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7
Questions respecting the housing of the working classes have received much
attention during the year, and details of the action taken under the Housing
Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909, and the Regulations of the Local Government
Board of September, 1910, dealing with the requirements respecting inspections
and records to be kept are given on pages 26 to 29.
The removal of house refuse was again satisfactorily carried out during the
year, and very few complaints were received.
Only one complaint was received respecting the non-removal of manure.
I give an abstract of a detailed investigation and report respecting the
poisoning of eleven persons in certain houses in Neal Street by fumes due to
the fusing of an electric light cable.
On pages 37-41 I give some details which indicate the superior food value of
"standard" bread and flour. Evidence has been accumulating that the inner layer
all cereals such as wheat, oats, rye, rice and maize contains an important substance
or substances which are essential to the nutritive value of the grain, and that if
these are eliminated in the milling or preparation of the grain a staple diet
composed of cereals thus peeled not only fails adequately to nourish the consumers,
but tends to set up active disease. I also give some abstracts from recent
reports to the Local Government Board on the subject of the Bleaching of Flour
and the addition of so-called "Improvers" to flour and the presence of Calcium
Sulphate in Baking Powder and Self-raising Flour. Of 70 samples of imported
flour, 57 or more than 80 per cent. were bleached, and of 157 samples purchased
in different parts of England 117 or about 75 per cent.
I give suggestions for a method that might be adopted for the "standardisation"
of flour and bread.
During the year 23,347 inspections were made, 1,299 Intimation Notices, and
194 Statutory Notices for sanitary defects were served; 628 notices for the
cleansing of lodging houses and 202 notices for breaches of by-laws. The market
streets were inspected daily, including Saturday nights and Sunday mornings.
For further details see the various headings of the Report.
I desire to express my appreciation of the excellent assistance and hearty
co-operation that I have received from the staff of the Public Health Department
during the year.
I have the honour to be,
Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
W. A. BOND.