Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Report on the public health of 1902
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feet long and 3 to 4 feet wide. The court itself consists of four
houses, two on each side. Each house consists of two rooms, one
above the other. There is no back ventilation. The sanitary
conveniencies are situated near the entrance to the court and are
for the common use of all the persons in the court. They ventilate
into the court. The dustbins and water supply are also common
to the four houses. At the blind end of the court there are
buildings higher than those in the court, thus preventing through
ventilation of the court, which is still more obstructed by the
tunnel entrance. Each of the houses is used in part for the
manufacture of ice-cream, and the residents are almost exclusively
Italians.
lb) Kemp Place is another similar cul tie sac on the west side of
Baker's Row, Farringdon Road, in immediate proximity to'
Caroline Place. It is entered by a similar narrow covered
entrance, between N os. 8 and 9, Baker's Row. The court contains
four houses, having two rooms each, one above the other. There
are no back windows. The sanitary convenience, dustbins and
water-cisterns are situated at the blind end of the court, and are
for the common use of all the residents in the court. In each of
the four houses Italians are accommodated, and the houses are
largely used for ice-cream manufacture.
The floors, walls and roofs were defective, the paving of the
yards in a bad condition, no through ventilation for the houses,
and defective drainage. The owners, while admitting the serious
defects and insanitation, believed that they could remedy the
condition of things by extensive repairs. Works have therefore
been carried out extending over several months, and a number of
the sanitary defects have been rectified. This attempt has not
been made by my advice, and it remains to be seen how far the
eight houses will be made really habitable. There can be no
doubt at all that the property has been greatly improved. Whereever
possible effort should be made to improve residential property
rather than close it, and I view with satisfaction any such
remedial works as these if they are adequate and result in making