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INTRODUCTORY NOTES.
In a general way the evils of insanitary and overcrowded
dwellings have long been recognised, but it is only from the
beginning of last century that scientific observation has been
brought to bear upon the great problem of housing. The awakening
of public opinion upon this question is, perhaps, in the main due to
two chief causes—in the first place there has been the Growth of
the Towns, which has, admittedly, brought the entire problem to an
acute stage; in the second place, there has been the Growth of
Sanitary Science.
It is now known that overcrowding, to use a simple though somewhat
indefinable term, brings about certain definite physical effects
in addition to indisputable moral and social evils. It is not
proposed in this place to discuss the moral side of the question; yet
it would be idle to ignore the fact that the lowering of the standard
of morals which unquestionably occurs as a direct and inevitable
result of bad housing is not only a moral question (the importance
of which is at once admitted), but by inciting to certain habits may
result in definite physical effects and in disease and death. But
apart from, and in addition to, the moral issues and their ultimate
effects, it is now recognised that the sickness rate and death rate of
a district are also directly and inevitably affected by overcrowding.
Two very obvious illustrations of these physical results are the
greater prevalence of phthisis (consumption) in overcrowded
districts, and the greater danger of infectious diseases spreading in
any area where the population is dense. There can be little doubt
that there is a very intimate relationship between the overcrowded
condition of the central districts of London and the high phthisis
and zymotic death rates in those districts. Further, it is well
known that children reared in such districts are often physically
stunted and constitutionally weak, thus being more susceptible to
disease.