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Much care in inspection has been given to prevent sewage gases
entering basement rooms and bed-chambers, and thus in 432 premises
the waste pipes of kitchen sinks were securely trapped, or their connection
with the drain entirely cut oft'; and rain-water pipes have also been
disconnected from the drains in 394 premises, to prevent tbe sewage
gas entering bedrooms.
Further evidence of the large amount of work done is shewn
by the fact that the yards of 1,003 premises have been paved, to
prevent dampness in houses; it is indispensable for health to keep the
earth under and around the dwellings dry and sweet, for dryness
promotes porousness and freshness, and by enabling air to circulate
through the surface earth, and so disinfect it by oxidation, and destroy
any organic products that might accumulate and become poisonous.
Your Vestry is well aware that there is a very large number
of small old houses in Shoreditch which require very much attention
from year to year, to keep them moderately fit for human habitation;
a great many such dwellings have been pulled down, and their
number has been much diminished during this year; but it is usually
found, when such premises are re-visited after a year or two, that
action is again called for, to abate recurring nuisances, and in these
and similar small dwellings a long list of conditions, more or less
dangerous to health, might be made out, from time to time, as
requiring immediate attention from the Sanitary Officer, and that
was done by the Mansion House Council Inspector in the beginning
of the year, in which 1,045 premises were thus reported to your
Medical Officer. Subsequently most of the premises complained of
were carefully examined by Inspector Alexander, and dealt with as
their condition required.
The notices from the Mansion House Council called your Medical
Officer's attention to 1,916 nuisances alleged to be injurious to health.
997 of these nuisances were due to closets having no water supply, or
a defective water supply; 376 to defective dust bins; in 123 premises
there were no dust bins; in 220 premises the pavement of yards was
defective.
To shew that these complaints had been promptly as possible
dealt with, it is enough to mention that in January, out of 1045, 009
had been attended to, and the nuisances abated.