View report page

37
THE SHELTER.
The shelter in Reeve's place, provided for persons obliged to vacate their
dwellings to allow of effectual measures being taken as to disinfection, was made use
of by members of 105 families, comprising some 340 men, women, and children.
A list giving certain details as to the occupation of the shelter during the year
is contained in the Appendix. The shelter was in almost constant use for several
months during the early portion of the year owing to the prevalence of small-pox, and
with one exception its use was solely on account of that disease. It was of
inestimable value in facilitating prompt and thorough measures as to disinfection.
THE PUBLIC MORTUARY.
The dead bodies received into the mortuary numbered 444, including nine of
persons removed by the Sanitary Authority on account of infectious disease or to
prevent nuisance. The number of bodies received at the mortuary during the preceding
five years were 420 in 1891, 443 in 1900, 494 in 1899, 446 in 1898 and 421 in
1897. The post mortem examinations made in the post mortem room at the mortuary
were 243, as compared with 215 in 1901, 229 in 1900, 232 in 1899, 164 in 1898, 159 in
1897, 128 in 1896, 109 in 1895, 60 in 1894, and 29 in 1893. The number of inquests
held was 319 as compared with 298 in 1901, 324 in 1900, 354 in 1899, 339 in 1898,
331 in 1897, 301 in 1896 and 313 in 1895.
WATER SUPPLY.
The rainfall in inches at Oxford during the year 1902, according to the figures
given in the monthly reports on the London Water Supply, by Sir William Crookes,
F.R.S., and Professor Dewar, E.R.S., amounted to 16.56 inches as compared with
22.16 in 1901. The mean rainfall for 35 years is given at 25.29 inches, the deficit
therefore, was 8.73 as compared with 3.13 in 1901. The reports further record a rainfall
below the average for every month of the year. No complaints as to shortness of
water supply in Shoreditch were received during the year. Communications were
received from the Water Companies respecting water supplies cut off at 70 premises
on the East London Company's district, and 68 on that of the New River Company.
These intimations were sent by the Companies in compliance with section 49 of the
Public Health, (Lond.) Act, 1891. In many instances the intimation referred
to premises which had become empty.
SANITARY WORK.
Preliminary notices as to insanitary conditions were served in respect to 2,156
premises. The chief sanitary inspector dealt with 262, inspector Lear with 438,
inspector Quelch with 245, inspector Firth with 400, inspector Jordan with 811, and
inspector Langstone with 500. In connection with the work done, some 908 letters
were written to owners, builders, and other parties concerned. Advice to occupiers is
verbally given by the sanitary officers where required as to the importance of
cleanliness and ventilation in dwellings. It is a very common thing to find a house or
dwelling perfectly satisfactory so far as construction, drains and sanitary arrangements
generally are concerned, yet the occupants, owing to want of proper attention to the