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nuisance what is necessary is, daily sweeping, washing, and
disinfecting of wood-paved roads ; frequent emptying of gullies,
followed by disinfection ; and copious Hushing of sewers with
free use of sulphate of iron in solution as a disinfectant. But
gullies should be trapped, especially in narrow mews; and the
sewer ventilating gratings should be abolished and ventilating
pipes be carried up to a sufficient height, and so placed as
not to injuriously affect adjacent buildings. The carrying out
of these measures would of course entail considerable expense,
but money could not be better laid out; it is only right, moreover,
that the inhabitants, whether rich or poor, should be
protected from the nuisance, and the danger to health, resulting
from the stenches from sewers, &c.
DEFECTIVE SEWER VENTILATION IN MEWS.
Reference was made in the eleventh report (October 8th)
to outbreaks of infectious disease in mews, due, probably,
to the escape of sewer gas at the level of the roadway, either
through ventilating gratings or untrapped gullies. Consideration
of instances of this kind induced me to have the
several mews of the parish, to the number of 176, inspected
with a view to ascertain the character and amount of the provision
made for ventilating the sewers therein. Particulars
are subjoined which show the number of instances in which
there would appear to be no means of ventilation, unless by
untrapped gullies, or by rain-water pipes connected with the
drains, or by soil pipes of water closets. In other instances,
there is surface ventilation, but, as a rule, to an inadequate
amount, by means of gratings in the roadway, in addition to
any ventilation that may be effected by gullies, rain-water
pipes or soil-pipes, whilst in a few cases ventilation has been
provided, more or less effectually, by means of a pipe or pipes
carried up adjacent buildings. The subjoined table summarises
the facts ascertained :—