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streets to obtain the removal of dust, has been continued this
year, as poor people often object to their dust being taken
away until a large accumulation has occurred.
Cowsheds and Slaughter-houses.—The number of the
former diminishes every year, as there were only 83, against
85 in 1888. They were found on inspection to be in a better
condition than usual, and as all the work required by the View
Committee was done before the licensing day, no opposition to
the renewal of the licenses was requisite. This is the first year
since the present system was inaugurated in 1863 that no
opposition was requisite.
The Inspection of small houses occupied by the poor was
continued, as well as a much smaller number of better-class
houses, to ascertain their state as to the drainage arrangements.
The total was 4,716, against 5,401 in 1888. The decrease was
caused by a considerable portion of Mr. Sortwell's time being
occupied in inspecting canal boats, under the Canal Boats' Act,
and by Mr. Legg having practically to devote during the last two
months of the year his whole time to the inspection of houses
in which infectious diseases had occurred, so that the other two
inspectors were called upon to assist Mr. Sortwell, and to take
up Mr. Legg's old work at the expense of their own. This
necessitates the appointment of another inspector, otherwise
the usual inspection, and removal of nuisances from the houses
of the poor, must be considerably curtailed. The total
number of houses visited during the year for infectious diseases
was 518, and the whole of the nuisances found thereon were
abated. It must not be supposed that the first inspection is the
chief work to be done, as not only was disinfection in the
larger number carried out by the officers of the Board, but in
many cases frequent visits were subsequently made to obtain
the removal of nuisances found on the premises.
The number of defects in the drainage arrangements
of the houses inspected in the ordinary way, or visited