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116
the contained gases; and foul effluvia, with all their injurious
consequences, will find their way into houses." Among
other remedies suggested by myself, twenty-seven years ago,
one was that "whenever a new sewer is constructed, it
should be ventilated at the higher end by a shaft carried up
above the level of the adjoining buildings." This has, in
some instances, been done with good effect. The serious
character of the nuisance in mews, to which I have adverted
more than once in recent years, had attracted my attention in
1871, and I pointed out that "no great expense would be
incurred in providing the remedy (just mentioned), even in
completed sewers." The mischief is, practically, as great in
1899 as it was in 1871, and the remedy has for the most part
still to be provided. The impropriety of dispensing with
apertures in the roadways, in the absence of shaft-ventilation,
was also referred to in the 1871 report, wherein I advised that
" so far from closing existing apertures, such apertures might be
multiplied with advantage, so as to permit the gases to escape,
in small quantities, from many points, rather than in large
volumes from a few." The subject was again dealt with in the
annual report for 1872 (page 23), and a suggestion having
been thrown out that "all the gullies should be effectually
trapped"—a course which," as they are situated so much
nearer houses than the ventilating shafts, would be satisfactory"
to many persons annoyed by the stenches—it was stated
that this would not be prudent in respect of the older thoroughfares,
wherein the ventilators are few in number and widely
separated." The gullies in such localities, it was pointed out,
"act as ventilators also, and if all of them were trapped, and
no additional ventilating shafts provided, the results would be
disastrous." The subject was once and again referred to, in
the reports for 1873 (page 30), and 1874 (page 43): in the
former year in connection with "the usual crop of complaints
of bad smells proceeding from the sewer ventilators," especially,
I may add, those of certain main line sewers belonging to the
(late) Metropolitan Board of Works; with reference to which I