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"This insanitary work in the immediate neighbourhood of an
Infirmary" (to use Dr. Brace's words) was carried out there at the
time when the Infirmary was built in 1886, and has been going on
ever since. It has not increased, as stated by Dr. Bruce, for the
actual number of loads dealt with is as follows: —1907, 11,308;
1908, 10,964; 1909, 10,956; 1910, 10,644; 1911, 10,751, and
1912, 10,446.
So far as the dwelling-houses in the neighbourhood are concerned,
we can speak with assurance that complaints of smell and
deaths from diarrhæa have been conspicuous by their absence, even
when startling head-lines were appearing in the Press about the
Camberwell dust-heaps.
The foul black smoke referred to (October 22nd) is not due to
any work carried out on behalf of the Council.
Observations have shown that, though there may be an unpleasant
smell of manure and dust in the immediate neighbourhood
of the trucks, such smell could not be detected at the Constance
Road Infirmary, even when the wind was blowing in that direction
from the trucks. This building is almost as near to the trucks as is
the Southwark Infirmary. Under analogous conditions the smell
was hardly noticeable even at the distance of the wall of the Southwark
Infirmary.
These observations are supported by the Sanitary Inspector,
who has made a daily visit since July 9th, 1913, to the siding; he
also states that during the time he was engaged in testing the drains
(a period of three weeks) he never observed any smell of manure
or dust in the grounds of the Infirmary.
On one occasion a very faint odour was noticed at about 55
yards' distance when in the line of a strong wind coming from the
direction of the trucks. Vegetation on the embankment separating
the siding from the Infirmary wall, even after a period of drought,
showed no deposit of the dust, which is alleged to blow straight
into the Infirmary wards some 40 yards away.
It must not be forgotten that in the grounds there are trees,
some of them of thick growth, which even in the winter act as a
screen; while at the time when the enteritis was most prevalent
the leaves were fully out and the screen more complete. These
trees are of varying height, but the thickest growth is mainly about
25 to 30 feet from the ground, and is about on a level with the
middle floor of the Infirmary.
Further, members of the staff frequently sit out in the grounds
and apparently suffer no discomfort.
Our experience (on the subject of "smell") is also confirmed
by Glengall Wharf, where this dust is shot from the carts into the
barges. Standing on Glengall Bridge at about 20 yards from two
carts which were being emptied, and to the leeward of them, there
was no appreciable smell, and this was confirmed by a Sanitary
Inspector who was present. Nor do we get complaints from this
depot, although factories employing large numbers of hands abound,
and the whole neighbourhood is thickly populated.