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119
Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
"to stand, rendering the water unfit for domestic purposes,
"the attention of inhabitants in the Borough is called to the
"importance of carrying out the By-laws with regard to the
"cleansing of cisterns and other receptacles for the storage of
"water for domestic purposes, requiring cisterns to be
"cleansed once at least in every six months, and at such other
"times as may be necessary. Contravention of the By-laws
"renders the person responsible for the cleansing of cisterns
"or other receptacles liable to penalties.
"HENRY GEORGE HILLS,
"Town Clerk"
In 53 instances notices were served on account of animals
being kept so as to be a nuisance, the animals being chiefly
poultry. These are frequently kept in small back yards and in
some instances allowed to monopolise the whole yard.
26 Smoke nuisances were reported during the year, but no
proceedings were taken as all the cases of this nuisance were of a
minor character.
Notices were, however, served in each case, and the owners
or occupiers of the premises warned.
388 soil pipes were repaired, 116 of these being in Clapham,
and 197 in Streatham. This nuisance is one which is frequently
reported on by the Sanitary Inspectors in consequence of the fact
that previous to the passing of the By-laws such soil pipes were
constructed of improper materials, and in course of time defects
occur which make reconstruction necessary.
The number of unclassified nuisances was 792, these including
a number of minor nuisances incapable of definite classification.
Disinfection.
Although the number of cases of infectious diseases notified
during the year showed a considerable decrease compared with
last year, yet owing to the fact that Measles has now been
scheduled as a dangerous infectious disease the total number of
rooms disinfected by the sanitary staff has increased from 1,953
in 1902 to 2364 in 1903. 417 of these were in Clapham, 190 in
Putney, 765 in Streatham, 382 in Tooting, and 610 in Wandsworth.
1,408 lots of bedding were stoved in the disinfecting apparatus,
compared with 1,892 in 1902.
All the work has been done at the Disinfecting Station at
Bell Lane, Wandsworth, and only in a very few instances have