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houses are available for the surplus inhabitants. As I have
pointed out in recent annual reports, if stringent measures were
now taken to abate overcrowding in one street, it would only lead
to the persons dispersed producing overcrowding in some other
street, or streets, of Edmonton. Bush Hill Park, which is the
least overcrowded part of the area, is the least troubled with
infectious disease, because the houses are less to the acre and with
fewer inhabitants per room than in other parts of the district.
2. The irregular and belated removal of house refuse.—
This has been the subject for remarks in my annual reports for years past.
Now the Council is dealing with the refuse themselves, we are looking forward
to a removal of this insanitary condition. Shall we be disappointed?
3. Rats.—These animals are now well recognised as the carriers of
disease and the Act of 1919 (if efficiently carried out) will keep their
numbers down. But the Council may set a good example to occupiers by
abolishing a great breeding place, viz., the dumps of house refuse at our sewage
farm and elsewhere in the area. I have persistently recommended the erection
of a Dust Destructor, but it remains a vision of the future. The abolition of
private slaughter-houses will remove another favourite breeding ground. Since
April my Council supplies poison free, or at reduced cost, to occupiers whose
duty it is to deal with them under the Rats and Mice Destruction Act 1919. in
June the County ratcatchers spent a week on the dust shoot and farm buildings
at the cost of £9. In November a yearly contract was entered into with the
County of £50 for their ratcatchers to devote a week every three months.
4. The existence of a sewage farm in our midst.—The
diversion of the sewage of Enfield, Southgate and Edmonton into the London
County Council's mains: on the eve of the lamented death of Mr. Eachus
(your late Engineer) in 1911, this desirable object seemed nearly attained. No
doubt those Councils, who then opposed Edmonton's efforts, would be only too
glad to co-operate now in having the Lea Valley scheme carried out, if it were
possible at the original estimate.
5. Verminous persons and homes.—On January 28th, 1921, I
received from our Isolation Hospital a notice that 21 per cent. of the males and
60 per cent. of the females admitted from Edmonton were found to have
verminous heads. These figures show that there is great room for improvement
in this respect and induces one to again enquire when the Vermin Station will
be completed. The Education Committee appointed a cleansing nurse as far
back as July, 1920, but Miss Edmonds is still without this base for her work.