Court Peacock Court Minories Northumberland Alley French Ordinary Court Fenchurch Street Harrow Alley, Butcher's Row Black Horse Yard Church Row Aldgate Sussex Place, Leadenhall Street MIDDLE DISTRICT. Hart's Court Bridgewater Place Fann Street Montagu Court Little Montagu Court Little Britain MIDDLE DISTRICT—Continued. Three Herring Court Charlotte Court Red Cross Street Gregory Place Half-moon Passage Aldersgate Red Lion Court Turpin's Passage East Passage Back Passage Cloth Fair St. James's Place, Garlick Hill Gun Yard, Bishopsgate WEST DISTRICT. Green Dragon Court Currier's Row St. Andrew's Hill King's Head Court, Shoe Lane Fleur-de-Lis Court, Carter Lane Nevill's Court Greystoke Place Norwich Court Fetter Lane George Yard Britton's Court Crown Court Whitefriars Sugar Loaf Court Dorset Court Dorset Street Ball Court Queen's Head Court Giltspur Street Holborn Buildings, Holborn Evangelist Court, Pilgrim Street Took's Court, Furnival Street 61 HOUSES LET IN LODGINGS OR OCCUPIED BY MEMBERS OF MORE THAN ONE FAMILY. Regarding this question of the greatest importance in the practical working of sanitary administration in the class of property to which it refers, I gave early attention to the 94 sec. of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, which directs: "That every sanitary authority shall make and enforce such Bye-laws as are requisite for the following matters, viz:— (a) For fixing the number of persons who may occupy a house or part of a house which is let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family. (b) For the registration of houses so let or occupied. (c) For the inspection of such houses. 62 (d) For enforcing drainage for such houses, and for promoting cleanliness and ventilation in such houses. (e) For the cleansing and lime-washing at stated times of the premises. (f) For the taking of precautions in case of any infectious disease. After much consideration, the Sanitary Committee directed me to prepare a set of bye-laws, in which the then existing Regulations of 1867 should be adapted as far as possible to the requirements of more modern sanitary legislation. In due course I submitted such alterations as suggested themselves, from a long experience of the shortcomings of the regulations framed by my predecessors, having regard mainly to the altered and improved state of public intelligence, as well as to the technical legal difficulties found in obtaining concordant conclusions in the cases submitted to the Magistrates for prosecution. 63 At the suggestion of the Local Government Board I framed my draft upon the Model Byelaws, issued by the Department, with a view to uniformity with the corresponding section of the Public Health Act, 1875. In January, 1894, the recommendations embodied in my draft bye-laws were referred to the Solicitor, and after due consideration adopted and sent to the Local Government Board for confirmation on 7th March, following which has not yet been received. Some embarrassment has arisen from this delay, and I venture to suggest that the authorities at Whitehall be reminded of their obligations in this matter, and asked to pronounce judgment upon the draft submitted to them at their earliest convenience. 64 The following are the suggestions which were drafted for the approval of the Local Government Board and sent to that Department on 7th March, 1894. PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) ACT, 1891. SUGGESTED BYE-LAWS. With respect to Houses let in Lodgings, or occupied by Members of more than one Family. INTERPRETATION OF TERMS. 1. In these Bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and expressions have the meanings hereinafter respectively assigned to them; that is to say:— "Sanitary Authority" means the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London. 65 "Lodging-house" means a house or part of a house which is let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family: "Landlord," in relation to a house or part of a house which is let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family, means the person (whatever may be the nature or extent of his interest in the premises) by whom or on whose behalf such house or part of a house is let in lodgings, or for occupation by members of more than one family, or who for the time being receives, or is entitled to receive the rent arising from such letting: "Lodger," in relation to a house or part of a house which is let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family, means a person to whom any room or rooms in such house or part of a house may have been let as a lodging 66 or by whom the same may be used or occupied. EXEMPTED HOUSES. 2. In either of the following cases a lodginghouse shall be exempt from the operation of these bye-laws; that is to say,— Where the rent or charge payable by each lodger, and exclusive of any charge for the use by such lodger of any furniture, is at a rate of ten shillings per week or upwards. Where the rent or charge payable by each lodger, and inclusive of any charge for the use by such lodger of any furniture is at a rate of twelve shillings and sixpence per week or upwards. (a) For fixing the number of persons who may occupy a house or part of a house which is let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family. 67 (b) For the registration of houses so let or occupied. (c) For the inspection of such houses. (d) For enforcing drainage for such houses, and for promoting cleanliness and ventilation in such houses. (e) For the cleansing and lime-washing at stated times of the premises. (f) For the taking of precautions in case of any infectious disease. (g) For the construction and keeping in good condition of water-closets. 3. The landlord of a lodging-house or a lodger therein shall not cause or suffer a greater number of persons than will admit of the provision of three hundred and fifty cubic feet of free air space for each person of an age exceeding ten years, and of one hundred and seventy-five cubic feet of free air space for each person of an age not exceeding ten years, 68 to occupy, at any one time, as a sleeping apartment, a room which is used exclusively for that purpose, and which is under the control of such landlord, or which has been let to or is occupied by such lodger, respectively, as the case may be. 4. The landlord of a lodging-house, or a lodger therein, shall not cause or suffer a greater number of persons than will admit of the provision of four hundred and fifty cubic feet of free air space for each person of an age exceeding ten years, and of two hundred and twenty-five cubic feet of free air space for each person of an age not exceeding ten years, to occupy, at any one time, as a sleeping apartment, a room which is not used exclusively for that purpose, and which is under the control of such landlord, or which has been let to or is occupied by such lodger respectively, as the case may be, and no landlord of any such lodging-house shall allow any room therein to be used for living by day or sleeping by night unless such room has a mean height of not less than eight feet. 69 5. The landlord of a lodging-house, within a period of fourteen days after he shall have been required by a notice in writing, signed by the Clerk to the Sanitary Authority and duly served upon or delivered to such landlord, to supply the information necessary for the registration of such house by the Sanitary Authority, shall, himself, or by his agent duly authorized in that behalf, sign and furnish to the Sanitary Authority a true statement of the following particulars with respect to such house; that is to say,— (a) The total number of rooms in the house: (b) The total number of rooms let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family: (c) The manner of use of each room: (d) The number, age, and sex of the occupants of each room used for sleeping: 70 (e) The first name and surname of the lodger of each room: and (f) The amount of rent or charge per week payable by each lodger. 6. In any case where the landlord of a lodging-house occupies or resides in any part of the premises, or retains a general possession or control of the premises, such landlord, and in any case where the landlord of a lodging house does not occupy or reside in any part of the premises, or retain a general possession or control of the premises, every lodger who is entitled to have or to exercise the control of the outer door of the premises shall, at all times when required by the Medical Officer of Health, the Sanitary Inspector, or any other officer specially appointed or authorized by the Sanitary Authority in that behalf, afford free access to the interior of the premises for the purpose of inspection. 7. Every lodger in a lodging-house shall, at all times when required by the Medical Officer of Health, the Sanitary Inspector or any other 71 officer specially appointed or authorized by the Sanitary Authority in that behalf, afford free access for the purpose of inspection to the interior of any room or rooms which may have been let to, or occupied by a lodger. 8. Where the Medical Officer of Health, the Sanitary Inspector, or any other officer specially appointed or authorized by the Sanitary Authority in that behalf, has, for the purpose of inspection, obtained access to the interior of a lodging-house or to the interior of any room or rooms in such house, a person shall not wilfully obstruct the Medical Officer of Health, the Sanitary Inspector, or any such officer in the inspection of any part of the premises, or, without reasonable excuse, neglect or refuse, when required by, to render the Medical Officer of Health, the Sanitary Inspector, or other Officer such assistance as may be reasonably necessary for the purpose of such inspection. 9. In any case where a lodger in a lodginghouse is entitled to the exclusive use of any 72 court, court-yard, area, or other open space within the curtilage of the premises, such lodger, and in any case where two or more lodgers in a lodging-house are entitled to the use in common of any court, court-yard, area, or other open space within the curtilage of the premises, the landlord shall cause such court, court-yard, area, or other open space to be thoroughly cleansed from time to time as often as may be requisite for the purpose of keeping the same in a cleanly condition. DRAINAGE. 10. Every lodging-house shall, if required, have a separate and independent drain discharging into the nearest public sewer, and such drains shall be constructed of the best materials, with gas-tight and water-tight joints, and laid upon and surrounded by concrete. It shall be of approved dimensions, levels, and fall, with means of ready access for inspection and cleansing, and provided with traps and ventilation to the satisfaction of the Sanitary Authority. 73 Before any new drain is constructed, or old one altered or amended, a plan and section of the proposed work shall be submitted to and approved by the Sanitary Authority. 11. All drain soil, rain-water, waste and other pipes, sinks, gutters, water-closets, baths, urinals, lavatories, traps, syphons, gullies, and all other sanitary works and apparatus connected therewith in a lodging-house, and all fittings and appliances belonging thereto, shall be constructed of such materials and in such manner, and shall be maintained, trapped, and ventilated as may from time to time be required by the Sanitary Authority. 12. The landlord of a lodging shall provide and maintain water-closet accommodation in the proportion of one properly constructed water-closet to every 15 persons occupying the house. Every water-closet hereafter constructed for use in a lodging-house shall be constructed by the landlord according to the following rules:— 74 (a) If the water-closet is intended to be within the the house, he shall construct such water-closet in such a position that one of its sides at least shall be an external wall. (b) He shall construct in one of the walls of the water-closet, whether the situation of such water-closet is or is not within the house, a window of not less dimensions than two feet by one foot, exclusive of the frame and opening directly into the external air. He shall, in addition to such window, cause the water-closet to be provided with adequate means of constant ventilation by at least one air-brick built in an external wall of such water-closet, or by an air-shaft, or by some other effectual method or appliance. (c) He shall furnish the water-closet with a separate cistern or flushing box of adequate capacity, which shall be so 75 constructed, fitted, and placed as to admit of the supply of water for use in such water-closet, without any direct connection between any service pipe upon the premises, and any part of the apparatus of such watercloset other than such cistern or flushing-box. (a) He shall furnish the water-closet with a suitable apparatus for the effectual application of water to any pan, basin, or other receptacle with which such apparatus may be connected and used and for the effectual flushing and cleansing of such pan, basin, or receptacle, and for the prompt and effectual removal therefrom of any solid or liquid filth which may from time to time be deposited therein. (e) He shall furnish the water-closet with a pan, basin, or other suitable receptacle of non-absorbent material, and of such shape, of such capacity, and 76 of such mode of construction as to receive and contain a sufficient quantity of water, and to allow all filth which may from time to time be deposited in such pan, basin or receptacle to fall free of the sides thereof, and directly into the water received and contained in such pan, basin, or receptacle. (f) He shall not construct or fix under such pan, basin, or receptacle any "container," or other similar fitting. (g) He shall not construct or fix in, or in connection with the water-closet apparatus, any trap of the kind known as a "D" trap. WASH-HOUSES, CELLARS, YARDS AND AREAS. 13. All wash-houses, cellars, yards, and areas of, or belonging to, any lodging house shall be properly paved, flagged, drained, and kept, so that all rain, waste, and other water, 77 shall readily flow off, and so that the same may be kept reasonably dry and free from noxious, nauseous, or offensive odours or gases, and shall be at all times kept clean and free from dirt and refuse, and be lime-whited at frequent intervals. REFUSE BINS. 14. Every lodging-house shall be provided with either a covered refuse or dust-bin, of sufficient size to contain the dust, ashes, rubbish, and ordinary house refuse that may accumulate in the course of a week, the refuse or dust bin to be in a yard, if possible, and be properly cleared out, and all the dust, ashes, rubbish, and ordinary house refuse shall be cleared away at least twice a week. In the case of skips, or other light movable receptacles as may be approved by the Sanitary Authority, such skip or receptacle shall be constructed of a non-absorbent material, and shall be maintained at all times clean and in good order and condition. In all cases where skips or open movable dust 78 receptacles are used, the landlord shall cause the same to be placed in such places, and at such times, to facilitate the removal of the skips or receptacles, as may from time to time be ordered by the Sanitary Authority. VENTILATION. 15. The landlord of a lodging-house shall provide, and maintain in good working order, all requisite means for the ventilation of the rooms, passages, and staircases thereof. A lodger having the exclusive use or occupation of any room in a lodging-house shall cause such room to be thoroughly ventilated daily. The landlord of a lodging-house shall cause every room therein which is not in the exclusive use or occupation of a lodger, and every common passage and staircase in such house, to be thoroughly ventilated daily. CLEANLINESS. 16. The landlord of a lodging-house shall cause the walls and ceilings of every room, 79 and of the staircases, passages, water-closets, cupboards, and out-houses thereof, to be thoroughly stopped, cleansed, and where not papered, well and sufficiently lime-washed, white-washed, or coloured when necessary, at least once in every year, or oftener if required by the Sanitary Authority or their officers, and with proper materials and things. He shall also cause all the inside and outside wood and iron-work which shall have been painted to be well washed with soap and water once (at least) in every year, namely, in the month of April, or oftener if required by the Sanitary Authority or their officers. He shall also cause the roofs to be always kept water-tight, and the flooring boards, walls, and ceilings to be kept dry and in a proper state of repair, and all floors, stairs, yards, and areas to be kept well washed and free from dust and dirt. The landlord shall strip papered walls of any room and lime-wash the ceiling thereof, after the occurrence in such room of any 80 dangerously infectious or contagious disease, or at any time before re-papering the same, or when otherwise necessary. PRECAUTIONS IN CASES OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE. 17. In every case where, in pursuance of any statutory provision in that behalf, an order of a justice has been obtained for the removal from a lodging-house to a hospital of a person who is suffering from any dangerous infectious disease and is without proper lodging or accommodation, the landlord of such house, and the lodger to whom any room whereof such person may be an occupant has been let shall, on being informed of such order, forthwith take all such steps as may be requisite on the part of such landlord and of such lodger, respectively, to secure the safe and prompt removal of such person in compliance with such order, and shall in and about such removal, adopt all such precautions as, in accordance with 81 any instructions which such landlord and such lodger, respectively, may receive from the Medical Officer of Health of the Sanitary Authority, may be most suitable for the circumstances of the case. 18. A lodger in a lodging-house shall not cause or suffer any animal to be kept in any room which has been let to or is occupied by any lodger, or elsewhere upon the premises in such a manner as to render such room or premises filthy, nor shall any meat, fruit, or vegetables be kept, excepting for domestic consumption, in any of the bed-rooms or sleeping apartments, or in any area, cellar, loft, or yard. PENALTIES. 19. Every person who shall offend against any of the foregoing bye-laws shall be liable for every such offence to a penalty of five pounds, and in the case of a continuing offence to a further penalty of forty shillings for each day after written notice of the offence from the Sanitary Authority: 82 Provided, nevertheless, that the justices or court before whom any complaint may be made or any proceedings may be taken in respect of any such offence may, if they think fit, adjudge the payment as a penalty of any sum less than the full amount of the penalty imposed by this bye-law. NOTE. Since writing the above I learn on going to press that these suggested Bye-Laws have been remitted to the Commissioners of Sewers with certain emendations marked thereon to which the Local Government Board invite consideration. The matter therefore is now, I hope, in course of speedy completion. 83 Of equal importance with the foregoing Bye-Laws relating to Houses let in Lodgings are the Bye-Laws in respect to "particular nuisances." These are detailed in paragraphs (i.) to (vi.) on the following pages. By the 16 section of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, it is incumbent upon Sanitary Authorities within the London district to make Bye-Laws for the purposes therein described, and to observe and enforce the same. They represent in fact, the basis upon which is founded many of the additional powers conferred upon you for the protection of the Public Health, and whilst 84 the Act in question, specifically reserves your rights under the Sewers Acts, 1848 and 1851, and leaves you free from interference by the County Council or other outside body, it will be readily conceded that some advantage must accrue from uniformity of action where practicable. (i) For the Prevention of Nuisances arising from any Snow, Ice, Salt, Dust, Ashes, Rubbish, Offal, Carrion, Fish, or Filth, or other Matter or Thing in any Street. (ii) For preventing Nuisances arising from any offensive matter running out of any manufactory, brewery, slaughter-house, knacker's yard, butcher's or fishmonger's shop, or dunghill, into any uncovered place, whether or not surrounded by a wall or fence. (iii) For the Prevention of the keeping of Animals on any premises in such place or manner as to be a nuisance or injurious or dangerous to health. 85 (iv) As to the paving of yards and open spaces in connexion with dwellinghouses. (v) With respect to the keeping of Water-closets supplied with sufficient Water for their effective action. (vi) For securing the cleanliness and freedom from pollution of Tanks, Cisterns, and other Receptacles used for storing of Water used or likely to be used by man for drinking or domestic purposes, or for manufacturing drink for the use of man. 86 BYE-LAWS Re NUISANCES, WATER TO CLOSETS, AND CLEANSING OF CISTERNS. PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) ACT, 1891. Made by the Commissioners of Sewers, 5th December, 1893, and confirmed by the Local Government Board, 8th February, 1894. Interpretation of Terms. 1. Throughout these Bye-laws the expression "the Sanitary Authority" means the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London. For the Prevention of Nuisances arising from any Snow, Ice, Salt, Dust, Ashes, Rubbish, Offal, Carrion, Fish, or Fifth, or other Matter or Thing in any Street. 2. The occupier of any premises fronting, adjoining, or abutting on any street not repairable by the inhabitants at large shall, as soon as conveniently may be after the cessation of any fall of snow, remove, or cause to be 87 removed from the foot-ways and pavements, adjoining such premises, and forming part of such street, all snow fallen or accumulated on such foot-ways and pavements in such a manner and with such precautions as will prevent any undue accumulation in any channel or carriageway, or upon any paved crossing. The person in occupation of, or having the charge, management, or control of the premises, or if there is no such person, then any person in occupation of or having the charge, management, or control of any part of the premises, and in the case of any premises the whole of which is let in tenements or to lodgers, the person receiving the rent payable by the tenants or lodgers, either on his own account or as the agent of another person, shall, for the purposes of this Bye-law be deemed to be the occupier. 3. Every person who shall remove any snow from any premises on to any carriage-way shall deposit the same in such a manner and with 88 such precautions as to prevent any accumulation thereof in any channel or upon any paved crossing. If, in the process of such removal, any snow be deposited upon any foot-way or pavement in any street, he shall forthwith remove such snow from such foot-way or pavement. 4. Every person who shall throw any salt upon any snow on the foot-way of any street shall do so in such quantity and in such manner as effectually to dissolve the whole of such snow, and he shall forthwith effectually remove from the foot-way the whole of the deposit resulting from the mixture of the salt with the snow. He shall not place any part of such deposit on the carriage-way of such street elsewhere than in proximity to any channel at the side of such carriage-way, and he shall not remove any part of the same into any such channel unless it is sufficiently liquid to flow along such channel. No person shall throw any salt upon any snow on the carriage-way of any street, unless 89 it shall be practicable forthwith effectually to remove the whole of the deposit resulting from the mixture of the salt with the snow. Every person who shall throw any salt upon any snow on any such carriage-way shall forthwith effectually remove the whole of the deposit, but he shall not place any part thereof on the foot-way of such street, or any paved crossing, or on the carriage-way in such a manner as to interfere with the carriage traffic, nor shall he place any part thereof in the channel at the side of the carriage-way, unless it is sufficiently liquid to flow along such channel. 5. A person shall not throw, cast, or lay, or cause to be thrown, cast, or laid, any dust, ashes, rubbish, offal, carrion, fish, or filth, or other like matter or thing in or upon any part of a street. Provided always that this Bye-law shall not apply to any act which is for the time being an offence within the meaning of any public general statute, or of any bye-law made by the London County Council and in force in the place where such act is done. 90 Provided also that it shall not be an offence against this Bye-law to lay any ashes or other suitable material in any street in time of frost to prevent accidents. 6. Every person who shall lay or cause to be laid in any street any litter or other matter in case of sickness to prevent noise, shall lay the same so that it may be evenly distributed over the surface of the part of the street intended to be covered, and shall, when the occasion ceases, within forty-eight hours thereafter, remove or cause to be removed from such street the litter or other matter so laid in such street. For preventing Nuisances arising from any offensive matter running out of any manufactory, brewery, slaughter-house, knacker's yard, butcher's or fishmonger's shop, or dunghill, into any uncovered place, whether or not surrounded by a wall or fence. 7. The occupier of a manufactory, brewery, slaughter-house, knacker's yard, butcher's or fishmonger's shop, or of any premises 91 prising a dunghill, shall not cause or suffer any offensive matter to run out of such manufactory, brewery, slaughter-house, knacker's yard, butcher's or fishmonger's shop, or dunghill, into any uncovered place, whether or not surrounded by a wall or fence so as to be likely to become a nuisance. For the Prevention of the keeping of Animals on any premises in such place or manner as to be a nuisance or injurious or dangerous to health. 8. The occupier of any premises shall not keep nor allow to be kept any animal on such premises in such a place or in such a manner as to pollute or to be likely to pollute any water supplied for use or used or likely to be used by man for drinking or domestic purposes, or for manufacturing drink for the use of man, or any water used or likely to be used in any dairy. 9. Every occupier of a building or premises wherein or whereon any horse or other beast of draught or burden, or any cattle may be 92 kept, shall deposit or cause to be deposited in a suitable receptacle all dung, manure, soil, filth, or other offensive or noxious matter, other than urine and other liquid filth, which may, from time to time, be produced in the keeping of any such animal in such building or upon such premises. He shall likewise provide in connexion with such building or premises a sufficient drain, constructed in such a manner, and of such materials, and maintained at all times in such a condition, as effectually to carry away all urine and liquid filth, or refuse therefrom. Except where the Sanitary Authority by notice duly given under the statutory provision in that behalf shall have otherwise required, he shall once at least in every week remove or cause to be removed from such building or premises all dung, manure, soil, filth, or other offensive or noxious matter, produced in or upon such building, or premises, and deposited in a receptacle as hereinbefore required. Provided that this requirement shall not apply to 93 the occupier of any stable or cow-house from which the Sanitary Authority remove or contract for the removal of manure and other refuse matter. Where, for the purpose of preventing the keeping of any horse or other beast of draught or burden, or any cattle on any premises so as to be a nuisance or injurious or dangerous to health, it is necessary that the floor of the building in which such animal is kept should be impervious to liquid matter, no person shall keep any animal in such building unless or until the floor thereof shall have been paved with a hard and impervious pavement evenly and closely laid, and so sloped as to effectually carry off all liquid matter therefrom to a properly-trapped inlet to the drain hereinbefore required to be provided. As to the paving of yards and open spaces in connexion with dwelling-houses. 10. The owner of every dwelling-house in connexion with which there is any yard or open space, shall, where it is necessary for the prevention or remedy of insanitary conditions 94 that all or part of such yard or open space shall be paved, forthwith cause the same to be properly paved with a hard durable, and impervious pavement, evenly and closely laid upon a sufficient bed of good concrete, and so sloped to a properly-constructed channel as effectually to carry off all rain or waste water therefrom, and he shall cause such pavement to be kept in proper repair. Penalties. 11. Every person who shall offend against any of the foregoing Bye-laws shall be liable for every such offence to a penalty of five pounds, and in the case of a continuing offence to a further penalty of forty shillings for each day after written notice of the offence from the Sanitary Authority. Provided, nevertheless, that the justices or court before whom any complaint may be made, or any proceedings may be taken in respect of any such offence, may, if they think fit, adjudge the payment as a penalty of any sum less than the full amount of the penalty imposed by this Bye-law. 95 BYE-LAWS. With respect to the keeping of water-closets supplied with sufficient water for their effective action. 1. Throughout these Bye-laws the expression "the Sanitary Authority" means the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London. 2. The occupier of any premises in or for which any water-closet is for the time being provided, shall cause such water-closet to be at all times properly supplied with a sufficient quantity of water for securing its effective action. Where, however, any water-closet is provided for the use of persons occupying two or more separately-occupied premises, and there is a person having the care and control of such water-closet, the foregoing requirement shall apply to such person. The person in occupation of or having the charge, management, or control of the premises, 96 or if there is no such person, then any person in occupation of or having the charge, management, or control of any part of the premises; and in the case of any premises the whole of which is let to lodgers, the person receiving the rent payable by the lodgers, either on his own account or as the agent of another person, shall, for the purposes of this Bye-law, be deemed to be the occupier. Penalties. 3. Every person who shall offend against the foregoing Bye-law, shall be liable for every such offence to a penalty of five pounds, and in the case of a continuing offence to a further penalty of forty shillings for each day after written notice of the offence from the Sanitary Authority. Provided, nevertheless, that the justices or court before whom any complaint may be made, or any proceedings may be taken in respect of any such offence, may, if they think fit, adjudge the payment as a penalty of any sum less than the full amount of the penalty imposed by this Bye-law. 97 BYE-LAWS. With respect to the Cleansing of Cisterns. Interpretation of Terms. 1. Throughout these Bye-laws the expression "Sanitary Authority" means the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London. For securing the cleanliness and freedom from pollution of Tanks, Cisterns, and other Receptacles used for storing of Water used or likely to be used by man for drinking or domestic purposes, or for manufacturing drink for the use of man. 2. The owner of any premises who shall provide thereon a tank, cistern, or other receptacle to be used for storing of water used or likely to be used by man for drinking or domestic purposes, or for manufacturing drink for the use of man, shall cause the same to be so constructed and placed that it may conveniently be cleansed. 98 3. The owner of any premises on which a tank, cistern, or other receptacle, not provided by the occupier of such premises, is used for storing of water used, or likely to be used, by man for drinking or domestic purposes, or for manufacturing drink for the use of man, shall cause every such tank, cistern, or other receptacle which is erected outside a building, or which being erected inside a building, is not placed in a suitable chamber, or otherwise constructed or placed so as to prevent the pollution of the water therein, to be provided with a proper cover. 4. The occupier of any premises on which a tank, cistern, or other receptacle is used for storing of water used or likely to be used by man for drinking or domestic purposes, or for manufacturing drink for the use of man, shall empty and cleanse the same, or cause the same to be emptied and cleansed, once at least in every six months, and at such other times as may be necessary to keep the same in a cleanly state and free from pollution. 99 He shall cause every such tank, cistern, or other receptacle which is erected outside a building, or which, being erected inside a building, is not placed in a suitable chamber, or otherwise constructed or placed so as to prevent the pollution of the water therein, to be kept at all times properly covered. Provided that in every case where any tank, cistern, or other receptacle used for storing of water used or likely to be used by man for drinking or domestic purposes, or for manufacturing drink for the use of man, is used for supplying water to persons occupying two or more separately-occupied premises, the foregoing requirements shall apply to the owner of such premises instead of to any occupier thereof. The person in occupation of, or having the charge, management, or control of the premises, or if there is no such person, then any person in occupation of, or having the charge, management, or control of, any part of the premises, and in the case of any premises the whole of 100 which is let to lodgers, the person receiving the rent payable by the lodgers, either on his own account or as the agent of another person, shall, for the purposes of this Bye-law, be deemed to be the occupier. 5. The occupier of any premises or any other person shall not obstruct or interfere with the owner of such premises, or with any person duly authorized by him in that behalf, in the execution of any work to which the foregoing Bye-laws relate. Penalties. 6. Every person who shall offend against any of the foregoing Bye-laws, shall be liable for every such offence to a penalty of five pounds, and in the case of a continuing offence to a further penalty of forty shillings for each day after written notice of the offence from the Sanitary Authority. Provided, nevertheless, that the justices or court before whom any complaint may be made or any proceedings may be taken in 101 respect of any such offence, may, if they think fit, adjudge the payment as a penalty of any sum less than the full amount of the penalty imposed by this Bye-law. 102 MEAT INSPECTION. A short statistical review of the meat supply to the City will illustrate the magnitude of the work and the responsibilities imposed upon the officials who have the duty of supervising the food supply in your district. 340,956 tons of meat, &c., were received during 1894 at the Central Markets, Smithfield, and included 35,050 tons of “General Foreign and meat produce,” 71,638 tons “American killed fresh meat,” and 49,908 tons “Australian and New Zealand killed fresh meat.” The average daily delivery into these markets during the year was 1,114 tons, the minimum on any one day being 395 tons, and the maximum 2,245 tons. It is interesting to note, that, compared with the previous year (1893), the deliveries of Australian and New Zealand meat increased only 3g per cent., while there was an increase of 26 per cent, in the quantity of American killed meat. 103 The following figures demonstrate the rapid growth in the imported dead meat trade during the past decade. Year. American Killed. Australian and New Zealand. 1884 27,071 tons 11,128 tons 1894 71,638 tons 49,908 tons Increase 163 per cent. 348 per cent. Note.—The American importations commenced in 1876 with 5,513 tons, the Australian and New Zealand in 1881 with 565 tons. While on this subject it may not be considered out of place to allude to the importation of live meat in this country. During the year 1894, 174,843 beasts and 62,802 sheep were landed at the Foreign Cattle Market, Deptford, alone, as compared with 117,048 beasts and 10,502 sheep in the previous year, and included an increase of 2,840 beasts and 26,338 sheep from the River Plate. Of the above 148,816 beasts and 21,451 sheep were imported from the United States of 104 America, against 91,024 beasts and no sheep in the previous year. No live pigs have been received from that country since 1881. The Australian dead meat business which was established in 1881 having proved so successful, the stock dealers in that colony opened up a new industry in 1894, viz.: a live cattle trade. The results were promising, and live cattle were successfully conveyed from the Antipodes and landed in the Thames in “good marketable condition.” By prohibition of the Board of Agriculture, no animals were landed in the Country from any Continental Port during the year. FISH. 128,361 tons of fish were brought to Billingsgate Market during the year, as against 130,317 tons in 1893, and 130,803 tons in 1892. 105 This continued decrease, 1,956 tons in 1894, occurs in “land borne” fish only, and is stated to be mainly owing to the fact, that within the past two years, some of the dealers obtain their supplies direct from the Coast centres, and partly accounted for by the business done at the Great Northern Railway Company's Depot at Mint Street, Minories. Perhaps, also, the large trade done principally in wet haddocks for curing at the same Railway Company's depot at King's Cross may have some influence in that direction. From the citizen's point of view, this diminished business at Billingsgate is regretable, but there is another side to the question. It shews that new markets and other means of distribution are being established for the supply of so important an article of diet. This decentralisation affords a reasonable prospect of a reduction in price, which has hitherto been absurdly high, but it does not necessarily follow that such a consummation will ensue, however devoutly it may be wished. The experiment, therefore, is one that no 106 one can help observing without the deepest interest. The Fishmongers Company, acting under the provisions of an ancient Charter (2nd James the First, 30th August, 1604), keep as heretofore an active supervision over the fish trade in the City, and of the 128,361 tons delivered at Billingsgate during the year, thenInspectors (designated “Fish Meters”) condemned and destroyed in round figures 1,220 tons, or about A per cent. ; the whole of the expenses incurred being borne by the Company. 107 Return of Fish Condemned at or near Bishopsgate Market, for the Year, 1894:— 1894. Tons. Cwts. Qrs. January 89 2 2 February 63 4 1 March 195 11 1 †April 163 12 3 May 117 19 2 June 119 9 3 July 133 16 3 ‡August 99 8 2 September 83 3 2 October 44 2 1 November 67 19 0 December 42 4 1 Total 1219 14 1 * Of this quantity 157 tons were Norway Kippers. † ” ” 92 ” ” ” ‡” ” 50 tons were Immature Haddocks. The co-operation of this Guild is a matter of convenience, and certainly one of economy, to the Commissioners of Sewers, but it in no 108 way abrogates their powers as the Local Sanitary Authority for the City of London. As a matter of fact your own Inspectors of Slaughter-houses and Meat never fail to seize and destroy any putrid or unsound fish discovered by them in the shops of retail fishmongers, or at the Fish Market at Farringdon Road during the absence of the Special Inspector of the Fishmongers Company. The fish seized by your inspectors is included in my weekly report of their proceedings. I am indebted to the official reports of the Corporation, and the Fishmongers Company for some of the statistics contained in the foregoing pages. 109 CONDEMNED MEAT, 1894. The total quantity of Meat, &c., delivered at the Central Meat Markets, Smithfield, for the year, was:—340,956 tons. 430 tons of unsound meat were seized in the City Markets, including a very small proportion from Aldgate and Leadenhall, during the year, under the following conditions, viz: 38 tons Diseased. 360 ,, Putrid. Meat from animals that had 29 „ died from accident. 3 „ Offal and Fish. 430 110 Return of Meat condemned during 1894:- 1894. Tons. Cwts. Qrs. January 14 10 1 February 14 5 1 March 16 2 3 April 34 9 1 May 68 14 1 June 32 14 2 July 80 14 1 August 36 16 0 September 39 6 0 October 30 4 0 November 35 17 2 December 26 6 2 T otal 430 0 2 111 Of the 340,956 tons of meat delivered at Smithfield Market, 0'r26, or about £ per cent., was seized, condemned and destroyed, as unfit for human food. The amount received from the contractor amounted to £1,129 at the rate of 2|d. per stone of 8 lbs. The treatment adopted of rendering this large quantity of meat totally unfit for any other than commercial purposes, consists of its immersion for some hours in the chemical bath I invented twenty years ago, by which, after the meat has been well slashed by the Inspectors, it is deodorised, disinfected, and destroyed for any kind of use as food for men or animals. The operation is conducted in specially contrived sheds. Chemical Bath for Destruction of Bad Meat. Chloride of Sodium 2 cwt. Chloride of Calcium ½cwt. Sulphate of Iron 1 cwt. Piéric Acid 4 lbs. Water 300 gallons. 112 Up to a recent date we had only one shed, but the Western extension of the Central Markets, having rendered necessary the adoption of further facilities for dealing with the consequent increase in the quantity of offensive matter requiring removal, a second building was erected with the requisite tanks, lifting gear, flushing and ventilating appliances. These two sheds are now in perfect working order, and we are enabled to cope with about 18 tons of condemned meat at one time. PROSECUTIONS AGAINST SENDERS OF BAD MEAT TO THE CITY. The following prosecutions were instituted during the year against persons charged with sending unwholesome meat to the City Markets. 113 On January 23rd, a farmer and cattle dealer of Wymondley, was summoned at the Guildhall Justice Room, for sending the carcase of a diseased calf to the Central Meat Market, and was convicted and fined £10, and £4 4s. costs. On the '29th January, a publican and poulterer of Outwell, Norfolk, was summoned at the Guildhall Justice Room, for sending the carcases of five diseased pigs to the Central Meat Market, and was convicted and fined £5, and £4 4s. costs. On the 7th February, a small farmer of March, Cambridgeshire, was summoned at the Guildhall Justice Room, for sending two quarters of diseased cow-beef to the Central Meat Market, and was convicted and fined £10, and £3 3s. costs. On the 28th February, a butcher of Dymchurch, Kent, was summoned at the Guildhall Justice Room, for sending the carcases and offal of ten diseased sheep to the Central Meat Market, and was convicted 114 and fined £50 and £3 costs, or two months' imprisonment. On the 13th March, a horse-slaughterer of Haxey, Linconshire, was summoned at the Guildhall Justice Room, for sending the carcases of three diseased pigs to the Central Meat Market, and was convicted and sentenced to two months imprisonment, with hard labour, without the option of a fine. On the 4th April, a cattle dealer and slaughterer of Orford Street, Chelsea, was summoned at the Guildhall Justice Room, for sending two sides of diseased cow-beef, and the head and offal, etc., of the same animal, to the Central Meat Market, and was convicted and fined £80, or two months' imprisonment. On the 5th April, a farmer, auctioneer, and butcher, of Bognor, was summoned at the Guildhall Justice Room, for sending four quarters of diseased cow-beef to the Central Meat Market, and was convicted and fined £25, and £5 5s. costs. 115 On the 20th June, a butcher, of Aylesbury, Bucks, was summoned at the Guildhall Justice Room, for sending four quarters of diseased cow-beef to the Central Meat Market, and was convicted, and fined £50 and £3 3s. costs, with the alternative of a month's imprisonment. The defendant went to gaol. On the 29th June, a farmer, of Kirby, Essex, was summoned at the Guildhall Justice Room, for sending the carcases of eight diseased sheep to the Central Market. The case was fully investigated, and the dangerous character of the meat, and its entire unfitness for human food proved up to the hilt, but there being, in the opinion of the Magistrate, an absence of direct instructions on the part of the defendant to his butcher, ordering him to send the sheep to market for sale, the case was dismissed, and both the farmer and the butcher got off scot free. With reference to the seizure of two pieces of diseased mutton in the Central Meat Market, on the 31st of May last, by Inspector 116 Sharp, reported by me to the Court on the 5th June, your Solicitor issued a summons against a dealer residing at Attleborough, Norfolk, to appear at the Guildhall Justice Room on the 4th July, but on the previous day a telegram was received from the local Superintendent of Police, that the unfortunate man had committed suicide, and that, upon a Coroner's inquest being held, a verdict of temporary insanity was recorded. On the 13th December a Captain in Her Majesty's Forces, living near Rugby, was summoned at the Guildhall Justice Room for sending four quarters of diseased beef to the Central Market, and was convicted and fined £20 and £3 3s. costs, with the alternative of one month's imprisonment. 117 DISEASED MEAT PEOSECUTIONS-1894. Date. Where Heard Before Whom Occupation of Persons Summoned. Locality Result 23rd Jan. Guildhall Justice Room Ald. Davies Dealer Wymondley Fined £10 and £4 4s. Costs 29th „ „ „ „ „ Sir. J. W. Ellis, Bart. Publican Outwell, Norfolk Fined £5 and £4 4s. Costs 7th Feb. „ „ „ „ Sir H. Knight Farmer March, Cambridgeshire Fined £10 and £3 3s. Costs 28th „ „ „ „ „ Sir D. Evans Butcher Dymchurch, Kent Fined £50 and £3 3s. Costs 13th Mar. „ „ „ ,, F. Phillips Dealer Haxey, Lincolnshire Two Months' Imprisonment with Hard Labour 4th Ap. „ „ „ ,, Newton Cattle Dealer and Slaughterer Orford St., Chelsea Fined £80 and £1 Is. Costs 5th „ „ „ „ „ „ Farmer and Butcher Bognor Fined £25 and £5 5s. Costs 20th June „ „ „ ,, Sir R. Hanson, Bart. Butcher Beirton, near Aylesbury Fined £50 and £3 3s. Costs 29 th „ „ „ „ ,, Sir. J. Savory, Bart. Farmer Walton-on-the-Na'ze Case dismissed 13th Dec „ „ „ „ Davies Retired Captain Near Rugby Fined £20 and £3 3s. Costs N.B.—The average of Fines and Costs in the Eight cases fined amounts to £34 13s. 3d. 118 SLAUGHTER-HOUSES. I regret to say 14 Slaughter-houses remain in High Street, Aldgate. With one or two exceptions these are ill-adapted for the business, and require the constant supervision of the Meat Inspectors to keep them in anything like a wholesome condition. It is now twenty years since the Government of the day permitted these places to continue and restricted your powers of interference only when it is sought to create the business anew. In every other Metropolitan District the London County Council has the right to insist upon the occupiers of Slaughter Houses obtaining a licence to carry on the trade to their satisfaction, which is renewed from year to year so long as the conditions imposed are duly observed. The following are our Bye-laws for regulating the structure of the premises” as well as for “regulating the conduct of the business.” 119 BYE-LAWS FOR SLAUGHTER-HOUSES. Made by the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London, Act 37 and 38 Vic., cap. 67, on 23rd October, 1877, ana confirmed by the Local Government Board, on the 29 th day of November, 1877. BYE - LAWS FOR REGULATING THE STRUCTURE OF THE PREMISES. BYE-LAW I. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall cause such Slaughter-house to be paved upon a duly prepared foundation, with a jointless flooring of asphalte or other appropriate concrete material, with proper slopes and channels towards a trapped gulley, of which the situation, in the case of premises now in use as a Slaughter-house, shall be outside 120 the premises wherever it may be practicable at a reasonable cost to construct the gulley in such a situation. In the case of premises hereafter to be erected or used as a Slaughterhouse, the situation of the gulley shall be outside the premises. BYE-LAW II. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall cause such Slaughter-house to be drained by a glazed pipe drain, not less than six inches in diameter, set in concrete and jointed in cement or otherwise made impermeable, and communicating directly with a public sewer. For the purpose of affording adequate facilities for the inspection and cleansing of the drain, he shall cause a sufficient number of suitable apertures with proper covers to be formed at convenient intervals in the course of the drain outside the Slaughter-house. He shall cause the gulley at the inlet to the drain to be trapped with a stoneware syphon-trap, or other trap of suitable material and appropriate construction, and to be covered with 121 a grating, the bars of which shall not be more than three-eighths of an inch apart. He shall cause such grating to be fastened with a lock and key, and to be kept locked, except when it may be necessary to open such grating for the purpose of cleansing or repair. He shall cause such drain to be provided with efficient means of ventilation in a suitable situation outside such Slaughterhouse. BYE-LAW III. No occupier of a Slaughter-house shall construct within such Slaughter-house, or within any Pound upon the premises, any catchpit or fixed receptacle for blood, dung, offal, or other refuse, or any water-closet, privy, or urinal, or any opening from such Slaughter-house or Pound to any such catchpit, receptacle, water-closet, privy, or urinal. BYE-LAW IV. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall, as soon as conveniently may be, remove therefrom, or from any Pound upon the 122 premises, every catchpit or fixed receptacle for blood, dung, offal, or other refuse, and every water-closet, privy, or urinal, and shall, as soon as conveniently may be, close every opening from such Slaughter-house or Pound to any such catchpit, receptacle, water-closet, privy, or urinal. BYE-LAW V. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall provide such Slaughter-house with a suitable cistern or cisterns of adequate capacity for the reception or storage of a sufficient supply of water for use in such Slaughter-house, or where practicable shall provide such Slaughter-house with suitable fittings and apparatus for a constant supply of water for use in such Slaughter-house. He shall in every case cause all pipes, fittings, and apparatus for the delivery of water for use in such Slaughter-house to be so constructed and arranged as to admit of the delivery of such water in such a manner as to enable every part of the pavement or floor of such Slaughter-house, and the surface of every 123 wall in the interior to the height of 7 feet 6 inches, to be promptly and effectually cleansed. BYE-LAW VI. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall cause the inner surface of every wall of such Slaughter-house to be covered with slate, stone, or other hard, smooth, and impervious material to the height of 7 feet 6 inches, and above that height to the roof he shall cause such surface to be properly cemented. BYE-LAW VII. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall cause a sufficient number of Lairs or Pounds, of adequate size and of suitable construction, to be provided on the premises. He shall cause every Lair or Pound which may hereafter be provided, to be constructed, where practicable, in such a manner and in such a situation as to prevent any direct communication between such Lair or Pound and the space appropriated to the actual slaughtering of cattle. In every case where any Lair or 124 Pound has been provided in the interior of the Slaughter-house, he shall cause such Lair or Pound to be separated from the space appropriated to the actual slaughtering of cattle by a partition extending from the floor to the roof of such Pound or Lair, and formed of brick, stone, slate, or other similar material, with a smooth, impervious surface, to a height of at least 7 feet 6 inches from the floor. For the purpose of communication between the interior of such Lair or Pound and the space appropriated to the actual slaughtering of cattle, he shall construct in a suitable situation in such partition a door, which shall be so adjusted and fitted, or furnished, with such means or apparatus as to admit of its being kept closed at all times when not required to be opened for the passage of cattle or for the cleansing of such Lair or Pound. BYE-LAW VIII. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall cause such Slaughter-house and every Lair or Pound upon the premises to be provided with adequate means of efficient ventilation. 125 He shall, where practicable, cause such Slaughter-house to be ventilated by means of apertures communicating directly with any street or other open space immediately adjoining the premises. In every case where such mode of ventilation maybe impracticable, he shall provide adequate means of ventilation in the roof of such Slaughter-house, Lair, or Pound. BYE-LAW IX No occupier of a Slaughter-house shall construct any room or loft immediately above such Slaughter-house, or above any Lair or Pound upon the premises. BYE-LAW X. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house who shall offend against any of the foregoing Bye-laws for regulating the structure of the premises, shall be liable for every such offence to a Penalty of Five Pounds, and in the case of a continuing offence to a penalty of One Pound for every day during which such offence is continued after conviction for the first offence. 126 BYE-LAWS FOR REGULATING THE CONDUCT OF BUSINESS. BYE-LAW XI. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall on every day during which any cattle may have been slaughtered therein, and as soon as conveniently may be after the completion of the slaughtering of such cattle, cause the whole surface of the floor, and the walls to a height of 7 feet 6 inches, in the interior of such Slaughter-house to be thoroughly washed and cleansed. He shall from time to time, as often as may be necessary, cause every Lair or Pound on the premises to be properly cleansed. BYE-LAW XII. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall cause the walls in the interior of such Slaughter-house, to be kept thoroughly clean and in good order and repair, and he shall cause the internal surface of the roof and 127 upper portions of the walls to be thoroughly washed with quicklime at least once in each of the several months of January, April, July, and October. BYE-LAW XIII. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall provide for use in such Slaughter-house, for the purpose of receiving and removing all blood, garbage, filth, and other offensive matter, a sufficient number of movable receptacles, constructed of suitable nonabsorbent materials, and furnished with tightly-fitting covers. He shall, as soon as conveniently may be after the slaughtering and dressing of any cattle in such slaughterhouse, cause all blood, garbage, filth, and other offensive matter to be placed in the receptacles provided in accordance with the requirements of this Bye-Law, and shall cause such receptacles and their contents, and all fat, hides, skins, and tripe, to be removed from the premises within twelve hours after the completion of such slaughtering and dressing, and between the hours of 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. 128 BYE-LAW XIV. No occupier of a slaughter-house shall cause or allow any blood or garbage to flow into or to be deposited in any public Sewer. BYE-LAW XV. No occupier of a Slaughter-house shall keep any dead meat in any Lair or Pound upon the premises. BYE-LAW XVI. No occupier of a Slaughter-house shall keep any cattle in such slaughter-house, or in any Lair or Pound upon the premises for a longer time than may be necessary for the preparation of such cattle by fasting or otherwise, for the process of slaughtering. No such occupier shall keep any dog in such Slaughter-house, or in any Lair or Pound upon the premises. No such occupier shall cause or allow to be slaughtered in such Slaughter-house any animal which shall not be intended to be used lor, or shall be unfit for human food. 129 BYE LAW XVII. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house in the event of any diseased cattle being brought to such Slaughter-house, or to any Lair or Pound upon the premises, shall forthwith, as soon as he shall have been informed of, or have otherwise become acquainted with the fact, give information thereof to the Medical Officer of Health. BYE LAW XYIII. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall from time to time, as often as occasion may require, give information to the Medical Officer of Health of the presence in such Slaughter-house of any carcass of a calf less than three weeks old or less than 48 lbs. in weight. BYE-LAW XIX. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house shall at all reasonable times afford the Commissioners of Sewers, the Medical Officer of Health, the Surveyor, and the Sanitary 130 Inspectors of the City of London, free access to such Slaughter-house, and to every Lair or Pound on the premises. BYE-LAW XX. Every occupier of a Slaughter-house who shall offend against any of the following Bye Laws for regulating the conduct of the business shall be liable for every such offence to a penalty of Five Pounds, and in the case of a continuing offence a penalty of One Pound for every day during which such offence is continued after conviction for the first offence. BYE-LAW XXI. A Court of Summary Jurisdiction, as defined by the Slaughter-houses, &c. (Metropolis) Act, 1874, may by Summary Order suspend or deprive any occupier of a Slaughter-house altogether of the right of carrying on the business of a slaughterer of cattle as a penalty tor breaking any of the foregoing Bye-Laws. 131 COMMON LODGING-HOUSES. There are only two common lodging-houses in the City. (1) New Street, Bishopsgate. (2) Furnival Street, Holborn. Nos. 24 and 25, New Street, Bishopsgate, were registered in 1880 as one “common lodging-house,” having been originally part of the City of London Workhouse or Infirmary, and subsequently a Hospital for the Police Force. The two houses consist of fifteen rooms, including ten bedrooms for sixty-nine beds, with a cubical space of 321 feet per bed. The premises are old and require the frequent interference of the Sanitary Inspector of the District, who visits them every six weeks, serving Notices to remedy any sanitary defects discovered, and seeing that they are complied with to his satisfaction. Nos. 27, 28, and 29, Furnival Street, Holborn— In consequence of some sensational remarks 132 concerning these premises in the Public Press I personally inspected them and reported thereon to you in December, informing you that in my opinion the complaints so made were absurdly exaggerated. The walls and ceilings are sound and in a fair condition, but, owing to the age of the building, do not shew up as bright after limewhiting as would be the case with modern premises. I noticed, also, some old stains on the ceilings, but nothing approaching the “loathsome dampness” on the walls, described by the unscrupulous writer of the articles, who when invited to accompany me at my visit, failed to put in an appearance. The bedding was certainly not inviting at first sight, but, on closer inspection, it was found more discoloured than actually dirty. Some of the sheets were white and quite clean, but the coverlets, being made of a dark-brown quilted material, certainly conveyed an unpleasant impression to any one 133 not accustomed to the usual appointments of common lodging-houses. Nasty, however, as they undoubtedly looked, these quilts had the merit of being thick, soft, and warm. No less than 126 beds are provided, affording a cubical space varying from about 214 to 478 feet per bed ; the beds, therefore, need re-arranging, and notices will be served on the occupier accordingly. The water-storage capacity is equal to 10 gallons per bed, and the w.c. accommodation to one w.c. for every thirty beds. A separate urinal is also provided in the open air, and is properly ventilated and flushed. There are two kitchens in the basement, containing respectively 6,211 and 2,100 cubic feet, or, assuming the presence of 126 persons, only 65 feet cubic space for each. They are low, dark, and ill-ventilated, and doubtless become very damp and foul from the condensation of the breaths of many inmates arriving with wet clothing, in addition to the imperfect 134 combustion of gas lights. There is also a common lavatory and wash-house, badly lighted. A Keeper's room, reading room, and store-room, on the ground floor, complete the accommodation. Short of demolition and reconstruction, I see no way of improving the condition of the kitchens and lavatory. The drains were examined, and found in working order. This was shewn “inter alia” by the inspection-chamber being opened up in my presence. A modern sanitary dust-bin exists in the yard, an old brick one having been removed two years ago. The premises generally consist of three old houses of moderate size, in Furnival Street, knocked into one, and one house in Norwich Court attached, which have been registered as a common lodging-house since 1862. 135 Within the last three years they have been completely redrained in a satisfactory manner, and are periodically cleansed throughout, every year. PUBLIC BATHS AND WASH-HOUSES. On 1st May, 1894, the Sanitary Committee reported— On the Reference, as to the desirability of erecting Swimming Baths and Wash-houses within the City, stating that, in their opinion, the erection of such conveniences is eminently desirable, and recommending that, inasmuch as the Solicitor reports that the Commission have no power to expend money for the purpose, it be referred back to the Committee to consider the necessary steps to be taken to obtain such powers. Whereupon it was Resolved that this Court agree with the Sanitary Committee in their Report, and it be referred back to them accordingly. On 9th October the Committee further reported— 136 Recommending that the Remembrancer and Solicitor be instructed forthwith to take the necessary steps, with a view to the introduction of a Bill into Parliament to obtain the necessary powers, at the earliest possible moment, to provide Baths and Washhouses within the City, that in the meantime a Draft Bill be prepared, and it be referred back to the Committee accordingly. Consideration being had thereupon, and it being suggested that, as a Parliamentary matter, it should be referred to the Finance and Improvement Committee, the same was agreed to, and it was Resolved that the Report be agreed to, and be referred to the Finance and Improvement Committee accordingly. 137 FACTORY AND WORKSHOPS ACTS, 1878 TO 1891. For the better understanding of the provisions and scope of these Acts, I have extracted the following from your Solicitor's report:— “The Commissioners of Sewers being constituted the Sanitary Authority for the “City of London, the responsibility of “carrying out all the sanitary provisions “relating to factories and workshops, as “defined by those Acts, in the City of “London devolves upon them. Previous “to the passing of the Act of 1891, the “sanitary provisions relating to factories “and workshops were contained in “Sections 4, 33, 34, and 35 of the Act “of 1878, and under Section 4 of that “Act, on receipt of notice from the “Factory Inspector of sanitary neglect, “the duty was imposed on the Sanitary “Authority of making enquiry, and taking “Such action therein for enforcing the 138 “law as they might deem proper. But “the Act of 1891 is more stringent as “to the action of the Local Authority, “for on their failure to take proceedings “for remedying the default, after receipt “of notice, power is given to the “Inspector to take the necessary proceedings, and recover all such expenses “from the Sanitary Authority as he may “incur in so doing. “By Section 3 of the Act of 1891, Subsection 2, a Sanitary Authority has, “with respect to workshops, all such “power of entry, inspection, and taking “legal proceedings as a Factory Inspector “and these powers and duties are in “addition to those imposed on a Sanitary “Authority by the 'Public Health “(London) Act, 1891.' “Section 33 of the Act of 1878 relates to “the cleanliness of the interior of “factories, and to their painting and “lime-washing, and general cleansing 139 “within certain periods, and Sections “34 and 35 relate to the bakehouses, “and by Section 17 of the Act of 1883, “all the provisions relating to retail “bakehouses, affected by Sections 3, 33, “34 and 35 of the Act 1878, which relate “to cleanliness, ventilation, overcrowding “and other sanitary conditions, shall be “enforced by the Local Authority of “the district (who in the City are defined “by the Act to be the Commissioners), “in which the retail bakehouse is situate, “and not by a Factory Inspector, and “for the purposes of that Section the “Medical Officer of Health of the Local “Authority shall have and exercise all “such powers of entry, taking legal proceedings, and otherwise as a Factory “Inspector. “By Section 4 of the Act of 1891 the “cleanliness and limewashing of every “workshop and workplace is dealt with, “and the Sanitary Authority is required “to give notice to the owner or occupier 140 “to limewash, cleanse, or purify the same “when requisite, and, on failure, may “cause the work to be done and take “proceedings for recovering the expenses; but that Section does not “apply to any workshop or workplace “to which the 'Public Health (London) “Act, 1891,' applies. “The Commissioners are, consequently, “not only the Local Authority and “Sanitary Authority under the Factory “Acts, but, as the Sanitary Authority “under the 'Public Health (London) “Act, 1891,' have jurisdiction over work “shops, bakehouses, and factories which “are not subject to the provisions of the “Factory Acts, and specially as regards “bakehouses they are bound to enforce “Sections 34, 35, and 81 of the Act of “1878, and Sections 15, 16, and 17 of “the Act of 1883. “It appears to me therefore obvious that “to properly carry out the duties thrown “on them by the various Acts I have 141 “referred to, and which are more than “likely to be increased should the Bill “at present before Parliament become “law, it will be necessary for the Commission either to considerably increase “the present staff of Sanitary Inspectors, “or to appoint one or more Inspectors “to deal exclusively with the requirements of the Factory Acts." 115 Communications were received from Her Majesty's Inspectors relating to 30 cases of notice given by firms about to occupy premises for manufacturing purposes, 42 cases of change of premises, and 43 cases in which my attention was called to insanitary conditions; including in the latter seven instances in which female workers were unprovided with separate and adequate water-closet accommodation. Every defect discovered in connection with the above was at once investigated and remedied to my satisfaction. 142 “CUSTOMS AND INLAND REVENUE ACTS, 1890 AND 1891.” The Act of 1890 provides that before exemption from Inhabited House Duty can be claimed, the premises shall be so constructed as to afford suitable accommodation for each of the families or persons inhabiting it, and that due provision is made for their sanitary requirements, of which the Medical Officer of Health is to be the judge. The exemption from duty is only allowed upon the production of a formal certificate from the Medical Officer of Health that he is satisfied with the wholesomeness of the place. The Act of 1891 prescribes that the annual value of each separate dwelling within the building shall be under £'20. One application only was made to me for a certificate under the above Act, which I did not see my way to grant. 143 CREMATION. On the 23rd October, last, the Sanitary Committee reported to the Court that “In their opinion it was highly desirable a Crematorium should be erected at the City Cemetery, and recommended that a Public Bill be promoted in Parliament to give the Commission thenecessary powers for such purpose.” After much discussion the Court agreed with the Committee in their report, and Mr. Solicitor was instructed to confer with the Remembrancer on the subject, with a view of promoting a Public Bill in Parliament to give the Commissioners the necessary powers for the erection of a Crematorium. At a subsequent Court, the following communication from the Remembrancer was read:— 144 “CREMATORIUM. “Herewith I send you a print of the notice for “this Bill. You will observe that in the last “paragraph it is stated that 'In the event of the “Bill being introduced as a Private Bill, printed “copies will be deposited, &c.' The order of the “Commissioners of Sewers is distinctly for a “ Public Bill, but the erection by the Commissioners of Sewers of a Crematorium, for “their own use, as the Burial Board for the City “of London, is undoubtedly a matter to be dealt “with by a local and personal, and not by a “public and general, Bill, so that I have provided “for this. If a Member of Parliament wished to “confer upon all Burial Boards in England the “general power of erecting crematoriums that “could be done by a Public Bill, but to confer “upon one body in particular a special power “brings the legislation within the scope of what is “defined as ' local and personal Acts.'” The subject was again discussed, and the following resolution was carried, viz: “That the Resolution of the 23rd October, agreeing with the Sanitary Committee in their recommendation that a Public Bill be promoted in 145 Parliament, to give the Commission the necessary powers for the erection of a Crematorium at the City Cemetery, be rescinded.” In consequence of this action the matter is still in abeyance. In conclusion, I beg to say that, in the preparation of this report, I have endeavoured to touch upon all the subjects laid down for my guidance as your Sanitary Adviser in the “General Order of the Local Government Board, 8th December, 1891,” which for your information I here reproduce. “He shall also make an annual report to the “Sanitary Authority, up to the thirty-first day of “December in each year, comprising a summary “of the action taken, or which he has advised the “Sanitary Authority to take, during the year for “preventing the spread of disease, and an account “of the sanitary state of his district generally, at “the end of the year. The report shall also contain an account of the inspections and inquiries “which he has made as to conditions injurious or “dangerous to health existing in his district, and “of the proceedings in which he has taken part or 146 “advised under any Statute so far as such proceedings relate to those conditions; and also an “account of the supervision exercised by him, or “on his advice, for sanitary purposes over places “and houses that the Sanitary Authority have “power to regulate, with the nature and results of “any proceedings which may have been so required “and taken in respect of the same during the year. “The report shall also record the action taken by “him or on his advice, during the year, in regard “to offensive trades, to factories and workshops, “and to dairies. The report shall also contain “tabular statements (on Forms to be supplied by “Us, or to the like effect,) of the sickness and “mortality within his district, classified ac “cording to diseases, ages, and localities." Appended hereto is a Spot Map of the City, shewing the distribution of Zymotic Disease throughout the year. Also, a comparative Metereological Table. I am, Your obedient Servant, Wm. SEDGWICK SAUNDERS. Queen Street, Cheapside, July, 1895. REPORT OF PUBLIC ANALYST FOR THE CITY OF LONDON, 1894. 149 To the Honourable the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of London. REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ANALYST FOR 1894. 13, Queen Street, Cheapside, E.C. February, 1895. Gentlemen, I have the honour to present my Report, as Public Analyst for the City of London, for the year ending 31st December, 1894, divided in four quarterly statements, as required by the Acts 1875, etc. No change has taken place in the law regulating the operations of the " Sale of Food and Drugs Acts," and the same anomaly in their administration exists, to which I have invariably called attention in former annual reports. 150 During the last Session of Parliament a Select Committee of the House of Commons was engaged in taking evidence upon the general question of adulteration. It may be hoped, therefore, that the result of their labours will be to embody the recommendations of the Public Analysts and other experts throughout the Kingdom, and that some attempt will be made to fix " Standards" for the guidance of analysts generally. Another point, of equal importance, is that some limitation should be imposed upon the discretion of the magistrates before whom prosecutions are initiated, with a view of avoiding in the future discordant decisions upon evidence which seems, to an ordinary layman, of equal merit—decisions which bring the administration of justice into contempt. I would emphasize this point by again adverting to the remarkable differences that exist in the penalties imposed for offences against the Excise Authorities (who are generally ably represented by the legal profession), as com- 151 pared with insignificant and trumpery fines imposed upon milkmen and small general traders who are convicted of deliberate and fraudulent sophistication of their goods. It is a common experience that a publican may be fined £50 for adding half the quantity of water to his beer that a dairyman would add to his milk, at the cost, perhaps, of a shilling fine. In the '23rd Annual Report of the Local Government Board, 1893-94, we learn that during last year " 192 fines were of 2s. 6d. or less (including 29 of 6d. and under), 243 were over 2s. 6d. and not over 5s., and 444 were over 5s. and not above 10s.; fines being imposed in 2,687 cases of prosecutions under the "Sale of Food and Drugs Acts," exclusive of convictions of Excise cases, of which I have no record. The practical inference to be drawn from these differences is that, whereas in the case of milk, a child or an invalid may be deprived of 25 to 50 per cent., and even more, of nourishment, essential perhaps to the maintenance of human life, the publican who may add the same quantity of water to his beer, which 152 injures no one, and may be a blessing in disguise, is mulcted in large demands upon his pocket in the shape of fines, the dairyman too often escapes with a nominal penalty. The explanation of this may be that the publican is pursued by the restless activity of an Excise officer, aided by the best available forensic talent, whilst the milkman is prosecuted in a slip-shod, half-hearted way by Local Authorities who frequently appear indifferent as to the result. What a travesty upon Justice ! One Hundred and Sixty-one analyses were made in 1894, exclusive of frequent examinations of the City's Water Supply, and the chemicals required for the manufacture of disinfectants and other work, viz.: Thirteen in the first quarter, Thirty-three in the second quarter, Twenty-six in the third quarter, and Eightynine in the fourth quarter. They include 7 of brandy, 1 of butter, 4 of cocoa, 1 of coffee, 25 of disinfectants, 17 of gin, 57 of milk, 2 of mineral waters, 9 of mustard, 10 of pepper, 14 of rum, 1 of wall paper, and 13 of whisky. 153 Tabulated Statement I. Articles Analyzed in 1894. First Quarter. Second Quarter. Third Quarter. Fourth Quarter. Total. Brandy - - — 7 7 Butter - 1 - — 1 Cocoa - - 4 — 4 Coffee - - 1 — 1 Disinfectants - 25 — — 25 Gin - — — 17 17 Milk 12 7 — 38 57 Mineral Waters — — 2 — 2 Mustard — — 9 — 9 Peppers — — 10 — 10 Rum — — — 14 14 Wall Paper 1 — — — 1 Whisky (Scotch) — — — 8 8 „ (Irish) — — — 5 5 Total 13 33 26 89 161 154 The following table has been partly compiled from the Annual Reports of the Local Government Board, to which is added, by way of comparison, the results of our experience in the City of London:— Tabulated Statement—II. Year. Total No. of Samples Examined in England and Wales. Number Examined in the City of London. Percentage of total No. Examined in City of London. No. of Persons to each Sample Examined. England and Wales. City of London. 1881 17,823 162 .92 1,462 318 1882 19,439 197 1.01 1,358 252 1883 19,648 201 1.02 1,363 240 1884 22,951 285 1.24 1,182 164 1885 23,230 206 .88 1,184 221 1886 23,596 188 .79 1,181 235 1887 24.440 294 1.20 1,171 146 1888 26,344 178 .67 1,086 235 1889 26,954 249 .90 964 162 1890 27,465 165 .62 1,071 239 1891 29,028 169 .42 998 227 1892 32,447 123 .38 894 303 1893 37,233 104 .28 779 347 1894 Return not yet received. 161 — — 218 155 Up to the years 1893-94 the Local Government Board has approved the appointment of 237 Public Analysts, of whom 40 are for the County of London. These gentlemen have analyzed 37,233 samples, equal to one for every 779 of the population, an increase of nearly 4,800 over that of the previous year, when the proportion was only one to every 894 persons. On the other hand it may be mentioned that, in 16 boroughs, including large towns (Northampton, for instance, with a population of 61,012), not one sample was taken during the year, whilst in 18 other boroughs the samples taken were quite insignificant. In 45 other districts, with an aggregate population of 3,000,000, only one sample was analyzed for 5,720 persons. In this connection, it is gratifying to add that in Greater London one sample was examined for every 530 persons, whilst in the City of London one sample was examined for every 347 persons during 1893, and 218 persons during the year 1894: so that in this respect we compare favourably with other districts. 156 As heretofore, and as shewing the indifference of the public to the working of these Acts, it may be mentioned that, of the total number of 37,233 samples analyzed, only 211 samples were obtained by private purchasers; the remainder (37,022) being collected by Sanitary Inspectors and other officials. In the Report of the Local Government Board, from which the above figures are largely derived, we learn that, of the total number of samples examined, 129 per cent, were more or less adulterated, which, by comparison with former years, indicates an increase in the purity of articles analyzed. In the City of London it has not been deemed necessary to institute any prosecution, although some of the articles examined have been perilously near adulteration. For instance, in the 57 milks examined, several have been found below the standard of every analyst in the Kingdom, excepting those who direct the chemical work at Somerset House, who still refuse to adopt the standard fixed by the Society of Public Analysts. 157 Nevertheless, I have not thought it prudent to invite the interference of the law when the results obtained might be disputed by the Official Referees, to whom the person accused would have a right to appeal. Upon the whole, I am of opinion that the articles supplied by retail traders throughout the City are fairly genuine. The New River Company's water supply to the City of London has been from time to time examined, with satisfactory results. I have again to acknowledge the assistance rendered in this part of my duty by Mr. Howard B. Turner, F.I.C., your Sanitary Clerk. I have the honour to be, Your obedient Servant, Wm. SEDGWICK SAUNDERS, M.D. Fellow of the Chemical Society. Fellow of the Institute of Chemistry of Great Britain and. Ireland. Public Analyst for the City of London, &c. . METEOROLOGICAL TABLE FOR LONDON, 1894. (Deduced from Observations, at Greenwich, under the Superintendence of the Astronomer Royal, and compiled from Quarterly Tables, furnished to the Registrar-General by James Glaisher, Esq., F.R.S.). The figures in Italics relate to the CITY, and are calculated from observations made at the Guildhall, City, under the Direction of the Engineer. Winter Jan., Feb., March. Spring April, May, June. Summer July. Aug., Sept. Autumn Oct., Nov., Dec, Temperature of Elastic Force of Vapour. Weight of Vapour in a Cubic Foot of Air. Degree of Humidity. Reading of Barometer. Weight of a Cubic Foot of Air. *Rain. †Reading of Thermometer on Grass. Air. Evaporation. Dew Point. Air— Daily Range. Number of Nights it was Lowest Reading at Night. Highest Reading at Night. Mean. Diff. from Average of 123 Years. Diff. from Average of 53 years. Mean. Diff. from Average of 53 years. Mean. Diff. from Average of 53 years. Mean. Diff. from Average of 53 years. Mean. Diff. from Average of 53 years. Mean. Diff. from Average of 53 years. Mean (Satn.=100). Diff from Average of 53 years. Mean. Diff. from Average of 53 years. Mean. Diff. from Average of 53 years. Amount. Diff. from Average of 79 years. At or below 30°. Between 30° and 40°. Above 40°. 1894. º º º º º º º º º in. in. grs. gr. ins. in. grs. grs. Sums. Sums. º º ins. ins. YEAR 49.9 +1.3 +0.7 47.1 +0.9 44..3 +0.8 14.8 —1.0 .299 +.006 3.4 0.0 81 —1 29.794 +.020 541 —1 26.88 +1.84 52 158 155 12.8 56.2 „ 50.2 - - 48.3 - 45.6 - 8.0 — .311 - 3.5 - 82 — 29.771 - 538 - 23.81 - - - - - - Winter Quarter 41.4 +2.5 +1.7 39.0 +0.9 36.2 +1.0 12.9 + 1.1 .214 +.007 2.5 +0.1 83 —i 29.795 +.023 551 —1 5.40 +0.46 37 46 7 12.8 45.9 „ „ 41.3 - - 41.9 - 40.2 - 8.2 — .249 - 2.7 - 87 — 29.819 - 543 - 5.50 - - - - - - Spring „ 53.3 +1.0 +0.4 49.5 +0.4 45.7 +0.4 19.5 -0.5 .310 +.003 3.5 0.0 74 -3 29.769 -.013 537 —1 5.00 0.72 7 46 38 25.8 50.9 „ „ 52.4 - — 50.1 - 47.6 - 9.9 — .332 - 3..7 - 84 — 29.806 - 538 - 4.68 - - - — - - Summer „ 58.6 —1.2 -1.6 55.5 —0.8 52. 7 -0.3 16.5 -3.2 .400 —.004 4.5 —0.1 81 +3 29.812 +.019 532 +2 7.54 + 0.25 1 15 76 27.1 56.2 „ „ 58.8 - - 55.3 - 51.8 - 8.1 - .388 - 4.3 - 77 - 29.761 - 530 - 6.62 - - - - - - Autumn „ 46.4 +2.8 +2.2 44.6 +3.1 42.5 +2.0 10.3 -1.5 .274 +.018 3.1 0.0 87 -3 29.800 +.050 545 —2 8.94 +1.85 7 51 34 26.0 54.0 „ „ 48.3 - - 45.9 - 42.7 - 5.9 - .276 - 3.1 - 80 — 29.697 - 541 - 7.01 - - - — — - In this Table + and -respectively signify that tl e number in the preceding column is above or below the average to the amount of the quantities to which these signs are affixed. * The rain gauge at the Guildhall is placed at a height of 51 feet from the ground, †No thermometer readings on grass are made in the City. . > . • ..... . - « —■ . — —