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trict, since the above-mentioned period, is now somewhat diminished, it being
for the year 1855, 27 in 1000, or 1 in 36 of the whole population.
This diminution in the rate of mortality, small as it is, may be looked
upon with some little satisfaction. In order to account for this favorable result,
I may state that, while I was one of the Medical Officers to the Whitechapel
Union, many of the localities of the poor were much improved ; nearly
all the courts in the Aldgate Registration District were paved, sewers were
made in some of the worst places, and more attention was paid to the cleansing
of the streets and courts. The Trustees appointed under the provisions of the
"Whitechapel Improvement Act," caused many of the worst districts in the
Parish to be well paved; and, if such powers continue to be exercised, very
few of the courts will long remain unpaved. Since the Tenter Ground
has been paved, the health of the inhabitants has been far more satisfactory.
Fever and other zymotic diseases, which were of frequent occurrence before
that locality was paved, are now much diminished.
The partial success which has attended the exertions of the Local Boards,
in paving and draining the unhealthy places, gives us encouragement to persevere
in the same course. In addition to these sanitary improvements, two
very valuable Acts of Parliament, relating to the regulations of common lodging
houses, have been recently enacted, from the operation of which, most important
results relating to the public health have been obtained. One of these
Acts is entitled "An Act for the well-ordering of common lodging-houses"
(1851,)—the other, "An Act for making further provisions with respect to
common lodging-houses" (1853).
Under the provisions of these Acts, every common lodging-house must
be registered, together with the names and residences of the keepers of such
lodging-houses, and the number of lodgers authorized according to the Act to
be received therein. The keepers of common lodging-houses must give immediate
notice to the local authority, whenever a case of infectious or contagious
disease occurs in any person sleeping in the house. Common lodging-houses
may be inspected by any officer of the local authority at any time, and it is
incumbent upon the keeper of a common lodging-house, thoroughly to cleanse
all the rooms, passages, stairs, floors, &c., and to limewash the walls and ceilings
twice every year. The local authority can compel the keeper of every
common lodging-house to provide a proper supply of water for the use of the
lodgers. All such sanitary regulations should be at once adopted by the landlords
of the tenements occupied by the poor.*
*There are 109 registered common lodging-houses (exclusive of the Metropolitan
Chambers in Albert-street) in the Whitechapel District, kept by 100 different
persons. The number of rooms occupied is 653, in which about 3,215 persons
sleep nightly, 180 cubic feet of space is allowed for each person in a common lodging
house; 5ft. by 6ft, or 30 superficial feet are allowed for each person when the ceiling is
Oft. high ; when it is under 6ft. or a sloping roof, then 50 superficial feet are allowed to
each person. As the police or local authority has the power of limiting the number of
persons in every room of a common lodging house, so has the District Board the power
of preventing overcrowding in any of the tenements of the poor. A conviction, under
the 29th section of the "Nuisances Removal Act," has taken place, and the full penalty
of 40s. for each house, inflicted upon the tenant of two houses, in the Holborn
District, where overcrowding existed. There are very few rooms occupied by the poor
in this district, in which more than four persons can sleep without endangering theiv
health.