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sidered is whether the best practicable means are adopted for preventing the escape of vapours into the
atmosphere. Granting that open evaporation is necessary, he was of opinion the same could be carried
on in a properly constructed building, allowing for fresh air inlets, and having an apparatus fixed for
drawing off all vapour given off during the process, and passing same through a series of condensers,
where they would be effectually got rid of."
Rotherhithe.—The medical officer of health refers to nuisance caused (a) by the dressing of roker
skins in Fulford-street, (b) from premises in which manure had been manufactured in Rotherhithe
New-road, and (c) from premises in Rotherhithe-street in which grain was dried.
Battersea.—Complaints were made of nuisance from Beaufoy's Works, where the manufacture
is chiefly acetic acid and Glauber's salts, the processes being by distillation of the acetic acid from oil
of vitriol and acetate of soda, and also from muriatic acid and acetate of lime. Most of the stills were
found to be steam jacketted, from these very little effluvium is given off. One still was not steam
jacketted, this had been seldom used, but would appear to have been the cause of complaint. The use
of this still has now been discontinued and the tanks of acetic acid covered, since which no nuisance
has been detected.
Nuisances.
During the year the Council received 741 applications for assistance in securing the removal
of conditions which it was alleged were dangerous to health. Inquiries were made into the merits of
each complaint, and, where necessary, communications were addressed to the sanitary authorities concerned.
In all cases the subject of complaint was kept under observation until a remedy had been
provided. The Council's inspector made 1,275 inspections in connection with nuisances alleged to exist.
Smoke Nuisances.
References to cases of smoke nuisance are found in annual reports relating to the following
districts—
Hammersmith.—Letters of caution were addressed to offending persons in several instances; in
one case the nuisance was continuous and proceedings were instituted, a penalty of £5 being obtained.
Kensington.—1 summons was taken out, an order to abate the nuisance was made, but no
penalty inflicted.
Fvlham.—] 3 notices were served, and a temporary inspector appointed to watch and report on
nuisance from a particular factory.
Chelsea.—5 cases of smoke nuisance were dealt with.
St. George, Hanover-square.—4 cases of smoke nuisance were dealt with.
Westminster.—In all but 1 instance the service of notice sufficed. In the instance referred to
the defendants were fined £5 and £3 3s. costs.
St. James, Westminster.—4 smoke nuisances were abated.
Marylebone.—Notices to abate were served in 4 instances.
St. Pancras.—1 smoke nuisance was abated.
Hackney.—The smoke inspector made 1,879 "observations." Intimation notices were served
in 29 instances, and statutory notices in 9, and legal proceedings in 1 case only. The prosecution failed
owing to a fault in the notice.
Holbom.—There are 54 furnaces and boilers on the register, 28 without smoke consumers. A list
of the smoke consumers in use in the district is given. In respect of 4 cases of nuisance notices were served.
Clerkenwell.—11 smoke nuisances were abated.
Shoreditch.—86 complaints were received from the London County Council relating to 30 persons.
A practical engineer was from time to time engaged, and in a number of instances, by his advice,
works have been carried out in connection with boilers, furnaces, shafts, &c., which have resulted in
there being no further complaints received as to nuisance from black smoke issuing from these premises.
The medical officer of health recommends the appointment of a practical engineer to deal with cases of
smoke nuisance instead of the sanitary inspector.
Whitechapel.—19 nuisances from smoke abated.
St. George-in-the-East.—20 smoke nuisances abated.
Limehouse.—13 smoke nuisances abated.
Mile-end Old-town.—6 smoke nuisances abated.
Poplar.—45 cases of smoke nuisance due to inferior and defective apparatus. A better class of
fuel is now used.
Newington.—Smoke nuisances, which occurred in seven streets, abated.
St. Olave.—1 smoke nuisance dealt with.
Bermondsey.—9 summonses were taken out, and penalties to the amount of £9 8s. inflicted.
Rotherhithe.—Notice was served in 2 instances.
Lambeth.—50 notices were served.
Battersea.—21 smoke nuisances dealt with.
Wandsworth (Clapham).—5 cases under observation and 3 notices served.
Camberwell,—In 112 instances notices were served to abate smoke nuisances and raise chimneys.
Greenwich.—In 6 cases notices were served.
Lee (Charlton).—1 smoke nuisance was dealt with.
Removal of offensive matter.
The annual reports show that proceedings for enforcement of the Council's by-laws relating
to the removal of offensive matter were instituted in the districts of Fulham, Greenwich and Wandsworth.
In Battersea several persons were cautioned for neglect to comply with the by-laws. In Woolwich the
local board made arrangements for the collection and removal of trade refuse, such as fish offal, and
provided air-tight receptacles for this purpose, the refuse being subsequently destroyed in the destructor.
The medical officer of health of Limehouse reports that with the advent of warmer weather in July, the
usual complaints of nuisance from barges laden with fish offal in the Limehouse-cut were received. The