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drainage matters (as I have explained in my annual reports),
the annual number of such inspections has diminished; and
during the last six months they have been at the rate of
less than 5,000, and even these have been made up largely
of inspections of groups of houses determined by some
complaint in regard to one of them. I think that in a
large and populous parish like Camberwell we ought to
have from 15,000 to 20,000 inspections annually, and that
all houses needing periodical inspection should be inspected
at least once during that period; and we certainly ought
not to have less, if the sanitary condition of the dwellings
of the poorer classes is to be efficiently supervised. But
besides this the "Regulations for houses let in Lodgings,"
will have to be enforced; and this will entail very considerable
additional work on the Sanitary Officers.
"The most important change that I would venture to
suggest is, that the present staff of Inspectors should be
doubled, and that to each district there should be allotted
an Inspector and an Assistant Inspector: the Inspector
being responsible for all the work done in his district, the
Assistant (acting under him) performing the duties involving
least responsibility. The plan of having two Inspectors
thus working in association, rather than any other plan of
increasing their number, commends itself for several reasons.
(1st.) It is always necessary when an Inspector is obtaining
articles under the Drug and Food Act, that he shall have some
one to accompany him. This is at present done by hiring some
man for the occasion. The duty might be performed by the
Assistant. (2nd.) It is absolutely necessary when drains
are being tested, that two Inspectors shall co-operate. At
present when such testing takes place, an Inspector from