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But taking into consideration the houses and rooms that were closed,
the average population for the year was less than 900: taking it at 900,
would give a very high death-rate of 47.8, and a phthisis death-rate
of 12.2 per 1,000.
The above report was considered by the Sanitary Committee and
the Board, and it was decided that the sanitary defects should be dealt
with under the "Public Health (London) Act, 1896."
Notices, accordingly, for every house in the area, were served for the
abatement of the insanitary conditions that could be dealt with under
that Act.
The proposed diversion of Dove Court, and erection of a warehouse
on part of the site, was abandoned; and instead all the eight houses have
been closed: and the four on the north side have been demolished and
rebuilt.
Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, Half Moon Court, and Nos. 15 and 17,
Portpool Lane adjacent, have been closed and demolished, and a large
warehouse is now being built on the site.
The rooms in Union Buildings in which light and ventilation were
defective, are no longer used for human habitation.
Most of the back areas are small, and some have no back area
at all.
The great majority of the houses are let in lodgings, and require
constant supervision to maintain in a sanitary state. They are houses
which it is desirable to have registered, as they require, at least, a
thorough annual cleansing, and the rooms ought to be measured and
a record kept of their cubic capacity, so that the landlord may know
how many persons each room may at most accommodate, and make it
easier for an inspector to know when a room is overcrowded.
GRAY'S INN PASSAGE AREA.
This area includes the houses on both sides of Gray's Inn Passage,
and the triangular area formed by Gray's Inn Passage, Sandland Street
and Red Lion Street; and was reported upon the beginning of December
last.
For 4, Gray's Inn Passage, which is also 24, Sandland Street, a
"closing order" under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, was
obtained the latter part of 1895; 3, Gray's Inn Passage, which is also