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" Wherever there is prevalence or threatening of diphtheria, fever, or
any other epidemic disease, it is of more than common importance that the
statutory powers conferred upon Sanitary Authorities, for the protection of
the public health, should be well exercised by those Authorities, acting with
the advice of their Medica Officer of Health." Among other matters
requiring attention in this regard, it is stated that " the ventilation of sewers,
the ventilation and trapping of house drains, and the disconnection of cistern
overflow and sink pipes from drains should be carefully seen to."
It will be observed that " the trapping of drains" is
bracketted with other works of a sanitary character about the
necessity of which there is no question ; and it is not to be supposed
that the Board would press upon Sanitary Authorities the
duty of requiring, by their notices, the execution of such works
were it not lawful to issue such notices.
House-to-House Inspection.—During the latter half of the
year, the carrying out of many recommendations of the Sanitary
Inspectors, in regard to the trapping of drains, had been deferred
pending the receipt of Counsel's Opinion. In a large, probably
the larger, proportion of these cases, the recommendation was
the outcome of discoveries made in the course of the house-tohouse
inspections made in conformity with the instructions of
your Vestry under the provisions of section 1 of the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891. Question has occasionally been
raised whether a Sanitary Authority have power, or whether it
is their duty, to make such inspections? It may be well therefore,
to state that, before the Act came into operation, I invited
your Vestry's attention to the point, and it was referred to the
Law and Parliamentary Committee, whose report thereon was
as follows:—
" Public Health [London) Art, 1891. —The Committee having carefully
considered, pursuant to the reference by the Vestry, the paragraphs of the
Report of the Medical Officer of Health, dated 23rd September, 1891, relating
to the legal interpretation to be placed upon the first section of this Act, are
clearly of opinion that the section makes it incumbent upon the Sanitary
Authority of every district to make from time to time a house-to-house
inspection of their district, ' so as to secure the proper sanitary condition of
all premises situated within their district.' The Committee would point out
that the Act requires, by several of its sections, the County Council and the