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82
Annual Report of the London County Council, 1912.
The conclusions of the Committee are briefly as follows:—
(1) That the systematic ventilation of sewers is of secondary importance and that free
ventilation is unnecessary and impracticable. It is pointed out that in all cases before men
enter the sewers special precautions should be taken, and that it is dangerous to rely for safety
on ventilation.
(2) That sewer gas is offensive to the sense of smell, but is not injurious upon bacteriological
or epidemiological grounds, and the instance is given "that human beings deliberately
exposed to sewer air do not appear to be affected in health."
(3) That in some circumstances the intercepting trap might with advantage be omitted
from the drain.
(4) That where a permanently sound drain is required, iron pipes should be used.
(5) That the fresh air inlet to house drains is of small importance and may frequently
with advantage be omitted.
These conclusions are discussed in some of the annual reports from varying reports of view,
but the Departmental Committee has anticipated difference of opinion in its final conclusion that as
circumstances vary in different localities, the question whether the intercepting trap is or is not
required, is one which must be considered and determined by local authorities and their advisers in
the light of local conditions.
The London Equalisation of Rates Act, 1894.
The Equalisation of Rates Act provides that the London County Council shall in each year
form a fund from a rate of sixpence in the pound on the rateable value of London. The contribution
from each parish to the fund is to be in proportion to its rateable value, and the amount thus produced
is to be distributed among the local authorities in proportion to population. Where a
sanitary district comprises two or more parishes, and the aggregate of the contributions from such
parishes is less than the grant apportioned to the district, the difference is paid out of the fund
to the sanitary authority of the district, and no payment towards any equalisation charge is required
from any parish in the district. Subject to the above, when the contribution from a parish is
less than the grant due, the difference is paid out of the fund to the sanitary authority of the district
forming or comprising the parish; and if it exceeds the grant to the parish, the Council, for the
special purpose of meeting the excess, levies on the parish a county contribution as a separate item of
the county rate.
Every sum paid to a sanitary authority must be applied in defraying the expenses of the
sanitary authority incurred under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and so far as not required
for that purpose those incurred in respect of lighting, and so far as not required for that purpose
those incurred in respect of streets, and where the sanitary district comprises two or more parishes
the sum paid must be apportioned among such parishes in proportion to their population, and the
amount apportioned to each parish credited to each parish in the reduction of the rate required from
such parish towards the above-mentioned expenses.
A statement of the amount of the grant or equalisation charge made to or levied upon the
sanitary districts in the county in respect of the year ended 31st March, 1913, will be found in
Volume I., page 50.
Midwives Act. 1902.
Registration.
The number of midwives giving addresses in London whose names appear on the Roll of Midwives
for 1912 is 4,985. This number includes midwives who may have removed from the
County, but, owing to the fact that they are not practising, their present addresses have not been
reported to the Central Midwives Board, and consequently appear as London addresses. Of this
number, 555 notified their intention to practise during the whole year or for shorter periods.
The qualification of the London midwives is as follows:—
Qualification of Midwife.
Number
not giving notice
of intention
to practise.
Number
giving notice of
intention
to practise.
Total.
(а) Holding certificates from the Central Midwives 2,644 262 2,906
Board
(b) Holding a certificate, obtained as the result of an 1,615 217 1,832
examination prior to the passing of the Midwives
Act
(c) Enrolled by virtue of having been in bona fide prac171 76 247
tice as midwives a year previous to the passing
of the Act
4,430 555 4,985