London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Plumstead 1893

Annual report 1893-94

This page requires JavaScript

115
refuse within 300 yards of houses, and seeing the very large
amount of unoccupied ground within the parish which could be
used for this purpose without infringing the bye-law I would
strongly urge that ground be taken for the purpose without
delay, and house refuse not allowed to be used in any other
place.
Drains.
16. It is to be feared that a very large proportion of the house
drains in the district are defective and faulty. Table XI. giving
the Sanitary Inspector's work, shews the large number of
stoppages that occurred, and the number of defective drains
found, viz.: 339. 11 Combined drains were taken up and relaid.
In one case there there was found a large hole in a drain pipe,
through which the water esaped, causing the drain to get blocked
with excreta. Notice was served to repair the drain. When the
Inspector called to see if the work had been properly done he
found the drain covered in, but he had it uncovered and found
that the defect had been repaired by laying a broken piece of
drain pipe loosely on the top of the hole. For this the roan who did
the work vvas summoned and fined £5 and costs. Again the
drain was repaired, and again the work was found to be scamped,
Another prosecution was undertaken, this time the landlord being
made defendant. But as he succeeded in partly throwing the
blame on someone else he escaped with a penalty of 40s. and
costs. Finally the work was effectively done.
17. The question suggests itself, if drain work is done in this
way while the inspectors are watching it, and even after imposition
of a fine what must be the condition of most drains in the
parish.