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artificial, arising from large arrears of 1858-59 being included in the return of the
year ending Lady Day, 1860. But a larger number of houses than usual have
really been dealt with in the course of this year, owing to the necessity which arose,
after the prevalence of smallpox, of having all the infected houses cleaned and
purified.
The total of the houses subjected to improvement through the proceedings
of the sanitary officers was 528 in 1859-60, against 432 in 1858-59; and
the total number of works executed was 2,0l5, in place of 1,347 in the previous
year.
The largest amount of sanitary work was done in the localities lettered H. and
K. on the diagram—those lying east of Drury-lane. In the latter of these is
included the radical improvement of twenty-two houses in Lincoln-court, which
became re inhabited only in January, 1860. Much labour was also given to the
parts around Dudley-street, where there is always an inexhaustible field for
improvement. Church-lane district, too, contributes much to the numbers of
this table, from the systematic improvements begun in 1858 being here recorded.
We have seen the good fruit that has already been borne by these sanitary
measures,
In other districts, too, there has been ample scope for improvement. The mews
of Bloomsbury will be found to occupy a conspicuous position on the foregoing list.
Fifty-three stables have been properly drained, many of them being supplied
with water-closets, and the ventilation of the dwelling-rooms above has been
made efficient. In several instances, rather than effect the alterations required to
fit such rooms for a dwelling place, the owners have chosen to discontinue letting
them.
Five houses, which were in every sanitary respect extremely faulty, have been condemned
by the police authorities on representations from this Board, and have been
rebuilt in a satisfactory manner. An old house at the corner of Endell-street and
Broad-street, which had been a nursery of disease for years, has lately been replaced
by a structure of very different characters.
In this place I cannot refrain from expressing the gratification I reoeive, as Healthofficer,
from witnessing the rapid progress of the new Schools in Broad-street. On
the one hand the parish has gained materially by the displacement of a number of
squalid, unwholesome tenements; and on the other hand, the children of the schools
will exchange a most unhealthy, confined atmosphere for the free air and admirable
arrangements provided by the new structure.
The practice of overcrowding rooms occupied by single families has been combatted
with success in the neighbourhood where this evil prevailed most seriously.
After a few proceedings had been successfully taken before the magistrate, an enumeration
of the inhabitants showed that the rooms of the Church-lane quarter were
less thickly tenanted than previously. This reduction in the actual number of residents
has doubtless contributed to make the deaths fewer : but the improvement of
the death register for this neighbourhood is mainly to be ascribed to the effect of
this and other sanitary measures on the health of those left behind. In other localities
few flagrant instances of overcrowding have come to light, the handbill that was
so industriously circulated in 1858 seeming still to be remembered by the holders
of the poorest houses.
The occupation of underground dwellings, not possessing the legal requirements
of area and ventilation, has steadily engaged the attention of the Sanitary Committee.
Where a trifling alteration sufficed to bring a kitchen into conformity
with the law, notice was given to the owners to do the required works. Between
Lady Day, 1859, and Lady Day, 1860, such alterations were made in, the following
places:—
(C) Little Coram-street, Nos. 4, 6, 20, 28, 31.
(C) Colonnade, No. 37.
(C) Marchmont-place, Nos-1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 9,11,13,18,19.
(C) Chapel-place, Little Coram-street, Nos, 3,5, 6, 9.
(H) Smart's-buildings, Nos. 4,5,6.