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46
WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT.
There will shortly be 10,169 beds available for "fever" and small-pox, a provision which
should suffice to meet all requirements for many years to come. The usual proportion
recommended to be provided is one bed to every 1,000 inhabitants. It is doubtful whether
the population of the Metropolis will ever increase to the extent requisite to reduce the
accommodation already provided to that ratio.
Disinfection.—As stated in previous reports, the disinfection of walls, &c., of rooms is
carried out with the formaldehyde spray (2½-5 per cent. solution). The process appears to
belsatisfactory in every way. Unless the premises are dirty, the wall papers torn, or other
special reason evident, the stripping of walls, the whitewashing of ceilings, and renewal of
paint are not required. Thus only 7 notices to " cleanse and whitewash " were issued during
the year after the occurrence of notified cases of illness. Such work was required or recommended
in connection with certain other forms of illness, more especially after phthisis.

The articles removed weighed 64 tons 3 qrs., or 17 tons more than in 1902, when the
goods weighed 47 tons 7 cwts. 3 qrs. The cost amounted to £1,355, the heaviest account
under the new contract, and the largest amount for the past seven years. From information
which was obtained from the other Metropolitan Cities and Boroughs disinfection under
contract is more costly than that done at a "station." A Sub-Committee of the Public
Health Committee has had the question of making other arrangements with regard to the
disinfection of goods under consideration since June last. It is hoped that a report will
be before the Council in the early part of the current year.
The expenditure on disinfectants amounted to £24 last year, £9 less than in 1902 and
less than one-third of that of 1900 (£76).
Family Shelter.—No use was made during the year of the Shelter provided under
Sec. 60(4) of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891.
Water Supply,—The water supplied to the Borough did not maintain its usual standard
of purity, being several times of bad colour and containing an excessive amount of organic
matter chiefly of vegetable origin. The deterioration was due to the excessive rainfall and
represents in part the surface washings of the gathering grounds and in part the disturbance
of the river's banks and bed bv the scouring which takes place at floods. Of the two supplies
that of the Grand Junction more frequently varied from its usual character, owing to the
small storage available. The metropolitan supply is peculiarly dependent on storage, as
when in flood the river water is too heavily charged with suspended matters to be fit for use,
while, on the other hand, the deficiency in quantity which is associated with a low river can
be successfully met by reserves drawn off into storage reservoirs when the river is in flood.
With so small a reserve as one of 3·2 days (compared with storage for 18·0 days provided bv
the West Middlesex Company) the Grand Junction Company is unable to avoid sending into
its mains water which has undergone incomplete sedimentation. Hence in times of much
rain that supply frequently has a decided yellowish (deepening to shades of brown) tinge.
Although not presenting an attractive appearance, such water appears to exercise no prejudicial
influence on health. As already shown, the cases of enteric fever were considerably
below the average. That disease might have been anticipated to exceed the average with