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182
1899
health of the community than is generally thought. Dr. Cameron,
the Medical Officer of Health of Leeds, details a very interesting
experiment which he had carried out in 1892.
"In consequence of a special report the Leeds Sanitary Authority
determined to see whether any special means would reduce
this high mortality from diarrhoea. It was accordingly resolved in
one district, with a population of nearly 34,000, and comprising
nearly a tenth of the town, to use certain special cleansing measures
on the approach of summer. The result is noteworthy. In the
dry autumn of 1893, Leeds, like other large towns, had a mortality
from diarrhoea, high even compared with that of 1892. That autumn
the death-rate from this cause rose to 5.19, as compared with 3.42
the preceding year, and 3.28, the autumnal rate for the decade
1883-92. Only in one district in Leeds did the rate not exceed that
of 1892, and that was the one specially scavenged. In another
district the increase was merely nominal, but in the "scavenged"
district the death-rate actually decreased as compared with that of
1892 from 7.01 to 6.40."
The effects of good scavenging cannot be easily overstated, for
it is to the community at large what the cleanly and well-drained
house is to the individual. It prevents the collection of foul
matter in the roads and foul water in the channels, while it roots
out from the holes and corners of the lanes and alleys those
decaying animal and vegetable matters which have been deposited
by dirty and careless citizens. No place should be allowed to
remain so long as a week without scavenging, especially from midJune
to mid-September, when diarrhoea is always more or less
epidemic.
MEAT INSPECTION.
Inspector Young, who came from Glasgow, where he had
charge of a district containing over 300,000 inhabitants, and in
which was situated a public slaughter-house, 200 butchers' shops,
three railway stations, at which large consignments of meat arrived,
two auction marts, at which cattle were sold, nine sausage factories
including a horse sausage factory, and one horse slaughtering