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25
THE SHELTER.
The Shelter in Reeves Place provided under the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, section 60 (4) for the temporary accommodation of members of any family
in which any dangerous infectious disease has appeared was not in use during the
year.
PUBLIC MORTUARY.
Some 416 bodies of persons dying during the year were received into the
Mortuary, 334 inquests were held, 196 post mortem examinations were made in
connection therewith and the bodies of five persons dead of infectious disease were
deposited in the Mortuary. For infectious bodies a specially constructed shell
is used.
WATER SUPPLY.
The rainfall for the year measured at Oxford was 32.302 inches. Taking
the mean fall for 35 years, it was above the average. Most rain fell during the
last quarter of the year, the rainfall for that period amounting to 9.630 inches.
The rainiest month was December, when 5.003 inches fell. Least rain fell in
April, the amount being 0'827 inch. The general rainfall for the Thames Valley
above Teddington amounted to 35'53 inches, and for the Lee Valley 30.10 inches
(Dr. Mill's Returns).
In accordance with Section 49 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891,
communications were received from the Metropolitan Water Board as to water
supplies being cut off in respect to 32 premises, all of them in the New River
District. The grounds for withdrawing the supplies were : on account of defective
water pipes in 12 instances, waste on empty premises 7, by request of the
consumer 6, and in 7 instances for arrears in the water rate.
No complaints were received as to the quality of the water, nor was there
any reason for suspecting the occurrence of any illness due to consumption of
the water.
In accordance with Section 78 of the London County Council (General
Powers) Act, 1907, additional taps were provided for the supply of upper floors in
six houses occupied by members of more than one family.
SANITARY WORK.
Intimations under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, as to insanitary
conditions were served in respect to 3,973 premises. In 549 instances the
premises were dealt with under the supervision of Inspector Firth, in 671 under
Inspector Jordan, 400 Inspector Langstone, 493 Inspector Pearson, 754 Inspector
Stokes, 597 Inspector Pratt and 509 under the supervision of Inspector Chapman.
In connection with the work carried out some 772 letters were sent to owners of
property, builders, and others concerned.