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Diseased, Unwholesome, and Unsound Food.—The section (47) dealing with
this subject is mainly a re-enactment of repealed sections of other Acts: but any
article, solid or liquid, intended for food of man, may be examined, if sold or
exposed for sale, or deposited in any place for the purpose of sale, or of preparation
for sale; and if found to be diseased, unsound or unwholesome,.may be seized.
The article liable to be seized may be seized after it has passed into the hands of
a purchaser. If bad meat is found on the premises of a slaughterer of cattle, the
license may be cancelled. The penalty is increased to fifty pounds for every animal
or article, &c., condemned; but the offender may be sent to prison without the
infliction of a fine. The original vendor of the diseased, unsound, or unwholesome
article, moreover, is made liable to the like pains and penalties of the Act, unless he
proves that at the time he sold the article he did not know, and had no reason to
believe, that it was in such condition. The Sanitary Authority may be required to
remove the bad food from premises, as if it were trade refuse.
Provisions as to Water.—Section 48 enacts that an occupied house without
a proper water supply shall be a nuisance liable to be dealt with summarily, and
shall be deemed unfit for human habitation; it further enacts that a newly-erected
or rebuilt house shall not be occupied as a dwellirig-house until the Sanitary
Authority have certified that it has a proper water supply. An owner who permits
the occupation of the house without such certificate, is liable to a fine not exceeding
ten pounds, and to a fine not exceeding twenty shillings a day until a proper supply
is provided ; proceedings, nevertheless, may be taken concurrently for obtaining a
closing order. The Sanitary Authority are authorised by section 51 to provide and
maintain drinking fountains in convenient and suitable situations. Penalties are
prescribed for damaging such works, or fouling the water.
Cutting-off the Water Supply.— Section 49 requires a water company to give
notice to the Sanitary Authority within twenty-four hours after cutting-off the
water supply— I recommended this many years ago. Liability to a fine not exceeding
ten pounds is incurred by default: it is the duty of the Vestry to take proceedings
against the company in default. It is a pity the legislature did not go further,
and forbid the cutting-off of the water supply altogether.
Infectious Disease—Notification.—Sections 55 to 57 re-enact with some
amendments, the repealed Infectious Disease (Notification) Act, 1889, the provisions
of which were set out in my seventh monthly report for 1889 (July 17th,
page 63). Provision is made for improvements in the form of the medical certificate,
all of which, and more, have been anticipated in the form in use, as supplied to
medical practitioners by your Vestry. Hospital authorities will be required to
certify in respect of inmates of such institutions. The Medical Officer of Health
is required to send a copy of every certificate to the head teacher of the school
attended by the patient (if a child), or by any child who is an inmate of the same
house as the patient. This is an unsatisfactory and troublesome mode of doing
what we have long done in this parish, simply and more satisfactorily, by reporting
all such cases, with additional information, to the Divisional Superintendent gf