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inspections was very large, yet there were frequent
complaints of the interval which elapsed between
the inspections of the poorer class of houses; for
as these are not less than 4,000 in number, it was
not possible to make a thorough inspection of
them more frequently than once in about three
months. In many cases the interval is undoubtedly
too long, and therefore, at your request, the
solicitor and myself undertook a re-examination of
the whole sanitary business of the City, and we
reported to you thereon in the month of June last.
We advised that the City should be divided into
four equal districts, with a sanitary inspector for
each of them, and we reported in detail on the
method of conducting the work. The appearance
of cholera in London directly after we had so
reported, and the passing of the Sanitary Act of
1866, gave force to our recommendations, and they
were adopted as soon as possible; for the Sanitary
Act of 1866 requires a very close and constant
supervision of the houses of the poor. In other
respects, also, it is an important amendment of the
Nuisances Removal Acts of 1855 and 1860, for it
not only enlarges the definition of a nuisance, but
it adds considerably to the power of the local
authorities in dealing with it.
Until recently, the word nuisance, in all Sanitary
Acts had a very limited signification. It was