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SANITARY WORK, 1894. 17
To sum up : Typhoid fever was more prevalent than
usual in 1894; the majority of the cases occurred in the
autumn ; in a few instances the incidence of the disease was
associated with insanitary conditions ; in the others the
cause remains obscure.
APPLIANCES FOR DISINFECTION.
The old hand-cart that had been used formerly for
conveying goods to the stoneyard for the purpose of disinfection
was finally discarded and replaced by two large
vans, built on the model of those in use at St. Pancras.
One is used solely for the conveyance of goods to be disinfected
; the other to take goods back to houses after
disinfection. The vans are distinguished by their colour.
The cubic capacity of each van is something over 200 cubic
feet; each will carry a ton of goods. One of the vans can,
when occasion requires, be used as an ambulance. The
vans are horsed by contract, and so far the contract has
been carried out in an efficient manner.
A little while after the purchase of the vans, two
disinfectors were appointed at a definite weekly wage.
Previously, although, as a matter of fact, two men, and
sometimes more, were continuously employed, these men
were in the Works or Surveyor's Department and not in
the Sanitary; they were paid by the hour, and might at
any time be called upon to do other work. The present
system is better. Messrs. Hodges and Hales, during the
whole of a trying year, have carried out their duties efficiently
and well.
SANITARY WORK, 1894.
The efficiency of a Sanitary Authority is not to be
judged by any special efforts put forth, or money spent in
the arrest of an outbreak, or in activity in meeting sudden
emergency. The true judgment should rather be based on
the thoroughness with which the ordinary routine duties of
inspection and supervision have been performed. In the
table at page 36 will be found a fair summary of the details