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house-to-house inspection, and he added, "this interpretation, which appears to be in accordance with
the common sense meaning of the text, will necessarily involve your sanitary department in a large
amount of additional work."
No increase in the staff in accordance with Dr. Verdon's recommendation was made. In
August, 1892, when cases of cholera occurred in this country, the Lambeth Vestry appointed six
temporary inspectors for a period of three months. At the expiration of the period named, the question
of retaining the services of the temporary inspectors was considered, but did not commend itself to the
vestry. It was pointed out by a committee recommending the addition to the staff that in 14
large provincial towns the average ratio of inspectors to population was 1 to 14,558, and in London
sanitary districts the average ratio was one 1 to 23,684, whereas in Lambeth the rate was 1 to 34,400.
During recent years the whole of the time of the inspectors has been taken up in dealing with
complaints and with inquiries at houses brought under their notice in connection with the notification
of infectious disease. Systematic house-to-house inspection does not appear to have been attempted,
save for a brief period in the summer of 1892, when the temporary inspectors were at work. The
enforcement of regulations for houses let in lodgings has not been carried out, and no by-laws under
sec. 94 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, dealing with this matter, are in force in the district.
The inspection of workshops has been recently undertaken by an inspector who has to carry out the
Food and Drugs Acts, to deal with smoke nuisances and to inspect bakehouses, and who has very little
opportunity of learning even where the workshops are. The chief need of the parish is that it should
be divided into districts of a size such as can be dealt with by an inspector, and that a systematic
house-to-house inspection should be undertaken. Tenement houses should be registered and by-laws
relating to them enforced. The situation of workshops should be noted, and it will then be possible
to ensure that the law relating to them is complied with. In addition to these needs, as has been already
remarked, a new disinfecting station appears to be needed, and provision for the accommodation of
persons whose rooms are being disinfected is urgently required.
W. H. Hamer,
Assistant Medical Officer of Health.