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137
soon as possible. In cases of phthisis or of infectious disease,
abatement is required straightway.
Customs and Inland Revenue Acts, 1890 and 1903.—
Applications for the certificates of the Medical Officer were
received in respect of seven houses, containing 35 tenements, and
for blocks of model buildings comprising 346 tenements.
These were all carefully inspected, but no certificates were
granted.
These certificates enable the owners of certain classes of houses
to obtain exemption from inhabited house duty, provided the
Medical Officer of Health is prepared to certify that the pro—
perties are so constructed as to afford suitable accommodation
for each of the families or persons dwelling therein and that due
provision is made for their sanitary requirements.
In inspecting houses for such certificates weight is attached to
the following matters :—
1.—Each tenement must be self-contained.
2.—The lighting and ventilation of rooms, staircases and
passages.
It is considered important that every room occupied for
living and sleeping should have a fire-place or some other
form of ventilation in addition to the window opening. In
this connection it is not uncommon to find an unventilated
lumber room or other room converted into a children's
sleeping room.
3.—Sufficient cupboards for separate food storage.
4.—Separate coal storage accommodation.
5.—Accessible and sufficient water supply.
6.—A wash-house with convenient coppers, or other sufficient
provision for washing clothes and for drying them.
7.—A damp proof course.
8.—A minimum height of rooms—a standard of 8 ft. 6 in. has
been adopted in accordance with the terms of section 70,
part 5, of the London Building Act, 1894.