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measures adopted with a view to isolation and disinfection, as well
as restrictions placed on attendances at Elementary Schools, by
the effectual carrying out of all these measures, it may be possible
to lessen the extent of the illness and its effects.
The Report on Oysters deals with the fact that illness of a
dangerous nature such as Typhoid Fever has been traced to the
consumption of oysters; the Report has shown that some oysters
are cultivated and stored in waters subject to sewage pollution; it
is to be hoped as the result of this Report that merchants will
themselves take action to prevent a continuation of this bad system
of cultivation and storage.
In noting the important matters in regard to Sanitation which
have been brought before the public during 1896, it would be out of
place not to refer to the valuable work done by the London County
Council in regard to the "Analytical investigation of London
Water Supply;" in a report relating to this subject several matters
have been made clear, such for instance as the advantage for
filtration purposes of not renewing filter-beds frequently, and that
the purification of water by means of filtration depends upon the
amount of animal life in the filter-beds.
The weather during 1896 as noted in Friern Barnet by the
Resident Engineer at the Sewage Works.
In the first quarter of the year the weather generally was mild,
dull and dry. The mean temperature of air was 42°.4, or about 40
higher than the average over the whole country in the first quarters
for 125 years. The rainfall was deficient, only 3.87 inches were
registered at the Sewage Works which is 1.05 inches below the
average in 81 first quarters. The prevailing wind was W.N.W.
Fifteen deaths were registered in the first quarter. The weather in
the second quarter of the year was warmer than usual, the mean
temperature was 55°.6 or 3°.3 above average in second quarters for
125 years, the weather generally was warm and bright, and May
was remarkable for the small quantity of rain that fell.
The rainfall was 2.605 inches, which is 3.05 below the average
in 81 second quarters. The prevailing wind was N.W. The
deaths registered were twelve in number. In the third quarter the
mean temperature was 6o°.4 or 0.7 above the average in third
quarters for 125 years. September was remarkable for excessive
rainfall. The amount of rain which fell measured 8.39 inches;
this was 1.13 inches above average in 81 third quarters. In
September the fall was 6.o inches, which was more than half the
amount in the previous eight months. The prevailing wind was
W.S.W. The number of deaths registered was 24. The last
quarter of the year was characterised by the continuance of dull,