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of 117. It is remarkable that only 7 cases of Diphtherite have been returned
by the Parochial Officers, which would seem to indicate that this disease has not
prevailed so much amongst the poor as amongst the richer classes. "Whilst
referring to the information given me by the District Surgeons, I may mention
that they still continue to direct my attention to any places in which they
observe that inspections are required by myself or the Inspector of Nuisances;
they thus render the parish a great service, by enabling the Sanitary Officers to
devote their energies to the spots which arc the focuses of epidemic, endemic,
and infectious diseases. An erroneous impression has occasionally existed that the
District Medical Officers thus render the work of the Officer of Health and the
Inspectors of Nuisances unnecessary ; the fact being exactly the contrary. The
more information given to the officers, the more labour is thrown upon them, as
they have to use the means for abating the evils to which their attention is
directed.
SANITARY WORKS REQUIRED OR EXECUTED.
The streets that were previously reported as being without sewers, remain
in the same condition, seeiug that no new sewers have been made. The open
sewers previously reported, in and near the Gospel Oak Fields, as well as the
open ditch in Winchester Terrace, are still unclosed.* The unpaved district
between the Gray's Inn and Bagnigge Wells Roads, and many parts of Agar
Town are still in the same state; but I am glad to know that the Vestry has
recently decided to borrow money for the purpose of paving these hitherto
neglected portions of the Parish ; you will, in this way, very much improve the
salubrity of those localities which have been justly the subject of numerous
complaints.
Some of the old sewers in the Parish are in a very imperfect state ; some of
them are not deep enough to drain the lower parts of the houses, others have an
insufficient fall, so that the drainage stagnates, and the more solid part remains
to putrify in the sewer, and give off offensive and noxious gases, which escape
either into the streets, through the gulleys or ventilators, or into the houses
whose drains arc untrapped, and even forcing its way into those which have
traps. It must never be forgotten that none of the traps in ordinary use are a
complete protection against the passage of sewer gases. The shackle trap
usually employed at the entrance of the house-drain into the sewer, admits air
through the upper part of it from the sewer into the house-drain, whenever
water passes through the lower part of the trap. The other traps in common
use, such as the Syphon Trap, the D Trap, and the Bell Trap, are all dependent
on water; in these, when there is no water, which must often happen, no protection
whatever is afforded; and even when water is present, the depth of it
is so small that it is insufficient to resist any pressure of gases, such as often
exists; and when once saturated with the sewer gases, it offers little or no
obstruction.
Other sewers lie in holes from not being well constructed, the brick-work
having giving way at points, or the sewer having been built piecemeal, and the
levels not well observed. The consequence of this is, that the sewer, instead of
being as it should be, a channel with smooth sides and bottom, having a uniform
fall, so as always to have a flowing stream of water holding feculent matter in
suspension, and almost free from smell, is a succession of overflowing cesspools,
with the most putrid and noxious accumulations in them. This is of course an
*One open drain at the back of Gloucester Place, Kentish Town, which, till recently,
received very many house drains, is now restored to its original condition, that of a simple water
course, and, by carrying the drainage into the sewer in front, a very considerable nuisance
has been removed.