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Bake-houses. — These now number 40, and are regularly
inspected, with the result that the sanitary conditions have
been fairly maintained. Section 27 of the Factory and
Workshops Act, 1895, provides that a place underground
shall not he used as a bake-house, unless it was so used at the
commencement of the Act.
Disinfection.—The total number of articles disinfected
reached 9110, but was less than for the preceding year.
Further particulars of these will be found in Table III.
465 houses were disinfected after infectious diseases.
Unsound Food.—Certain articles of unsound food were
seized during the year, including vegetables, fruit, meat, fish
and poultry. Inspectors were directed to visit the street
markets on Saturday nights occasionally, to prevent the sale
of stale or unwholesome food.
Inquests.—The number of inquests held was 52, 31 of
which were upon deaths caused by violence.
Among the deaths caused by violence were 3 deaths from
falls from ladders and stairs, 2 from fracture of the skull,
one of which was caused by a fall from a tram ; an infant
perished from impaction of teat in the throat from a feeding
bottle, and 3 from being suffocated whilst in bed with mother,
and three from neglect at birth.
Among the 11 cases of suicide 4 were found to have
poisoned themselves with carbolic acid, and one with prussic
acid. One may remark that carbolic acid, from the facility
with which it can be obtained, appears to have replaced the
oxalic acid of a former generation, as a common means of