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manure can scarcely be overrated.* The substitution for the brick receptacle of the iron cage, has
resulted in a large measure of improvement being obtained, and the sunken dung pit (which was a
special offender) has been abolished in all instances, save those in which this was rendered impossible
owing to the fact that the entire frontage of the stable premises was occupied bv doors.

Flooding of basements.—Dr. Dudfield, in his annual report for 1898, writes as follows—"In times
of heavy rain the Counter's-creek main sewer has on many occasions proved unequal to the task of
carrying off the storm water, thus leading to flooding of the basements of many houses with more or
less diluted sewage. A terrible experience of this sort befell the occupants of numerous houses in this
parish, 29th October, when 300 basements are known to have been flooded, including 56, 40, 30 and
167, in the central, the north-west, the north and the north-east sanitary districts respectively." Dr.
Dudfield adds, "The Main Drainage Committee of the County Council was approached by a deputation
from your Vestry, the outcome being that the Council decided, in December, 1895, to proceed with the
erection of a new pumping-station at Lot's-road, Chelsea, at a cost of £60,000, and to apply to the
Secretary of State for consent to the compulsory acquisition of the land required for the purpose. It
is devoutly to be desired that this measure, when completed—it had not been begun at the end of
1898—may suffice to rid us of the nuisance, which, in the nature of things—owing to the increase in
the number of inhabited houses draining into the local sewers—would have become worse but for
palliative measures adopted by the local authorities in the reconstruction, deepening and enlargement
of the said sewers."
During the past summer, on two occasions, serious flooding of basements in a low-lying portion
of the north-east sanitary district occurred. In a number of basement rooms, on the former occasion,
particularly in St. George's-road, St. Mark's-road and Talbot-grove, water stood for a time at a depth
of several inches above the floor level, and on its retreat left behind it a deposit of mud, which gave
rise to considerable nuisance.
Disinfection, &c.—The disinfection of clothing and bedding is carried out on behalf of the
Kensington Vestry by a firm of contractors at Willesden. For some years past the medical officer
of health has urged the desirability of erecting a disinfecting station, and providing a shelter for
persons displaced from their homes during the progress of the work of disinfection. This subject was
reported on by a committee of the Vestry in July, 1896. The committee found that the cost of
disinfecting and cleansing infected articles in Kensington in the three years 1893-95 had been £2,988,
or an average of about £1,000 a year (irrespective of the wages of disinfecting officers), while in 1896
£1,361 was paid to the contractor. The committee also reported on the arrangements in force in
Islington, where the vestry had erected a station the total cost of which "without charge for land,
amounted to about £4,500," while, it was added, the annual expenditure "amounts to £350 per annum."
Dr. Dudfield states that he obtained information to the effect that "a station and a shelter could be
erected for a less amount than had been expended at Islington, and that some hundreds of pounds per
annum might be saved on the present cost of disinfection." The committee, however, reported against
any change being made in existing arrangements.
Section 60 sub-section 4, of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, imposes on the vestry the
duty of providing temporary shelter or house accommodation for persons "compelled to leave their
dwellings for the purpose of enabling such dwellings to be disinfected by the sanitary authority." The
Kensington Vestry have not erected a shelter. In his annual report for 1895 Dr. Dudfield (p. 120)
drew special attention to reports made by the then superintendent of the disinfecting arrangements as
to "the frequency with which he had to turn people into the streets to enable him to disinfect their
rooms." Dr. Dudfield pointed out that the inspectors "find it difficult in the circumstances to obtain
ordinary lodgings for the people," and adds that in some instances the latter are given " permission
to open the door of their room late at night," the result being that the process of disinfection is only
in operation for "a few hours, instead of the 24 usually deemed requisite." It appears moreover
that the inspector stated that "in many cases the doors have been burst open as soon as he had left the
premises," with the result that practically no disinfection had taken place.
As Dr. Dudfield observes, "the best solution to the existing difficulty would be found in compliance
with the provisions of the law—in the interests of public health and humanity alike."†
* In the return above referred to the names of 163 mews are specified.
† An instance of the need of a shelter was furnished in the early part of 1898 by the facts relative to an
outbreak of typhus fever which occurred at Western-dwellings, North Kensington. The particulars of the
outbreak are given by Dr. Dudfield in his third monthly report for 1898. A woman who lived in St. George-theMartyr,
South wark, and who went to look after some children belonging to one of the Kensington families attacked,
contracted the disease, which was recognised on her return to her house. Dr. Dudfield, in commenting on the circumstances,
says, the medical officer of health for St. George's, Southwark, informs me that the four families
living in the woman's house were the first occupants of the shelter, which the (St. George's) Vestry have provided
under the provisions of section 60 (4) of the Public Health (London; Act, 1891." He adds, "the woman probably
would have escaped, had it been possible to place her in a shelter whilst the rooms of the two flats at
Western-dwellings were being disinfected."