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39
Sanitary
Operations.
(See Table,
page 22).
The sanitary work of the past year shews
that 7,711 houses have been inspected ; and
that the number of notices served continues
to increase year by year. During 1886, 848 first notices
were served to remedy 2,156 sanitary defects, against
617 like notices in 1883. Of second notices to enforce
such works before taking proceedings, 119 were issued
and served in contrast with 188 in the previous year,
shewing that owners comply with the Board's requirements
more readily each year.
The ill-concealed aversion with which the domiciliary
visits of the Board's Inspectors were received a few
years ago has given way to a knowledge of the fact that
their visits are for the assistance and protection of the
poor, in what would otherwise probably be as of old,
unhealthy conditions of houses, drainage, water supply,
&c., &c. All classes now welcome the visits of the
sanitary inspectors, and afford them every possible information
and assistance, with scarcely an exception.
Out of the large number of cases mentioned above it was
only necessary to invoke magisterial aid on six occasions,
in each of which orders were made and the works executed.
The number of houses disinfected after the existence
of infectious diseases was 73—in the preceding year 269
houses being so treated—in itself an illustration of the
smaller amount of epidemic disease existing in 1886 as
compared with the former year. No case was found to
recur after such disinfection, which could be in any way
traceable to failure of the method of disinfection by
sulphurous acid gas, which has been in successful use in
the sub-district for many years, and which time has
proved superior to and less expensive than any other
method. Filthy and unserviceable bedding was destroyed
by fire in two instances.