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47
The sanitary works attended to during the past years
will be found in Table VI. in the Appendix. Owing to
the large number of houses duly inspected by the Surveyor,
the Inspector of Nuisances, and myself, a great deal of
useful sanitary work has been accomplished.
There was also the annual inspection by the Surveyor,
the Inspector of Nuisances, and myself of all the Slaughterhouses
and Cow-houses in this parish. In several cases
I had to make repeated inspections and suggestions as to
improvements which some of the owners were slow to
adopt.
With reference to our water supply I have nothing
more favourable to state this year than I have had for
many years past. So long as the water is taken from the
Thames it is hopeless to expect a pure water supply.
Here is the "Fons et origo mali" of the water difficulty.
Dr. Frankland says that the water supplied by the
Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company in May last
year was much polluted by soluble organic matter. Col.
Bolton, government water examiner, says it is impossible
to make it fit for drinking purposes. The Water Companies
have done everything they could, and at great
expense, but fail to supply suitable water for dietetic
purposes, and it must be so as long as the source is polluted
with sewage. I have long suggested obtaining the water
from other sources. It seems to me it may be obtained
from the chalk hills of Kent, at no great distance, and
requiring neither filtering beds nor storage room. It is
hard but good, and of equable temperature. No second
service would be required, and there would be no chance
of suffering from water famine, as we have occasionally
been in danger of doing.
JOHN MAC DONOGH.
Medical Officer of Health for Clapham.