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district were inspected and the drains of each house tested, the percentage
of defective drains would not be much less than in the
houses where scarlatina and erysipelas occurred during 1897 ; so that
from this table — which I admit is not conclusive, but rather
suggestive—there is not much evidence that defective drainage acts
either as a predisposing or exciting cause of these latter diseases.
STORM FLOODINGS.
On the 21st July, 1897, a very severe storm broke over the
North and North-Eastern parts of London, being specially severe in
Hackney, and resulting in great damage to property and danger to
health. It is stated that during the storm 1½ inches of rain fell in
the short space of time of half-an-hour. From the known capacity
of the sewers in the district, it is clear that floodings must result,
and, indeed, a large number of houses in the district—chiefly houses
with basements—were flooded with sewage. It is unnecessary to
say that the health of the inmates of these houses was endangered.
Having reported these circumstances to the Public Health
Committee, it was resolved :
" That the Medical Officer of Health have full authority to
deal with these cases of floodings as he considers necessary, and
report thereon."
The measures I thought necessary were the removal of the foul
deposit left by the flood, the cleansing and disinfection of the floors,
and removal of the polluted soil beneath. These measures were
promptly carried out under the supervision of the Sanitary Inspectors.
The following table shows the houses and parts of the district chiefly
affected, with an account of the work done and its cost.
This storm showed the inadequacy of the sewers to carry off an
excess of storm waters, but the parts of Hackney which appeared to
suffer most were situated in the eastern part of the district.
Hackney Wick was much flooded, and would have suffered more
had not the Marsh sewer burst—thus leading to the flooding of a
large part of the Marsh, and so relieving Hackney Wick. I have in