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27
Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health—1895.
whereas the usual limit regarded by sanitary officers as permissible is 6 parts of
carbonic acid per 10,000. The chemist for the defence (Mr. Wanklyn) stated the
figure 75 per 10,000 was impossible.
Without entering at length into the matter, I may say that Mr. Wanklyn's
view runs counter to all standard scientific teaching and experience. Pettenkofer,
for instance, one of the greatest living authorities on the subject, found 73.2 parts
per 10,000 in a girls' school. Mr. Wanklyn tested the air in the " two-penny overflow
bunk room," and found 8.6 carbonic acid per 10,000. His figure 8 6 offers a startling
contrast from our own figure of 75. It is easily explained, however, by the facts that
Mr. Wanklyn took his sample at an earlier hour of the night, and that between our
visit of the 8th July and his experiment, extensive alterations had been carried out
in the ventilation of the particular room in question.
This dispute between the chemists is unfortunate, because it tends to draw attention
away from the main issue. It is entirely unnecessary, moreover, for I am
prepared to state from the evidence of my own senses, apart from any chemical
examination, that the air of the " twopenny overflow bunk room " on the night of
July 8th was not only dangerous to health, but also to life itself. In this view I
am supported by Dr. Walsh, who was with me on the night of the visit. Besides, a
foul condition of the air followed, as a necessary result, from the gross over-crowding and
the defective ventilation of the place. I may add that not a single Medical Officer
of Health could be found to give evidence for Mr. Booth in favour of the sanitary
condition of the Shelter. On the other hand, my contentions as to unwholesomeness
were supported by no less than five Metropolitan Medical Officers of Health,
to say nothing of independent medical and scientific testimony. According to my
estimate, the Blackfriars Shelter was able to accommodate 401 persons. On the
night of entry I found 1,031. On two other occasions, on the admission of the
Shelter officials, the numbers varied from 743 to 1,045. When the magistrate,
therefore, placed the limit at 550 he convicted the Blackfriars Shelter authorities of
gross overcrowding.
As regards the decision of Mr. Slade, I may say that, in my opinion, the Vestry
is not bound to accept the figure of 550, in the absence of any knowledge upon what
basis that number has been fixed. At the same time it would, of course, be unwise
to adopt any other standard in any possible future proceedings.
For my own part, I see no reason why the Vestry should lessen the reasonable
demand for 30 square feet floor space, and 300 cubic feet air space for each inmate.
This is the minimum I regard as necessary in the presence, I need hardly add, of
free ventilation.
The weak point in the present position apears to be in the fact that your officers
have no right of entry at night for purposes of inspection. As a matter of fact, I
myself was refused admission in June last, and even when armed with a Justice's
warrant I obtained an entrance only in the face of forcible resistance, and under the
threat of bringing up a strong force of police.
In conclusion, it may be confidently expected that the action of your Vestry
will sooner or later bring these shelters, and other night refuges of a similar
nature, within the control of the Common Lodging Houses Act.
I have the honour to be,
Your obedient Servant,
F. J. WALDO,
Medical Officer of Health.
Vestry Hall, St. George's, Southwark,
3rd December, 1895.