"The Municipal and Sanitary Engineer's Handbook" by H. Percy Boulnois is a scientific publication written in the late 19th century. The book serves as a practical resource for professionals involved in municipal and sanitary engineering, outlining the various responsibilities and duties of a Borough Surveyor in England during that time. It discusses essential topics related to public health, urban development, and infrastructure management. The beginning of this handbook provides an overview of the role and legal establishment of the town surveyor, referencing relevant public health acts that formalized the position. It highlights the diverse range of responsibilities that fall to a surveyor, such as overseeing urban sanitation, road construction, and public health compliance. The author emphasizes the need for competent civil engineering knowledge to effectively execute these duties, laying the groundwork for the detailed discussions and topics that will follow in subsequent chapters. (This is an automatically generated summary.)