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2nd—Action taken with regard to insanitary Structures.—The Sanitary
condition of the district is permanently benefited by the discharge
of these duties, which call for the exhibition of skill, knowledge,
and tact, on the part of the well-trained Inspector.
To this head is to be referred the supervision of the rebuilding
or the thorough repair of dilapidated houses, the proper paving
and drainage of yards, and tike disconnection of inside drains. The
removal of improperly placed closets, the abolition of cesspools,
brick-drains, and improperly laid pipe drains, inefficient forms of
closet apparatus and sink traps, and their replacement by improved
pipe drains, closet pans, and syphon gullies; the provision of pure
water supply uncontaminated by Sewer gas; the better lighting and
ventilation of staircases, rooms, and workshops.
The duties included in the Second Schedule are incidentally performed
as part of the routine work, but the systematic amelioration
of the dwellings of the district can only be secured by house to house
inspection, and by the skilled supervision of improvements ordered
to be carried out. Owners of small property are very apt to employ
"botchers," instead of proper workmen, and unless the operations
are carefully supervised during progress, the cement gets omitted
in mixing the concrete for paving the yards, the drain pipes are
badly jointed, and the gradients are insufficient, or even laid the
wrong way; as a result of bad work the soil gets soaked with
sewage, the walls remain damp, the air of the living rooms is contaminated
with sower gas, the badly mixed concrete washes into
holes, and the condition of the premises is worse than ever in a
very Short time; on the other hand, when the roofs are made sound,
and the drains properly laid, and trapped with stoneware gullies,
and the yards are paved with a thick layer of smooth concrete on a
firm foundation, the house will remain in a good sanitary condition,
so long as the materials of which it is constructed hold together;
but to ensure this the work must be well done, and nothing scamped.
Important as this supervision is, it has frequently to bo neglected.
The Inspector's district is probably so large that his hands are too
full; the daily complaints must bo attended to; he cannot shelve his
periodical inspections, or disinfecting duties; samples of food must
bo obtained and submitted to the analyst; notices must be drafted
for the clerk, and afterwards served; many hours must be wasted
at the Police Court; until all these duties are performed, the
Inspector has no time for house to house visitation, or for the equally
important supervision of works in progress. Improvements of the