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In addition to the above mentioned officers there is a general assistant who is engaged to assist
the sanitary inspectors in drain-testing and in the collection of samples, to fumigate rooms after the
occurrence of cases of infectious disease, to convey articles of clothing and bedding requiring disinfection
to and from the disinfecting oven, and to serve notices. The mortuary keeper is also under
the control of the medical officer of health, and he in addition to duties arising out of the use of
mortuary and coroner's court, disinfects articles of clothing in the disinfecting oven.
The vestry, as sanitary authority for the district, have made by-laws under the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, for securing the periodical cleansing of drinking-water cisterns and the proper
flushing of waterclosets ; for the prevention of nuisances arising from various causes, including the
keeping of animals; for securing the paving of open spaces in connection with dwelling-houses; and
for the registration of houses occupied by members of more than one family. These by-laws have
been confirmed by the Local Government Board, and are similar to those made by other metropolitan
authorities. As regards the last-mentioned by-laws, the amount of cubic space required in registered
rooms is 3U0 cubic feet for each adult in the case of sleeping rooms, and 400 cubic feet in rooms used
both as living and sleeping rooms, for persons under 10 years of age only half these amounts are
required. Provision is also made for the exemption of houses as follows—
(i.) Where the landlord resides upon the premises, and the letting by such landlord is
to not more than one lodger.
(ii.) Where the rent or charge payable by each lodger, and exclusive of any charge for
the use by such lodger of any furniture, is at a rate of three shillings per week or upwards.
(iii.) Where the rent or charge payable by each lodger, and inclusive of any charge for
the use by such lodger of any furniture, is at the rate of five shillings and sixpence per week
or upwards.
This inquiry into the sanitary administration of St. Luke, and the inspection of the conditions
existing in the district at the present time, the results of which are set out in the foregoing part of
this report, show that the population is almost entirely composed of the labouring and the poorer class,
and that the houses in the district are in most instances occupied by more than one family, the
majority occupying one and two rooms.
The notes as to the condition of premises made during the inspection show that it is most
markedly in respect to conditions of a recurring nature, such as a dirty and dilapidated state of rooms
and overcrowding of tenements, that attention should be directed. It is for remedying and preventing
the recurrence of conditions such as these that by-laws as to tenement houses are specially useful, and
it is necessary therefore that the authority should enforce in a thorough manner the powers which they
possess under their by-laws as to houses let in lodgings. The by-laws of the authority were confirmed
by the Local Government Board in 1895, and I understand that since that date an attempt has been
made to enforce them, and notices were served upon the owners of 48 houses, but upon the return of
these notices with particulars as to occupation and rent of tenements, it was found that owing to the
low limit of exemption, namely, three shillings a week, only 16 houses came within the scope of the
by-laws, although other houses in the same and other streets are substantially the same as regards their
occupation as those which have been registered. Inquiries made of tenants as to rent during my inspection
confirm this experience, that the present limit of exemption renders the by-laws inoperative in this
district; thus out of a total of 177 tenements, which appear to be of the class for which these by-laws
are intended, 145 were let at three shillings or more per week, and would therefore escape registration.
There is little doubt that much benefit would be derived from the periodical inspection and cleansing
of the majority of houses let in lodgings in the district, some needing both inspection and cleansing
more frequently than others. In view of the experience already gained as to the practicability of
using the by-laws, the authority should take steps to amend the exemption clauses.
It has been customary to have house to house inspections made by the inspectors of those parts
of the district which are known to require most attention, and, as the result of this, many of these
premises were found in respect to conditions other than those referred to above in a satisfactory state.
These inspections, together with inspection on complaint, re-inspection after completion of works, and
duties relating to food, and the collection of samples is sufficient to take up the time of the present
staff; and it has not been possible to undertake a systematic house to house inspection throughout
the whole district, with a view to obtaining a record of the conditions of, and the mode of use of all
premises in the district, although the vestry have passed a resolution that each inspector shall devote
two days in each week to this purpose. The result is that many insanitary defects exist in houses,
and the sanitary authority has not yet a complete knowledge as to all the workshops and workplaces
in the parish and the requirements of such premises, although a number have been visited and
particulars relating to them entered in the vestry's register of factories and workshops.
In order to carry out this house-to-house inspection, and to visit periodically as often as may be
considered necessary houses let in lodgings when registered, it will be necessary to make an increase
in the number of inspectors at present engaged by the authority. The increase necessary in the staff
will depend to some extent upon the number of houses which it is found should be registered, when
the by-laws are so amended as to make them practically useful in the district. In arriving at this
conclusion of need of increase in the sanitary staff, the following facts, to which my attention was
directed by the chairman of the vestry's public health committee when I commenced the inquiry,
have been kept in mind, namely—
1. That since the reorganisation of the work of the department some twelve months ago,
and the appointment of two new inspectors, an increased amount of work has been effected
in the district.
2. That at least one-fifth of the total population reside in blocks of artisans' dwellings
which, having resident superintendents and being let to tenants subject to certain
regulations, require less supervision on the part of the sanitary authority than other
premises.