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47
Since February, 1916, the Council has co-operated with the General Officer Commanding the London
District in the supervision of sanitary arrangements affecting rest-houses provided for troops on leave
in London. At that time such premises numbered 40 with accommodation for about 4,000 men, but by
March, 1919, there were in London some 270 houses accommodating 20,000 men. By June, owing to
the departure of overseas troops, etc., the numbers had decreased by half, and at the end of the year
only 23 houses remained under supervision.
Soldiers' rest
houses.
At tne outset a certain amount ot trouble was experienced in dealing witn unsuitable premises
and improper equipment, but the Council's representations were at once acted upon by the military
authorities with the result that a satisfactory standard of maintenance was secured. The work of
supervision included the prevention of spread of infectious disease, the preparation and storage of food
and any questions relating to the health and comfort of the troops using these houses.
In accordance with the practice which has obtained for several years, a census of homeless persons
in the county of London was taken on the night of 14th February, 1919. The central, and portions of
the eastern and northern parts of the county, where such persons are usually found, were visited. The
night was mild and fairly clear. Only two persons (females) were found sheltering under arches or on
staircases. In the streets, 1 man and 5 women were found, as compared with 1 man and 6 women in 1918
and 296 men and 76 women in the early part of 1914 before the war.
The common lodging-house population was less numerous than on any previous occasion, there
being 12,336 inmates as compared with 12,522 in 1918 and 20,173 in the early part of 1914. In the free
shelters and labour homes not licensed as common lodging-houses there was also a reduction in the
number of inmates, 31 men, 59 women and 1 child being accommodated as compared with 32 men and
74 women in 1918. The number of persons in London casual wards on the night in question was 49
males and 1 female, and there were 346 vacant beds. The number of inmates at the date of the last
census was 82, and the vacant beds numbered 314. At Rowton Houses 4,984 men were accommodated
as against 4,108 in 1918, and there were 80 vacant beds as against 968 in 1918.
Work of the Chemical Branch.
The work of the chemical branch of the department is carried out at the Central Laboratory
at Savoy Hill, at the laboratory at Greenwich generating station, and at the laboratories at the two
sewage outfalls at Crossness and Barking.
Central Laboratory.—The work at the Central Laboratory includes the examination of samples of
gases and of oils under the Petroleum Acts and Council's General Powers Acts. Under these Acts
analyses were made of 68 gases used for creating a definitely non-explosive atmosphere in certain drycleaning
and de-greasing, plants in which petroleum spirit is used, and of 113 samples of oils and other
inflammable materials. Samples of fertilisers and feeding stuffs were received during the year—the
results of the action taken in respect of one sample being followed by the withdrawal of the material
from the market.
Samples of rainwater collected each month in special gauges situated in six open spaces in the
county were examined. This work is carried out in collaboration with the Advisory Committee of the
Meteorological Office on Atmospheric Pollution.
The results of the examination of upwards of 1,200 samples of milk are dealt with in the education
section of this report.
Samples of flour supplied to one of the asylums and found to give sour ropy bread were examined.
An investigation in connection with the provision of a shampoo soap for use at the cleansing
stations was undertaken, and the resultant compound is being used with success. This compound
obviates the necessity for the cutting of the hair in order to free the head from nits.
In addition to the above, some hundreds of samples of general stores supplied under contract,
samples of building material and miscellaneous samples, have been examined. The proportion of
unsatisfactory samples was high.
Chemical work at Greenwich Power Station.—The chemical examination, including determination
of the heating values of coal supplied to the Greenwich generating station, was carried out by the chemical
staff. Samples yielding as much as 22 per cent. of ash were received on several occasions, the greatest
percentage (which occurred in three samples) being 38 per cent. The examination of samples from
deliveries of coke showed that the ash content of this fuel varied from 10 to 24 per cent., the most frequent
proportion being 15 per cent. In all 729 samples of fuel were examined (630 of coal and 99 of coke).
The routine chemical examinations at the Greenwich power station have enabled the working of
various appliances connected with steam-raising, etc., to be controlled more efficiently and economically
than was hitherto the case ; also defects in plant have been discovered which could not have been
detected so soon by any other method. This routine work yields valuable results, but there is a great
deal to be done which is of the nature of technical research or experiment, involving close co-operation
between the electrical engineer and the chemist of the Council, as well as between the power-station
engineer in the tramways department and the chemist at the station.
The Outfalls.—The work at the laboratories at the two outfalls includes the investigation of
problems connected with the varying condition of the river and estuary as well as the daily examination
of sewage, effluent, sludge and of river-water collected at high and low tide off both outfalls. In the
year under review 720 samples of sewage and a like number of effluent, together with 1,965 samples
of sludge, were examined. The special examination of the river from Teddington to the Edinburgh light
vessel has been continued throughout the year, and involved the collection and chemical examination of
4,947 samples. Of this number 400 samples of estuary and lower river water ; 1,250 samples taken off
Census of
homeless
persons.