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Annual Reports, wherein this subject has been frequently
mooted, and its consideration strongly urged upon your
Board. It is sincerely hoped the subject will soon be
revived, and well ventilated, in which case the Medical
Officers will have but few misgivings as to the result of the
Board's deliberations; for they cannot bring themselves
to believe that any sanitary authority can long remain
indifferent to what has, in many districts, been already
effected, by the adoption of the process of disinfection by
heat in properly arranged and suitably constructed
buildings.
Closely allied to this subject is that of the establishment
of Baths and Wash-houses in the District. It is impossible
to over-estimate the advantages which the poor in manufacturing
localities such as Battersea and Wandsworth
(as indeed in all the Sub-districts), would derive from
properly regulated establishments of the description
referred to. There is statistical information in abundance
in possession of Medical Officers of Health, that might be
here quoted, fully proving these advantages; and since
sanitary authorities generally are supposed to be much
interested in all schemes having for their object the
diminution of the amount of disease, and the lessening of
the rates of mortality, it is submitted that there can be
no project more worthy of the consideration of Boards and
Vestries, or to which they could give their countenance
and support with a greater certainty of good results, than
the one which is here recommended to notice.
Scavengering.—Removal of House Refuse, &c.—The
Medical Officers of Health are desirous of drawing attention
to the general scavengering of the District, and the
inefficient manner in which this very important sanitary
business seems to be conducted in some localities. It must
be evident to most householders that the removal of
house refuse, and the cleansing operations embraced by the
term scavengering, are too infrequent, irregular, and