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7
(1) Always live and sleep in a room with the windows open.
(2) Sleep alone.
(3) Expectorate into a pot containing disinfectant, or into a rag
which must be immediately burnt. (Note the Council supply disinfectants
free to the poor.)
(4) Do not spit on the floor, in the street, or in any public
conveyance.
I feel sure that the compulsory notification of Phthisis by Poor
Law Medical Officers will be of great benefit, and I hope at no
distant date that, notifications will be generally compulsory as much
can be done by periodical disinfection and instruction to check the
spread of this dreadful scourge.
INSANITARY PROPERTY.
Continuing the work which was commenced last year after the
visit of the Local Government Board Medical Inspector, several
blocks of insanitary property have been reported on as being unfit
for human habitation.
Nos. 1, 6 and 7, Troy Town Passage, and No. 4, Back Lane.
As mentioned in my report for 1907, the magistrates adjourned the
hearing of these cases for a month to enable the defendant to submit
specifications of proposed works. This was not acted upon and the
court ordered a second adjournment with a like result. The court
thereupon made a closing order in each case with costs. The
houses are now unoccupied.
Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4, Cromwell Place, and Nos. 6 and 8, Back
Lane. These cases were also adjourned for the same reason as
above. Eventually a closing order was granted in respect of 6 and
8, Back Lane and 4, Cromwell Place. The owner appealed against
the decision of the magistrates. The appeal was heard before the
Lord Chief Justice on May 28th, and was dismissed with costs. The
three houses remain unoccupied.
Nos. 10 and 11, Back Lane. The owner upon receipt of the notices
served under the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, closed
the houses but refused to give an undertaking not to relet. Shortly
afterwards it was ascertained that the owner had entered into
negotiations for the sale of the property, presumably to evade the
notices. Upon this the Council authorised proceedings to be taken,
and the magistrates granted an order in each case prohibiting their
occupation with £3 3s. costs. The houses remain unoccupied.
Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, Harding's Court. As a result
of an inspection with the Sanitary Inspector this block of property
was found to be in an extremely dilapidated and uninhabitable
condition. The property consists of 4 tenements and 5 self contained
dwellings, containing 28 rooms. No less than 7 cases of
Overcrowding were detected, and in two instances your Inspector
was compelled to institute proceedings in order to procure an abatement
of the nuisances. The owner was communicated with, and he,
accompanied by the Sanitary Inspector, visited the property and