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47
being drawn into the pipes of the consumers when they arc!
broken. This was found to be so in Mile End. Leakages—
very small ones, perhaps—go on for months without being found
out, especially if they occur near an old sewer ; and in cases like
these, when the water is suddenly turned off, the ' exhaust' is so
great that part of the surrounding soil is drawn into the pipes,
and so contaminates the next supply. I had a number of such
complaints brought to my notice, and they were reported to the
Vestry. For the benefit of the public it was found necessary
to issue handbills, warning the inhabitants to boil all water.
This practice was largely adopted.
It will be remembered there was considerable agitation
amongst the various local bodies in the East of London, and
suggested combined action as to what steps should be taken to
prevent a recurrence of such a disaster. The parish of Hackney
made such representation to the Local Government Board,
that an enquiry was instituted.
I do not, on this occasion, comment on the inquiry, because,
during the period reviewed by this report, the result of the
inquiry had not been published.
It must, however, in fairness be pointed out that the extremly
short notice given by the Hackney Vestry to Medical Officers
of Health, to submit their evidence, rendered it impossible to
prepare the statistics and facts, with reference to the injurious
effects upon the public health. As a matter of fact the effects
in many cases would not become known until weeks after the
supply had been reinstated.
The following tables relate to the period when the supply
was cut short, together with the subsequent three weeks.