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the conclusion I have come to represents the minimum requirements of the Parish of
Islington, which, I may remind you, is by far the most populous Sanitary Division of
the Metropolis.
I may also remind you that this district, over which you have the sanitary control,
and into whose hands its great health interests are committed, is in point of population
the sixth largest community in England, and the seventh in Great Britain and Ireland.
It thus occupies the first place in London, and also a leading place in the United
Kingdom.
This being so, it is apparent that its requirements will be proportionate to its size
and importance.
Now the Vestries in London, owing to the manner in which certain work is
delegated to other bodies, do not possess such plenary powers in general government
as the provincial Town Councils, but this is not so with rospect to its sanitary government.
Indeed, it is the very opposite, because "The Public Health (London) Act,
1891," places fuller and more complete power in the hands of the London authorities
than is possessed by the provincial bodies under the Public Health Act, 1875.
The largest towns of the country are not, however, as your Vestry is, under the
surveillance of a Couuty Council, for they are counties in themselves, a fact which
makes it all the more necessary for such authorities as yours to place themselves beyond
the reach of a higher power to find fault with, cavil at, or rebuke for neglect in their
sanitary administration.
I would point out, too, that in many of the large towas the general inspection of
houses and properties is not nearly so difficult as it is with you, because here the
excreta are all water borne (i.e., carried away by means of a water-flush through
drains to a sewer), while to an enormous extent with them the dry system of disposal
persists. The condition of ash-closets, earth-closets, and privy-middens can be arrived
at easily, almost at a glance, and their defects noted, whereas the sound or defective
condition of drains which are laid in the ground, which pass underneath houses, and
which are frequently of a most complicated character, is, in consequence, very difficult
to determine, for it is not easy to ascertain hidden defects. But defects in these are a
common source of disease in this district, and I believe notably of the large amount
of diphtheria and sore throats which exists. Then the examination of drains occupie i
a long time, sometimes many hours, but varying according to the complications and
the tests applied. Thus there is all the more reason why your staff of Inspectors
taking the great towns as your models, should be at leant proportionate to theirs,
and until this is so Islington cannot be said to possess a staff to meet its sanitary
requirements.
Now the exact comparison between the six largest towns and Islington may be
stated thus:—
Islington possesses one Inspector for each 39,928 of its population.
The six towns „ one „ „ 13,674 „ „