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Re-port of the Medical Officer of Health. 105
present, complied with, the matter has been placed in the hands of
the Council's Solicitor.
Some remarks are also made in Mr. Booth's book with reference
to the condition of affairs in Tooting. The statement in the
book is to the effect that "building is now proceeding with, in
"many cases, houses of the worst character that could be passed
"by the most lenient inspector," also that "the streets in
"Totterdown are of the worst type," and that "throughout the
"whole of Tooting there exists damp air, unhealthy soil, houses
" ill-built and uncared for."
The same remarks made in this report with reference to the
new buildings in Garratt Lane also apply to those here mentioned
by Mr. Booth.
I presume that the streets in Totterdown are Letchworth,
Kellino, and St. Cyprian Streets, as the houses erected by the
London County Council were not at the time of his report in
existence.
It would have been interesting to hear what Mr. Booth would
have said with respect to the small houses erected by the London
County Council, as in my opinion a large proportion of the houses
erected by the so-called speculative builder affords more ample
accommodation for the money than the houses erected by the
London County Council.
With reference to the statement that there exists damp air
and unhealthy soil, I would only call attention to the mortality
statistics for this district in my Annual Reports. The death-rate
for 1901 for the whole of this parish was 15.33, and for 1902 13.85,
which rates compare very favourably with those of other districts
of a similar character.
One point which the Public Health Committee might reasonably
consider is the provision of proper small bathing and washing
establishments in the localities which have just been dealt with.
At a small cost houses could be secured in which baths for washing
might be constructed so that the inhabitants of these localities
would at least have the opportunity afforded them at a small cost
of cleansing themselves. Large swimming baths are a luxury and
ought to be paid for by the public who utilise them, small baths and