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18
New Dwelling Houses.
I have reported upon the danger caused by building
new houses upon ground or waste lands previously unprepared
for the purpose. Many open places now built,
or being built upon in this Hamlet, have been for years
the receptacles for all kinds of animal and vegetable
refuse, and have become thoroughly impregnated with
the products of their decomposition, houses are built
thereon, and the result to the health of the occupants
may be imagined and is daily realized by the excessive
numbers of zymotic diseases and deaths which occur in
them. Such foundations should be properly prepared
by previous drainage and other means, to prevent the
exhalation of miasmata from the ground into the houses.
My report to the Committee upon this subject was suggested
when it was proposed to build houses upon some
ground in East Street, for years used as the receptacle
for all kinds of organic refuse.
Finding there was no Act of Parliament containing any
provision to prevent this evil, I sent a copy of my
Report to the Building Act Committee of the Metropolitan
Board.
I may mention as interesting to residents of East London
and all interested in saving Epping Forest from
destruction, that similar objections apply to building
dwelling houses upon recently cleared forest lands.
Woods and forests are highly conducive to the health of
inhabited districts for miles around, but once cleared
the land gives forth its previously pent up pestiferous
malaria, being transformed from a source of safety and
protection to a focus of danger to health ; this consideration
ought to have been sufficient to prevent any
portion of the Forest being cleared, and should now
check further progress in -such a course.