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42 of these being rooms which had been in occupation by persons
suffering from phthisis.
In addition 30 rooms have been disinfected, and 37 have been
stripped and cleansed by the owners, for the purpose of destroying
vermin (lice, bugs, &c.), under the powers conferred by the London
County Council (General Powers) Act, 1904. A larger number of
verminous premises might have been disinfected during the year, had
the disinfecting staff been capable of doing the work; but owing to the
pressure of other work, when notifiable infectious diseases are at all
prevalent, a staff of two disinfectors is incapable of coping with the large
number of verminous premises still to be found in the Borough. How
large this number is, may be realised when it is stated that the enormous
number of 1,980 flock or straw mattresses—all in a filthy and verminous
condition—were sent to the disinfecting station to be destroyed in the
incinerator during the course of the past year. These 1,980 mattresses
represent approximately an equal number of bedrooms. It appears to
me to be very desirable in the interests of public health and education
(in the case of children), that not only should the verminous bedding be
destroyed, but that a strong effort should be made to cleanse and
disinfect and purify the verminous houses from which all these filthy
mattresses come. With the advancement of medical science it is every
year becoming more recognised what an important part the parasites
that prey upon human beings exert in the dissemination of disease.
The Sale of Food and Drugs Acts.
During the year 407 samples were taken for analysis, including
samples taken on delivery as supplied under contract to the Chelsea
Workhouse and Infirmary and St. George's Workhouse and Infirmary.
Of the 407 samples, 178 were milks, 164 being returned by the
Public Analyst as genuine samples, 7 as of inferior quality, and 7 as
adulterated. A prosecution was undertaken in one case, but the
summons was dismissed on the production of a warranty by the vendor
(see Tabular Statement). In the remaining 6 cases of adulteration there
were no proceedings; in two because the adulteration was very slight,
and in four because the vendors were protected by warranties. In these
four cases the Local Government Board and Board of Agriculture were
informed as to the reasons for not taking legal proceedings. Nothing
has been as yet done to remedy the present unsatisfactory state of the
law as regards the "Warranty Defence."
Of butter, 117 samples were taken. 107 being returned as genuine,
and 10 as adulterated. Proceedings were taken in 6 cases (see Tabular
Statement). In the remaining 4 cases, the vendors were either protected
by labels, or the amount of adulteration certified was insufficient to
warrant legal proceedings. Twenty-four samples of margarine were
submitted to analysis, one being returned as having a slight excess of
water (no proceedings).
Of cheese, 18 samples were taken, all being genuine; of coffee
15 samples, one being very slightly adulterated (no proceedings); of
spirits 20 samples, two being in excess under proof, but protected by
notices of dilution in the places where sold (no proceedings); of cayenne
D