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26
THE SHELTER.
The shelter at Reeve's Place was not used during the year on account of infectious
disease. On two occasions one of the baths was used for purposes under the Cleansing
of Persons Act.
THE PUBLIC MORTUARY.
The dead bodies received into the public mortuary in St. Leonard's Churchyard
during 1906 numbered 405, as compared with 417 in 1905 and 460 in 1904. The
bodies of five persons dead of infectious disease were removed to the mortuary by the
sanitary authority, as compared with three in 1905. A specially constructed iron shell
is used for the reception of infectious bodies. The inquests held numbered 295, as
against 290 in 1905 and 336 in 1904. The number of post-mortem examinations made
in the post-mortem room at the mortuary numbered 226, as compared with 223 in 1905
and 251 in 1904. The figures relating to the use of the mortuary in years previous to
1904 are contained in the report for 1903.
WATER SUPPLY.
The figures contained in the reports of Dr. Houston, Director of water examinations
to the Metropolitan Water Board show that the rainfall for the year 1906 measured
at Oxford amounted to 24.2 inches. Taking the mean rainfall for 35 years,
there was a deficiency of about an inch. Most rain fell during the month of October,
and least in April, the amounts being 4.133 and 0.352 respectively.
No complaints were received as to the quality of the water, nor as to the quantity
supplied in the Borough during the year, and there was no reason for suspecting the
occurrence of any water-borne disease.
In accordance with the requirements of section 49 of the Public Health (London)
Act, 1891, communications as to water supplies to houses being cut off were received
in respect to 86 premises, 22 on the East London district and 64 on that of the New
River. In many of these the intimations referred to premises which had been
vacated.
SANITARY WORK.
Preliminary notices as to insanitary conditions were served in respect to 2,689 premises,.
of which 249 were dealt with under the supervision of the chief inspector, 535
under that of Inspector Lear, 467 under Inspector Firth, 521 under Inspector Jordan,
442 under Inspector Langstone, and 474 under Inspector Pearson. In connection with
the work 872 letters were written to owners of property, builders, and other parties concerned.
Nearly 26,000 visits of inspection were made during the year, not including
those made by the Medical Officer of Health and Chief Inspector. The premises inspected
included milkshops, cow-sheds, slaughterhouses, cook-shops and eatinghouses,
factories, workshops, and other premises including dwelling houses and tenement
buildings. (Appendix.)