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occurrence of cases of infectious disease; to convey articles of clothing
and bedding requiring disinfection to and from the disinfecting oven,
and to serve notices. The Mortuary Keeper is also under the control
of the Medical Officer of Health, and he, in addition to duties arising
out of the use of Mortuary and Coroner's Court, disinfects articles of
clothing in the disinfecting oven.
The Vestry, as Sanitary Authority for the District, have made Bye-laws
under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, for securing the periodical
cleansing of drinking-water cisterns and the proper flushing of waterclosets;
for the prevention of nuisances arising from various causes,
including the keeping of animals; for securing the paving of open
spaces in connection with dwelling-houses; and for the registration of
houses occupied by members of more than one family. These Bye-laws
have been confirmed by the Local Government Board, and are similar
to those made by other Metropolitan authorities. As regards the lastmentioned
Bye-laws, the amount of cubic space required in registered
rooms is 300 cubic feet for each adult in the case of sleeping rooms,
and 400 cubic feet in rooms used both as living and sleeping rooms;
for persons under 10 years of age only half these amounts are
required. Provision is also made for the exemption of houses as
follows:—
(i.) Where the landlord resides upon the premises, and the
letting by such landlord is to not more than one lodger.
(ii.) Where the rent or charge payable by each lodger, and
exclusive of any charge for the use by such lodger of any
furniture, is at a rate of three shillings per week or upwards.
(iii.) Where the rent or charge payable by each lodger, and
inclusive of any charge for the use by such lodger of any
furniture, is at the rate of five shillings and sixpence per week or
upwards.
This inquiry into the sanitary administration of St. Luke, and the
inspection of the conditions existing in the district at the present time,
the results of which are set out in the foregoing part of this Report,
show that the population is almost entirely composed of the labouring
and the poorer class, and that the houses in the district are in most
instances occupied by more than one family, the majority occupying
one and two rooms.
The notes as to the condition of premises made during the inspection
show that it is most markedly in respect to conditions of a recurring
nature, such as a dirty and dilapidated state of rooms and overcrowding
of tenements that attention should be directed. It is for remedyingand
preventing the recurrence of conditions such as these that Byelaws
as to tenement houses are specially useful, and it is necessary
therefore that the Authority should enforce in a thorough manner the
powers which they possess under their Bye-laws as to houses let in