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Smoke Abatement.
During the year nineteen special observations were made with a view to ascertaining whether
there were any breaches of the smoke provisions of the Public Health Act. No nuisances were
discovered which necessitated the service of written intimation notices, although in three cases
owners and stokers were advised to adopt better methods of stoking, and burn a more suitable
grade of fuel.
Mortuary and Chapel of Rest.
During the year 128 bodies were deposited in the public mortuary in the following
circumstances:—
At the request of relations or friends of the deceased 9
At the request of undertakers 35
At the request of coroner 79
By the police 5
128
In 79 cases post-mortem examinations were made under the coroner's warrant.
Eighteen bodies were deposited in the chapel of rest, Avondale Park. In recent years this
building has been redecorated and the furnishings greatly improved with a view to encouraging its
use by the poorer persons in Notting Dale who have no satisfactory accommodation for the bodies
of dead relations pending the funeral. The number of bodies deposited during 1937 was only half
that for the previous year, and it is to be regretted that more use is not made of the facilities
provided.
Public Baths and Washhouses.
Swimming Baths.
Accommodation.—There are at the public baths (a) a men's first-class swimming bath with
a capacity of 126,000 gallons, (b) a women's first-class bath with a capacity of 40,000 gallons,
(c) a men's second-class bath and (d) a women's second-class bath, each with a capacity of 45,000
gallons.
During the summer season (April to September) the four baths were in continuous use. At
the end of September the two first-class baths were emptied and cleaned. At the end of October
the two second-class baths were emptied and cleaned, the women's second-class bath only being
refilled for use during the winter season.
Purification of Swimming-bath Water.—The water of the swimming baths is subjected to
continuous filtration and chlorination. This has been found to be a satisfactory method of
purification if the free chlorine content of the water is kept at about 0.4 parts per million.
Although complaints by swimmers as to ill effects of chlorine are rare, an attempt was made
towards the end of the year to lower the chlorine content, but as results were not satisfactory from
the bacteriological point of view, the previous level is now being maintained.