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29
houses and premises, and the prompt abatement or removal
of all nuisances which such inspections have from time to
time disclosed.
It will be seen, by a mere glance at the Table, that there
has been a considerable amount of effective sanitation
accomplished during the past year; but, notwithstanding
the employment of these measures, it can hardly be expected
that, in a district abounding as this does in manufactories,
and being singularly liable to all the evils
resulting from overcrowding, improvidence, and defective
education, that the proportion of deaths to population will
ever be very small.
In addition to the inspection of all places used for the
keeping of cows and the slaughtering of cattle, much
diligence has been employed to prevent the sale of unwholesome
food, &c., but it is not without regret that it
has been found necessary to make a good many seizures
of meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables, as being wholly unfit
for human consumption. Of meat, 2¾ cwt.; of vegetables,
1½ cwt.; of fruit, 3½ cwt.; and of fish as much as 17½
cwt. were condemned. The large amount of 25 cwt. of
unwholesome food having been offered for sale is a serious
matter, and had such sale been effected it is impossible to
say what amount of mischief might have ensued.
It only remains for me to refer my readers to the
general report applying to the entire district, for the
opinions I hold, in common with my colleagues, upon the
water question, as well as upon some other equally important
matters, which bear alike upon the public health of
this and the other Sub-districts.
WM. CONNOR, M.B.,
Medical Officer of Health
for the Sub-district of Battersea.