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10
to you the subject of overcrowded houses has occupied a place.
As this evil not only continues unabated but extends itself year
by year, I am impelled once more to make it a subject of complaint.
That this Board is almost powerless in applying a
remedy I am fully aware, but it is probable that constant reiteration
may eventually be of service in checking the evil. When it
is considered that the upper and middle classes arc enabled to
procure a comfortable and commodious residence for about oneeighth
of their income, while the labouring classes arc obliged
to pay an average of one-fourth for what is really insufficient for
sleeping accommodation alone, it is marvellous that this great
city should continue to bo one of the healthiest in the world,
especially as the deduction is in one case made from the superfluities,
and in the other from the necessaries of life.
Another point to which I have frequently adverted is the
continuance of the antiquated system of supplying the Metropolis
with water. During several months of the past, year, the waters
supplied by the Metropolitan Companies have been analized by
Professor Frankland, of the Royal College of Chemistry, and the
result is an increase of solid impurity over the year 1866. This
the Professor shews is avoidable by observing that "the New
" River Company stands alone in the perfection of its filtering
" apparatus; on no occasion during the past year has this
" company's water exhibited turpidity, thus proving that perfect
" filtration is compatible with the largest daily supply furnished
" by any one company in London." But this unnecessary
impurity of the water is very considerably increased by its
continued distribution upon the intermittent system. In almost
every town of importance in the United Kingdom this system
has been abolished. By a continuous supply, not only is the
danger of leakage of impure matter into the pipes avoided, but
also all those well-known evils attending the storage of water in
butts and cisterns under the existing system.
During the year Small Pox resulted in the deaths of eleven
inhabitants. As this disease doubtless causes an unnecessary
waste of human life, it is satisfactory to know that during the
Session of 1867, a Bill to consolidate and amend the laws relating
to Vaccination, was introduced to Parliament, and received the
royal assent in August last. By this Act the Guardians of the
Poor are required to divide Unions and Parishes into Vaccination
Districts, or to consolidate or alter them, and to contract with
some medical practitioner within each District for the performance
of Vaccination of persons resident in his District only. The
qualification of the Vaccinator is to be prescribed by the Privy
Council, who, in addition to the ordinary payment provided by
the Statute, are authorized to make allowances to Public Vaccinators.
Public Vaccinators and parents are liable to penalties for
neglect of their respective duties, and Justices may make orders