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226
1908
DISTRICT INSPECTION.
There are 14 inspectors engaged on the work of district inspection, and on
them also devolves the duty of making inquiries respecting infectious diseases,
which it may be mentioned has become enormously heavy owing to the very
great number of cases of measles, whooping cough and chicken pox which are
now reported by the teachers of the London County Council's Schools, and
which formerly were only notified in much smaller numbers. They have also to
inquire respecting the failures to notify births, and to make inquiries respectinp
pulmonary phthisis, besides making many inquiries respecting various
matters which usually crop up in all large communities.
Inspections and Visits.—8,270 houses were inspected; and these
inspections entailed 64,066 further visits to superintend the necessary works, or
to see that the nuisances had been abated.
House to House Inspections.—1,202 house to house inspections were
made, as compared with 1,696 in 1907. These inspections are required by
Section 1 of the Public Health (London) Act 1891, and section 30 of the
Housing of the Working Classes Act 1890. Important though such work
undoubtedly is, yet it can only be carried out as the exigencies of the other work
of the inspectors allow. It is difficult to foresee what will happen if the Town
Planning Bill becomes law, for it contains the requirement that every house
must be inspected quinquennially. In Islington such a gigantic work as this
could only be undertaken by a staff of special inspectors.