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administration. 33
The only headings under which higher totals are shown for the war period are—
"complaints" (increase 16*2 per cent.), " drains cleared and flushed" (increase J«6'2 per
cent.), " roofs repaired" (increase 76'6 per cent.), and "animals improperly kept, removed"
(increase 37*5 per cent.). As regards roofs it will be observed that there was an increase in
the number repaired each year, the maximum (66) being reported in 1918. There is little
room for doubt as to the association between this work and air-raids. It is probable that
attempts to supplement meat deficiencies by rabbit breeding accounts for the increase under
the last heading (See also Pig Keeping.)
The decrease in the number of inspections and re-inspections from 82,843 in 1909-13 to
70,350 in 1914-18 (a reduction of 15T per cent.) was regrettable but unavoidable, having
regard to the time taken for food-rationing, &c. The decreases in the various classes of
sanitary work are attributable to shortage of labour and materials rather than to any
deficiency of sanitary supervision. The figures permit one verv important conclusion to be
drawn, viz., that the need of inspection for the discovery and remedy of sanitary defects was
greater at the end of 1918 than it had ever been before. The fact that the majority of the
houses in the Borough were constructed anterior to the framing of the existing Bye-laws
under the Metropolis Management Act, 1855 and the Public Health (London) Act, 1891—
which regulate the construction of drains, waste-pipes, &c.—together with the ageing of the
fabrics of the houses, points to the urgent necessity of more careful inspection. During
1909-13 an average of 193 drains were found to need complete re-construction, whereas
during the v/ar the re-construction averaged 45 a year—not one-quarter of the preceding
average. It does not appear to be necessary to labour the point which "leaps to the eye"
if the totals for the two periods—the last two lines of Table XIII.—be examined. Confirmation
of what is written above is furnished in the following paragraphs.

The re-constructions in the three years 1911-13 were—in 1911, 227 ; in 1912, 223 ; and in
1913, 175, and the numbers " made sound "—in 1911, 50; in 1912, 98 ; and in 1913, 73.
Re-construction Plans.—In 1911, 348 plans were deposited for re-construction of drains,
renewals or alterations to sanitary fittings. In 1912 the number was 352 and in 1913, 344.
The reduction in the amount of such work during the war is fully demonstrated by the
following statement
Plans deposited
1914
312
1915
209
1916
145
1917
122
1918
109
Sewer Connections.—The great changes which have taken place in road traffic during
recent years involving the free use of mechanical transport by vehicles of much greater
weight and higher speeds, cannot fail to result in damage to house connections, a very large
proportion of which are constructed of brickwork without any concrete protection. Even
without traffic changes the continued pressure of the superincumbent soil may be expected
to lead to the collapse of old brickwork.f Moreover, it is to be anticipated that the vibrations
set up by dropped bombs and artillery fire will have produced damage to underground
drains. The numbers of new connections put in during the war are set out below.
After Order from the Council
On initiative of " owners"
1914
13
23
1915
15
22
1916
8
25
1917
10
11
1918
16
11
Combined Drainage.—During the last five years 13 systems of combined drainage were
examined and re-constructed, viz., in 1914, 6; in 1916, 5 ; and in 1918, 2.
* By " Economic " or similar process.
† As mentioned in the Annual Report for 1913, complaints of rats gaining access to houses are becoming
moie frequent, defective house connections being the usual mode of access.
f