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7
Sanitary Inspection of Dwellings.
Systematic Sanitary inspection has been carried on during
the quarter in the following places :—Polygon Mews, Stanley,
Alexander, Lanark, and some other Mewses. Completed returns
of several highly populated streets can now be added to those
already published in my Quarterly Reports. North Wharf Road,
Iron Gate Wharf, Carlton and Andover Place, in Table VI.,
are the worst conditioned places in the Parish of Paddington,
and are constantly under sanitary inspection.
A Public Disinfecting Establishment.
On the 13th of November, the Sanitary and Public Health
Committee directed me to report in detail the steps necessary for
carrying out Disinfection in this Parish in an adequate and
effectual manner. I refer to that report, which enters most fully
into the subject, showing urgent need of a public disinfecting
establishment, and the probablity is of it being a self-supporting
institution in this wealthy and populous Parish. The deaths
from scarlet fever alone during the last 4 years have been 268,
representing about ten times the actual cases of disease, scarcely
any one of which, whether in the house of rich or poor, have
had the opportunity of properly effecting the disinfection of
woollen clothes, curtains, blankets, carpets and bedding which
retain the contagion. Is it therefore surprising that the epidemic
continues to extend ? Persons are willing and anxious to pay
for this accommodation. Sanitary Authorities do not pretend to
carry out this kind of work for the people, inasmuch as, first, they
known not of the whereabouts of the fresh cases as they appear ;
secondly, if they did, the proper responsibility lies with the
persons themselves, except in eases of poverty, where powers are
given to execute the duty. The • consideration of the subject
was postponed for six months.
Uses of Trees in Towns.
I was requested to report upon the alleged nuisance of trees
overhanging the street in Victoria Place, Talbot Road. Amongst
the minor nuisances complained of, were those of obstruction
to light in some windows, and to gutters and gullies by falling
leaves in Autumn. The benefit, however, of their shade in
keeping rooms cool in summer, and above all, the purification of
air by absorbing carbonic acid and exhaling pure oxygen, far
out-weigh any little inconvenience. I consider that trees in
towns ought to be better protected and cared for by public
authority. The Committee did not sanction the removal of the
trees.