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the water, chlorination and aeration (blowing in air to impart a fresh
sparkling quality to the water) are carried out by mechanical means
in sequence.
So far as the Council's baths are concerned, the public need have no
fear of infection. Frequent samples have been taken for bacteriological
examination, and have shown a most satisfactory state of purity.
At the present time, new baths are being constructed to replace those
at Marshall Street in the Soho district. It is intended that these baths
shall embody the most modern arrangements for preventing contamination
of the water. At the request of the Chairman of the Baths Committee,
the Medical Officer of Health took part in the deliberations of the Committee
and with the Chairman, Baths Superintendent, City Engineer and Architect
visited other districts where filtration plants had recently been
installed. One of these visits was to Stretford, near Manchester, where
much valuable information was obtained. In this instance, a periodic
bacteriological scrutiny is carried out by the Medical Officer of Health
and this particular filtration plant has satisfied the tests.
Public Baths and Washhouses form an important provision as regards
the public health. There are three separate establishments in the City,
at Great Smith Street, Buckingham Palace Road and Marshall Street, the
latter being in course of reconstruction.
In this central London area, it is natural that the majority of those who
use the swimming baths are not residents in the City. In warm weather,
particularly, the baths are patronised to their utmost capacity and it is
therefore of very great importance that every safeguard should be taken
to keep the water pure.
The numbers using the swimming baths during 1929 were as follows:—
Great Smith Street: 120,572 men; 43,597 women.
Buckingham Palace Road: 76,420 men; 43,608 women.
Those using the washhouses during the year were:—Great Smith
Street, 25,753; Buckingham Palace Road, 36,042.
Drainage and Sewerage.—The Ministry does not require any information
under this head as the London County Council is the Authority for
main sewers and sewage disposal. Local sewers however, are built,
maintained and controlled by the Works Department of the City Council.
Many complaints were received, particularly during the intensely dry
summer and autumn, of foul emanations from the sewer gratings in the
streets. This was due to an order of the County Council which entailed
the opening of sewer ventilators which had formerly been closed or
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