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In addition some 716 specimens were examined in connection with the work
of the tuberculosis dispensary at the Royal Chest Hospital, City Road.
DISINFECTION.
The premises disinfected numbered 943 ; the articles removed and disinfected
at the Borough Disinfecting station totalled 22,382, and included 890 beds, 1,051
mattresses, 1,923 pillows, 586 bolsters and 17,932 others, such as sheets, blankets,
quilts, curtains, carpets, clothing and the like. It was necessary to destroy 1 bed
and 2 pairs of mattresses, which were so dilapidated and contaminated as to make
it inadvisable to return them. These were replaced with new.
During the latter part of the year some 68,100 blankets and 42,000 pieces of
wearing apparel were disinfected for trade purposes.
THE SHELTER.
The accommodation provided under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891,
Section 60 (4), was in use during the year on one occasion for suspected smallpox
by two families whilst their homes and clothing were being disinfected.
PUBLIC MORTUARY.
The bodies of 174 persons were deposited in the Mortuary, and the inquests
held numbered 156, in connection with which 156 post-mortem examinations were
made, 79 in the post-mortem room attached to the Mortuary. No infectious bodies
were removed to the Mortuary by the Sanitary Authority during the year.
WATER SUPPLY.
The Meteorological Table for London, deduced from observations at Greenwich
under the Astronomer Royal, issued by the Registrar-General for 1923, shows that
the rainfall for the year amounted to 24.003 inches, which is slightly above the
average. October was the wettest and June the driest month of the year.
In accordance with Section 49 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891,
communications were received from the Metropolitan Water Board as to water
supplies being cut off in respect to 65 premises, all of them in the Northern District.
The grounds for withdrawing the supplies were On account of defective water
pipes in 40 instances, waste on empty premises 3, by request of the consumer in
2 instances, non-payment of rates in 3, and premises demolished in 17 instances.
Water was also laid on to 31 new premises in the Borough.
No complaints were received as to the quality of the water, nor was there any
reason for suspecting the occurrence of any illness due to consumption of the water.
SANITARY WORK.
Intimations as to insanitary conditions were served in respect to 5,394 premises.
In 578 instances they were dealt with by Inspector Wright, in 560 by Inspector
Chapman, 403 Inspector Sickelmore, 425 Inspector Thomas, 326 Inspector Shaw,
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