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thought any useful purpose would be served by their so doing. That the cause of nuisance is more
or less within control would appear from the intermittency of the complaints, and as the smells are
at times not perceptible to any noxious degree in the vicinity of the works. No proceedings,
whether by indictment or for an injunction, have hitherto been taken.
In 106 of the above cases post-mortem examinations were made under the coroner's warrant.
CORONER'S COURT.
The coroner's court in the Town Hall Extension Building, completed and brought into use in
1899, affords necessary accommodation for all parties concerned in the holding of inquests. For the
use of the court the County Council pay an agreed rent under an arrangement authorised by section
92 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891.
DISINFECTION.
The Public Health (London) Act, 1891, imposed additional duties on the sanitary authority
in the matter of disinfection, the practical effect of the legislation of late years having been to throw
upon the rates the cost of disinfecting houses, and of the cleansing and disinfecting of bedding,
clothing, &c. The cost of this work has increased since the Act came into operation in 1892 : the
amount expended in 1900 was £790, as compared with £381 in 1891. In the latter year the
weight of the articles disinfected was under 20 tons, their number being about 9,400 only, whereas
in 1900, 22,174 articles were dealt with, of an aggregate weight of 40 tons 18 cwt. Eight
hundred and forty rooms, in 765 houses, were disinfected after infectious disease, as compared with
364 in 1891. In the report for 1893 (pp. 215-217), under the heading "Duties of the Sanitary
Authority with respect to Disinfection," I explained the state of the law, and described the late
Vestry's practice in regard to the matter. The expenditure on disinfection, including cleansing
of clothing, bedding &c., varies from year to year, in proportion to the relative prevalence of
infectious disease. Very few disinfections are now done at the cost of the occupiers of the houses,
or owners of clothing, bedding, &c. I append a statement of the monthly cost of this work in 1900,
which is irrespective of the wages of the disinfector.
£ s. d.
January 85 1 3
February 46 10 6
March 62 15 1
April 59 3 3
May 67 6 10
June 52 19 11
July 57 6 5
August 58 17 10
September 65 19 1
October 69 5 0
November 91 15 1
December 73 10 0
The expenditure might, I think, be reduced, were the work done without the intervention of
a contractor, as recommended by the London County Council and the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
Disinfecting Station.—The question of the "desirability of erecting a disinfecting station,
and providing a shelter for persons dispossessed of their homes during the progress of disinfecting
work," was referred by the late Vestry to the sanitary committee, who reported thereon, in July,
1896. A sub-committee had been appointed to view stations and shelters. One of the places