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the year before; that there were 37,697 persons residing in them
against 37,882 in 6037 houses the year before ahd nuisances
were found on 3016 premises against 2993 in 1875. These
numbers are singularly close, and show the great importance of
a regular and systematic inspection of all the houses occupied by
the poor. I am glad to say that there were not any of those
abominable cases of indecent overcrowding which were occasionally
met with in former years. The total number of overcrowding
cases was 30 against 31 in 1875. This table also shows the
streets in which the majority of the small pox and other cases
of infectious diseases occurred, as out of 459 cases of small pox
as many as 304 occurred in the 6103 houses and amongst 37,698
inhabitants, against 155 cases in the rest of the district. It is
true that we were not informed of all the cases, although we
we know of all the deaths; and therefore the comparison is not
perfect, still this return shows its extreme prevalence amongst
the poor.
In addition to these there were 121 lodging-house notices
served, 2918 dust complaints attended to, 59 bodies received at
the mortuary and afterwards delivered up to the friends of the
deceased, 242 houses disinfected for small pox and the infected
articles, to the number of 2459, removed to the disinfecting
chamber of the Hoard, and returned after disinfection to their
owners. There were also 801 letters sent out, 3697 preliminary,
2863 statutory and other notices made out and served, 79 persons
summoned before a magistrate, and 474 copies of summonses
and orders made out, the sanitary books properly kept, the dust
accounts and other bills checked, so that there was an enormous
amount of clerical work done in this department in addition to
the out-door work.
I need scarcely say after this resume and the work done,
that all the inspectors have devoted their best energies to their
work and have given me perfect satisfaction. I may also state
that I have myself inspected a large number of houses, of
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