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it will probably lead to the saving of many valuable lives due to the better
regulation of street traffic, and therefore less danger to pedestrians in crossing
the roadways.
The discovery of the cause of a remarkable outbreak of illness referred to on
page 24, as having been due to the use of a bacteriological preparation for
destroying mice, is an excellent example of the utility of bacteriology in
etiological investigations.
No community can dwell under proper sanitary circumstances unless the
water supply is satisfactory, but while the citizens have no reason to take
exception to the quality of the water sold to them by the Metropolitan
Water Board, they complain bitterly of the charges levied on them for an
indispensable element. This feeling has stimulated many property owners to
secure release from what they consider an unfair taxation by sinking wells.
A considerable number of artesian wells have consequently recently been sunk
in the City, and more are under construction.
The matter is one of considerable importance. A great deal of information
has therefore been collected during the year, and a summary of the same will
be laid before you at a later date. At present I will confine myself to the
statement that in every instance the supply from these wells has been certified
by your Public Analyst as being of excellent quality.
As in other years special attention has been given to the character of the
food supplies in the City. The supervision of the quality of meat and other
food products passing through the Corporation Markets entails very heavy
responsibilities, and these have been further increased by the issue by the
Local Government Board of the Regulations previously referred to.
It is satisfactory to find that occasions for taking proceedings against persons
for sending unwholesome meat to the markets and elsewhere in the City are
becoming less frequent, the heavy penalties meted out to offenders doubtless
acting as a deterrent. During my first year of office there were twelve such
prosecutions, whilst there were only four and five during 1907 and 1908
respectively.
It will be seen that the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts have been actively
administered as heretofore, and any laxity in this respect would certainly lead
to a great deal more adulteration than now obtains.
The Contaminated Milk question as in previous years has been fully
considered. It is clear, from the results of the examination of the series of
samples referred to on page 29, that the matter is of the gravest importance.
Legislation for dealing with this matter, of the kind promoted year after year
by individual authorities, is costly, ill.contrived, and unsatisfactory. It
behoves the Government, therefore, to fulfil their pledge to promote general
legislation for dealing with the milk supply at the earliest possible moment.