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32
SANITARY WORK OF THE YEAR 1877.8.
Table No. XII.
The manner in which the table of our sanitary work is prepared
I have already explained in this report, and I need only point out
that both the number of the inspections and of the improvements of
the year compare favourably with those of former years.
Owing to the continuance of the small-pox epidemic, the
disinfections which were carried out, viz., 1,392, were nearly half as
many again as the 939 of 1876-7, and six times more numerous
than they usually are under ordinary circumstances.
This large amount of extra work, together with the examination
and destruction of infected beds and bedding, of course occupied
considerable time, and altogether it is a matter of satisfaction that
our ordinary sanitary work has not suffered more than it has from
the seriousness and extent of the additional labour which has been
entailed upon us by the two years' epidemic.
The use of disinfectants in the manner already described was
continued during the year, the epidemic also involving us in an
increased outlay in this respect from the much larger quantity of
disinfectants required.
The district inspectors, in addition to their other work, reported
that it was requisite for the dust to be removed from 1,273 houses, a
number quite independent of those premises which were visited and
reported upon by the inspector of dust in the usual course of his
duties, and who in carrying out this special branch of our sanitary
work, visited during the year 19,612 premises, and found that dust
was required to be removed from 7,350 of the houses inspected,
so that dust was ordered to be removed from 8,623 houses in consequence
of the work of the inspectors, whilst 13,858 removals were
ordered owing to the complaints or applications which were
received from the inhabitants.
SUMMONSES, 1877-8.
During the year ending 25th March, 1878, four summonses
only were necessary under "The Nuisances Removal Acts," and
these were issued by the authority of the Sanitary Committee for