London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kensington 1885

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]

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150
the law, and of the water regulations. Communications were
addressed to the Board, to the Vestries, and to the local Waterworks
Companies. The Board were informed that your Vestry
were sensible of the value of the advice given, and fully concurred
with the Water Examiner, that if Regulation 14 were "carried
out in its integrity," it would "prevent contamination of the
water from the gases generated by sewage." Request, therefore,
was made that the Board should take steps to secure the severance
of all connections of waste-pipes with drains, by urging the Companies
to put Regulation 14 into immediate and general operation,
viz., by serving the required notice on consumers. Should the
Companies refuse or neglect, the Board were asked to consider as
to the desirability of bringing in a Bill to confer on Sanitary
Authorities the necessary power to enforce the regulation.
The Sanitary Authorities were invited to support your Vestry's
action by addressing a similar communication to the Board, and
by recommending the Companies to put the 14th Regulation in
force, and thereby bring about a much needed sanitary improvement.
Many of them did as requested.
The Water Companies were reminded that the most effectual
plan for giving effect to the advice of the Board was by their
serving notice on consumers to cut off waste-pipes, in conformity
with the provisions of Regulation 14. And "having regard to
the danger of a polluted water supply, especially at a time when
the introduction of Cholera was possible; and to the probability
that, should Cholera ever spread in the Metropolis it would be, as
on a former occasion, through the water supply," "the great
importance of taking steps without loss of time to carry the said
regulation into effect," was pressed upon the attention of the
several Companies.
The Local Government Board subsequently addressed a communication
to the Companies on the subject of Regulation 14,
and these in turn prepared circular notices, which were left at
every house in the several districts. In every circular the regulation
was quoted in its entirety. Attention was drawn to the
excellent advice, upon cleansing and covering of cisterns, and