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40
There are two registered tripe-boiling premises in St. Luke, one of
these (as to which complaint was made to me during the inspection)
is not at present in use. The second is undergoing alterations with a
view to improvement.
The water supply of the district is furnished by the New River
Company, and a constant supply is provided throughout. A few
houses obtain their water from the rising main, but in the majority
of cases storage cisterns exist. These cisterns are in nearly all houses
situated in the back yard, and in many instances they are not provided
with adequate covers, and from inquiries which I made of householders
it does not appear that the bye-law as to periodical cleansing
is carried out.
The scavenging of the streets and the collection and removal of
house refuse is carried out by the sanitary authority. As regards
the collection of house refuse, the dustmen call at all houses once in
each week in order to remove the contents of the ashpit, but inquiries
made of householders during the inspection appear to show that
collection depends to some extent upon whether the householder
considers there is or is not sufficient accumulation for removal at the
time that the dustmen call, the result being that in some cases the
refuse, only small in amount and probably filling only part of the
receptacle, is allowed to remain on the premises till the next week.
At the time of my visit to two houses in one street 1 found that the
dustmen had just made their weekly call, but had been told there was
no refuse for collection; but upon examining the dust-bins it was
found that each contained refuse which had collected since removal a
week previously. In the main thoroughfares the collection of refuse
is made daily. The refuse at the present time is taken to a wharf on
the City Road basin of the Regent's Canal, and thence removed by
barge; but this method of disposal will shortly cease on the completion
of the dust destructor which is being erected for the use of the
district.
For the disinfection of articles of clothing and bedding after the
occurrence of cases of infectious disease in the families of residents in
the district, the Vestry has recently provided a steam disinfecting
oven. This is situated at the Mortuary buildings, and is in charge of
and worked by the caretaker of the Mortuary and Coroner's Court.
Rooms in which cases of infectious disease have occurred are fumigated
with sulphur by an assistant.
The Shelter for the use of persons during the time that their room
or rooms are undergoing disinfection is not yet ready for use. It is
proposed to utilise for this purpose six rooms on the top floor of the
building which is being erected in connection with the Vestry's new
wharf and dust destructor buildings. These rooms are over and
approached by the same staircase as the rooms to be occupied by the
Wharf Superintendent. It is not proposed to fit up a bath-room in
connection with the Shelter.