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estimated, as I pointed out in a former report, that in London there are seldom
less than 2000 deaths annually from fever, and about 14,000 cases; and the
average number of deaths annually in London from scarlet fever, from 1838
to 1872, has been 2552, the lowest number of deaths in any one year having
been (1841) 663, and the highest in 1870, when the deaths were 5803.
Sanitary Works Performed during the Quarter.
The following return shows the amount of work done by the Sanitary
Inspectors during the Quarter ending October 3rd, 1874 :—
Number of inspections of houses as shown in the official returns 2424
Houses specially visited 247
Ditto specially re-visited1152
Preliminary notices served, such notices embracing 304 premises 274
Compulsory orders issued, embracing 89 premises 34
Summonses heard at Police Courts under Sanitary Act 10
Ditto ditto Adulteration of Food Act 0
Cellars used as dwellings discontinued for such use 2
Cases of overcrowding and indecent occupation abated 2
Houses in which the rooms or passages have been whitewashed 196
Eooms disinfected with sulphurous acid gas after the occurrence of
fever, and scarlet-fever, therein 44
Articles disinfected, consisting of beds, bedding, clothing, &c 15
Trades' Nuisances abated 0
Yards of houses paved or the pavement repaired 70
Drains in houses improved 50
Cesspools abolished 2
Dust-bins provided 28
Privies lime-washed, cleansed and repaired 115
Water-butts and cisterns provided or repaired 16
Nuisances from dung and other offensive matter removed 15
Area gratings and cellar flaps repaired 3
It appears from the above returns that the quantity of bedding, &c.,
which has been removed and disinfected has been small, in relation to the
large number of cases of scarlet fever, and of fever, which have occurred
in this District. Mr. Battram informs me that in nearly all cases objections
are made by the parties concerned to the removal of their clothes to
the disinfecting apparatus, preferring to adopt such means as they think will
accomplish the end in view. The plan which, in many cases, the parties
adopt is, when their beds consist of old ticks stuffed with straw or shavings,
either to empty the contents into a public dust-bin, or burn them, and wash
the old ticks. They also wash the few clothes which they possess, and so
prevent the exposure of their poverty. They would be very willing to have
all their clothes and bedding destroyed by the officers of the Board, if the
Board would replace them with new clothes, &c. The Board can, under the
provisions of the amended Public Health Act, replace with new all the
infected bedding and clothes which it is deemed necessary to destroy.
Disinfection.
Although we are not able satisfactorily to state how the several disinfectants
now in use operate in destroying contagious matter, yet, from the