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at the side of the road. This matter has been under the con-
sideration of the Committee on several occasions, and in order to
abate the nuisance caused by the smells arising from the open
manholes in the centre of the roads, the Surveyor has very kindly,
wherever possible, closed up the apertures in these open man-
holes, and in order to provide outlets for this closed gas wherever
possible and practicable in connection with the drainage of new
property, sewer ventilators are being provided, carried up to above
the level of the eaves of the house. In connection with this
subject, I was asked to report my views generally, and the following
report was presented to the Public Health Committee on this
matter.
Report AS TO Sewer Ventilation.
October 18th, 1902.
I have carefully considered the suggestion outlined to
this Committee at their last meeting, and in accordance with
the request of the Committee beg to report that there is no
doubt but that at times, and particularly in warm, close
weather, extremely offensive smells are given off from the sewers
in this Borough, and particularly again from such sewers as are at
lowlying levels. These offensive emanations are complained of
as proceeding from the open manholes in the roads, and also the
gully gratings at the roadside. The whole question of sewer
ventilation is a very complicated one to deal with, and as outlined
in my Report recently presented to the Committee, of a Paper and
discussion upon the subject at the Congress of the Sanitary Insti-
tute, it was therein shown that a diversity of practice was found,
from the one extreme of having no ventilation whatever, as at
Bristol, where we were informed they had no open manholes,