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"unless we have a considerable increase in the staff of inspectors the order cannot be carried out in its
entirety."
I noted the absence or defective condition of receptacles for house refuse in nineteen instances,
and in eight cases found on premises visited a considerable accumulation of dust; complaint was made
by several persons that there was difficulty in securing the regular removal of house refuse.
Faulty structural conditions not admitting of easy remedy have not been alluded to in the above
category of defects, and do not assume anything approaching the degree of prominence which obtains in
Whitechapel. There is of course a marked difference in the character of the two districts in this respect.
Mile End Old Town possesses, however, a certain number of narrow streets and confined courts. The
lower part of Romford.street has been particularly referred to by Mr. Taylor in his annual report for
1892, and in the same report mention is made of Knott.street and adjoining streets, and of Lewin's.
buildings. In his annual report for 1898, Mr. Taylor speaks of Lomas.buildings as " one of the worst
blots " in the district. This opinion my own experience of Mile End leads me to confirm.
Mr. Taylor has made considerable use of the procedure of the Housing of the Working Classes
Act to the great advantage of his district. Copies of representations made to the vestry of Mile End
relating to more than 200 houses have been received by the Council since the passing of the 1890 Act,
many of the houses in question have been under repair and are now inhabited, but in several instances
after remaining closed for a time they have been ultimately demolished. Mr. Taylor writes in his annual
report for 1892, " Although this method of dealing with insanitary houses involves considerable time, and
trouble, the results prove to be very satisfactory." He adds that the premises in respect to which proceedings
were taken under the Act were in such a dilapidated condition as to render it almost impossible
to deal with them under the Public Health Act.
Bakehouses.—Of the 82 bakehouses in Mile End, I inspected 29. Twelve were situated below the
ground level. Speaking generally, the bakehouses were clean and well kept, and the existing law was
enforced.
Slaughterhouses, cowsheds, and offensive trades.—I visited the twelve licensed slaughterhouses,
the twenty cowsheds, the offensive trade premises, and several milkshops in the district.
The dung.pits of some of the cowhouses though in conformity with the regulations made under
the Dairies, Cowsheds, &c., Orders, did not conform with the new bylaws made by the Council under
section 39 (1) of the Public Health (London) 1891, Act.
There was evidence of need too of the application by the sanitary authority of the bylaws relating
to the removal of offensive matter.
Considerable nuisance has latterly been experienced in Mile End from a blood.boiler's premises
in Bow.common lane. The occupier was prosecuted and fined j£3 in August last, but the nuisance has
since recurred, and the matter is being dealt with at the time of writing this report.
Regent's canal.—I inspected the portion of the canal situated in Mile End, and found the
water in a fair condition, no carcases of dead animals were seen floating upon it. The question of the
drainage from the lock.keepers' houses had been dealt with. The drains formerly communicated with
the canal; the water.closet at Mile End lock has now been connected with the sewer, and at Johnson's
lock an earth.closet has been provided. There was formerly too pollution of the canal caused by
a urinal on the east side of Rhodeswell.road ; a new urinal which is drained into the sewer has been
constructed there. The condition of the towing.path has, moreover, been improved by laying down
ballast.
Disinfection—Disinfecting apparatus.—Sulphur dioxide fumigation is employed for the disinfection
of rooms. In cases of small.pox the walls are washed with carbolic acid.
The disinfecting apparatus is an old Fraser's oven which has been converted into a steam dis.
infector. Articles are exposed to steam (not superheated steam, as the oven will not stand pressure) for
about 25 minutes, and must then be left in the oven for an hour to dry. The apparatus appears to
labour under considerable disadvantages as compared with the forms of steam apparatus which have
been adopted by a number of London sanitary authorities.
A shelter for the accommodation during disinfection of their dwelling of the members of any
family in which dangerous infectious disease has appeared, has been provided in accordance with section
60 (4) of the Public Health (London) Act. Three separate rooms are kept for such use in the shelter,
and there is a resident caretaker. I was told application to use the shelter is made on an average about
once a week.
Mortuary.—A new mortuary was being built at the time of my inspection.
Sanitary administration.
There are three sanitary inspectors, each of whom has charge of a particular district. The
ward divisions of the parish form the basis for the mapping out of the districts.
No. 1 district comprises the whole of the east ward and the portion of the north ward east of
Globe.road.
No. 2 district comprises the whole of the centre ward and the part of the north ward west of
Globe.road.
No. 3 district comprises the whole of the west and south wards.
All three inspectors are appointed to take samples under the Food and Drugs Act in their
respective districts.
A clerk relieves the inspectors of a large share of their clerical work, and there are three men
belonging to the surveyor's department, who are concerned with the work of disinfection, and who
render occasional assistance to the inspectors when requested to do so. Mr. Taylor states in his annual
report for 1891 that a system of house to house inspection " is the only proper method of inspecting
a district thoroughly," and such a system has been adopted in Mile End Old Town since
that year; at first with two inspectors progress seems to have been slow; but since June, 1892,