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98
the matter, and if possible devise a remedy," conferred with Mr. (afterwards Sir J. W.) Bazalgette,
the engineer of the late Metropolitan Board of Works, who entered fully into the question, and
explained to them the steps that had been taken to abate the annoyance in connexion with the
main sewers under the control of the Board. The Committee were forced to the conclusion that no
effectual means of sewer ventilation, for the prevention of sewer smells, had been discovered, and
thereupon brought their well-intended but ineffectual labours to a conclusion.
Among the remedies for the evil suggested by myself, in 1871, one was that, "whenever a
new sewer is constructed, it should be ventilated at the highest (or dead) end, by a shaft carried up
above the level of the adjoining buildings," a remedy which, as was then pointed out, could be
applied in the case of existing sewers in mews at no great expense."
In 1874 a specific instance of nuisance, injurious to health, from sewer smells, was reported
on in connexion with complaints from Notting Hill (now Campden Hill) Square, where numerous
cases of " fever " had occurred. The nuisance was abated, and all cause for future complaint removed,
by connecting the dead end of a sewer to an adjacent sewer, and ventilating the system at
the point of junction.
No year ever passed without complaints from various localities; and in 1897, an unusual
number having been received, my report on the subject (No. 9, page 108) was referred to the
Sanitary Committee, who dealt fully with the matter, after obtaining a report from the Law and
Parliamentary Committee on the law of the subject.
The Surveyor also submitted a report "On Sewer Ventilation and Sewer Smells"; and, at
the request of the Sanitary Committee, I made a further report on the subject. Both reports were
forwarded to the County Council, who were requested to instruct their chief engineer to " convene
a Conference of the Surveyors and Medical Officers of Health to discuss the question with him,
with a view to his reporting upon the general question of metropolitan sewer ventilation."
The Conference, to which the Medical Officers of Health were not invited, took place early
in 1898. The chief engineer drew up a report of the proceedings which was communicated to
the sanitary authorities, together with the resolutions adopted—all of which were substantially in
accord with the views of the Vestry's surveyor, viz.:—
1. That the closing of sewer ventilators in response to complaints increases the general
evil, the diminution of which is to be attained by the multiplication of the ventilators at
regular intervals.
2. That in connection with any interceptor hereafter fixed on a main house drain, it
is advisable to carry a ventilating pipe from the sewer side of the interceptor, up the
front, side, or back of the house, to the satisfaction of the local sanitary authority, and that
the outlet drain from the interceptor shall not be flap-trapped in sewer, unless required
by the local sanitary authority.
3. That pipe ventilators, up buildings, or otherwise, when possible, should always be
adopted, in addition to surface ventilators.
The County Council's engineer summed up the matter by stating that "the remedy for
sewer emanations is to be looked for from the maintenance of more ventilating openings, both at
the street level, and by means of pipes carried up houses and other buildings."
With reference to the third resolution of the Conference, the Sanitary Committee recommended
"that the surveyor be requested to report as to any practicable action which might be
taken by the Vestry" for the prevention of nuisance, by improving sewer ventilation. Since that
date many pipe ventilators have been erected, many offensive ventilating openings at street level
closed, and many offensive street gullies trapped, with the result of permanently removing local
cause for complaint.
It may be mentioned here that attempts have been made at sundry times to provide a
chemical remedy for the nuisance. One such—successful as a laboratory experiment—was tried in
* The question of sewer ventilation in mews was fully dealt with in the Annual Report for 1896, page 128.