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other things the report finishes up with the following "It is not
necessary to enter into the desirability of interceptors, for when
there has been any possible means of getting out of the by-law we
are not ashamed to say that we have aided and abetted any plan
by which the rule for their enforcement can be evaded."
In an exhaustive enquiry, in the course of which evidence was
given by many Engineers and Medical Officers of Health, and for
which many experiments were carried out, the conclusion was come
to that " the disadvantages involved by the use of the interceptor
are substantial and of serious practical importance." They condemn
the fresh-air inlet and suggest its discontinuance. Furthermore,
they go on to say " that the association of the incidence of
certain specific diseases, such as enteric fever and diphtheria, with
drain defects which allow of the entry of sewer air as well as of
drain air into houses, is almost identically the same as the association
of similar defects with the absence of disease, and that the
experience of districts without intercepting traps does not show
that their absence has been harmful." And, further, " that human
beings deliberately exposed to sewer air do not appear to be affected
in health." This conclusion bears out views which I arrived at,
which I set out in a paper read in 1894, " that the occupation of
these men (i.e. sewer men) is by no means unhealthy; indeed, if we
were to compare them, say, with clerks in City offices, I am strongly
inclined to the opinion that they would show a much better record
than the latter."
There were 200 less inspections of complaints than in 1911, but
there were 500 more house-to-house inspections. In addition to
this there were 600 more visits to verminous premises, which are
included in the total of 1,811 such inspections which are made as a
matter of course at the address of every child who is treated at the
cleansing station. The house-to-house inspections have thus not
suffered ,although the additional work in consequence of tuberculosis
has meant an excess of about 1,500 more visits and inquiries over
those which were carried out last year.
A feature of the last year was the large number of applications
for my certificate to obtain exemption from Inhabited House Duty.
This necessitated my personally inspecting 272 tenements, and, as
shown in the tables, it was possible to grant certificates for 233 of
these.
Owing to the superannuation of Mr. Heath at the end of 1911 a
vacancy occurred in the Sanitary Department. It was filled by the
appointment of Mr. R P. Nash, to whom was allotted the district
formerly under the care of Mr. Heath.
In conclusion, I have to thank the Public Health Committee
for many acts of kindness, and the Staff for their invaluable help.
I am, Mr. Mayor and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
FRANCIS STEVENS.