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81
The Cleansing of Persons Act.
Only a few sanitary authorities have made the provision for the cleansing of persons which
this Act contemplates. The only references to the subject are found in the reports relating
to tho following districts—In Marylebone, Mr. Wynter Blyth states, the accommodation provided
has been used by about 3,000 males, the actual number of baths given being 4,311. The majority of
the 3,000 persons had one bath only, 28 per cent, had two baths, and a few as many as 15 baths.
Nearly all these persons gave as their address a Salvation Army shelter or common lodging-house.
A new building, giving accommodation for women as well as men, has been provided. In the Strand,
two people applied for a bath while their clothes were being disinfected. In Hackney, the vestry
has decided to make provision for this purpose, and plans of a proposed building were under
consideration. In some districts the sanitary authority has arranged with the guardians for persons
to be cleansed at buildings belonging to the poor law authority. Such arrangement was made in
Kensington, but Dr. Dudfield reports that it was little used, probably because no steps were taken
to make the arrangement known to the public. In Battersea, Dr. Kempster has recommended the
vestry to make provision for this purpose.
Mortuaries.
In my last report I stated that in eight districts the mortuary accommodation was unsatisfactory.
Plans have since been prepared for the erection in Plumstead of a coroner's court and
mortuary. A site has been purchased by the Council in Greenwich for the erection of a coroner's
court, and the Council negotiated with the district board for the sale to the board of a portion of the
site for a mortuary. The Council has approved plans for the erection in Sun-street, Woolwich, of a
mortuary by the Woolwich Local Board, and the buildings are nearly completed. The districts of
Paddington and Poplar in which the provision is unsatisfactory are practically not affected so far as
their areas are concerned by the London Government Act of 1898, but the districts of Lee, St. Olave, and
St. Saviour are merged in larger districts, and hence the need of the provision of new mortuaries
within them will have to be considered under altered circumstances. In Battersea, the vestry has
decided to erect a new mortuary on ground adjoining the Latchmere-road baths, at an estimated cost
of £4,785, and has approved plans for this purpose. The Kensington mortuary has been improved
by (inter alia) provision being made for jurymen to view the bodies through a glass screen.
Water Supply.
The water examiner under the Metropolis Water Acts reported that the character of the
seasons was, on the whole, favourable for the operations of the companies. The Thames water was in
good condition during 314 days, moderately discoloured and turbid during 40 days, and exceptionally

A statement of average rates of filtration gives insufficient information as to the filtration by
the companies. The water examiner calls attention to the insufficiency of the storage reservoirs of
the Grand Junction and Lambeth Companies, and states that each river-deriving company should be
provided with 25 days' supply. He also states that it is desirable that the water issuing from each
filter should be delivered into a distinct well, so that distinctive samples may be obtained for
examination, and failure in the efficiency of filtration may be traced to the particular filter which is at
fault.
The second report of the Royal Commission of 1897, which was published in January, 1900,
contains the following statements—
We think that every filter bed Bhould have a separate filter well, so that samples may be taken of
each filter bed separately. In some of the companies' works several filter beds drain into the same
filter well. If a sample from that well proves unsatisfactory, it is impossible to tell which filter bed is
working badly.
We also think that the rate of filtration in each filter bed should be automatically recorded by
appropriate apparatus, which should both indicate the rate per square foot at which filtration is proceeding
in each filter bed, and should record it on a diagram. Apparatus of this kind has been put in use
by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company, and should be employed by all the companies.
The Royal Commission further express the opinion that, with regard to filter beds, their construction,
and the rate of filtration, the time has not yet come when any detailed regulations on these
matters can usefully be laid down either by Act of Parliament or by any controlling authority; and
that the wisest plan is to leave the responsibility of these details to the companies, who should have
the task of finding and adopting the best means of getting a good result, rather than to throw the
responsibility of the processes to be adopted and followed upon a Government officer or a local
authority. So again with respect to the use of flood water. The Royal Commission state that they
have come to the conclusion that it is unnecessary to impose any restrictions upon the taking of
flood water from the Thames, and that it may safely be left to the discretion of the engineers of the
companies how soon after a flood they will draw water from the river.
It may be pointed out that the companies are under the obligation to efficiently filter the water
they supply, and some definition of efficiency for this purpose ought to be found. No doubt this
wnnld involve antecedent inauirv. but it is a Question which concerns the whole countrv. and is one
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