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of the Health Committee Clerk, is shewn by Table IX. Indeed,
the Inspectors' time is so fully occupied that they have little
or no leisure for several branches of sanitary work, viz.:—
inspecting unsound food, inspecting of offensive trade refuse as
fish offal, and inspecting of workshops.
I have also referred to the too slow progress of house-tohouse
inspection.
There is now no Dust Inspector, and it is impossible for the
present staff of Sanitary Inspectors to look after the dust
collection. Four years ago, there was also an Assistant
Sanitary Clerk. Thus the sanitary staff has been diminished
by two. During this time, the work required of the inspectors
has been increased by the passing of the various Bye-laws
under the Public Health Act, and by the Factory and Workshops
Acts. Besides this, recent legal decisions have
thrown on the Vestry the responsibility of keeping in repair
all combined drains for which no plans can be found. The
result of this has been that house owners, as soon as they have
anything wrong with their drains, instead of seeing to it themselves
as formerly, now send word to the Health Office, aud
the Sanitary Inspector has to go and examine the drain, which
examination sometimes occupies several days. Sketches and
particulars then have to be furnished to the Vestry Clerk and
Surveyor, and the Committee's orders obtained thereon. This,
obviously, entails much work on the Inspectors.
According to the last Annual Report of the Medical Officer
of the County Council there are, on an average, 2,515 houses
to each Sanitary Inspector in London, while in Plumstead
there are 3,137 houses to each Inspector. But the amount of
walking and, therefore, the work, of an inspector is proportionate
to the size of his district, and there is no doubt the