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08
Number of Movable Sanitary Dustbins provided 381
,, Nuisances from Overcrowding abated 51
,, Miscellaneous Nuisances abated 193
,, Houses cloned as unfit for human habitation 7
,, Inspections made 25883
,, Notices served 2663
,, Letters written 3897
,, Letters received and dealt, with 4339
HOUSE DRAINAGE
One of the most important duties which devolves upon
your Inspectors is the testing and examination of existing
house drains, and the supervision of the reconstruction of
such drains when they are found to be defective.
Old drains which for some reason or other are suspected
to be in a defective condition are frequently tested with an
"Eclipse" smoke machine. While this means of testing is
very convenient, it has to be used with caution, for in many
cases in which a positive result was not obtained, 1 found
upon subsequent examination that the drains were in a
dangerously defective condition. It is therefore my practice
to deal with a largo number of old drains under Section 41 of
the Public Health Act, 1875, under which the Local Authority
may, subject to certain specified conditions being strictly
observed, empower their inspector to enter premises, open up
the ground, and examine drains, the state of which is in
question. When the formalities demanded by the section
above referred to can be observed it is far better to examine
drains in this way, because the existing conditions can be
accurately determined, and, as a consequence, the work
necessary to remedy any defects definitely spocificd. One
serious disadvantage, however, from a public health standpoint,
in dealing with defective drains under the soction above
referred to, is the considerable delay which often unavoidably
occurs before statutory notices can be served.