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present object; the atmospheric oxygen acting upon the
putrid vapours generated in the sewers, decomposes the
sulphuretted hydrogen, and water is formed during a
process of slow combustion.
It has been objected, that this mode of ventilation
might impede the free egress of the sewer air; such, at
one time, was the opinion of Mr. William Haywood,
Engineer to the Commissioners of Sewers of the City of
London; and Mr. Richman, your surveyor, entertains a
similar notion. But, in the third report of the Board of
Works for the Fulham district for March 1859, it is
stated, " That the mechanical obstruction offered by the
charcoal, does not prevent the free and easy egress of the
sewer air." The ventilator used there is a modification of
those first tried in the City; and one has been constructed
for the purpose of being placed over the sewer in Eccleston
Place. A model of the apparatus was exhibited by Dr.
Aldis to the Sanitary Committee who recommended it to
be adopted.
IV. Over-Crowding. Some notices have been issued
to prevent the evils arising from this cause in the Belgrave
Sub-district.* Assuming the quantity of air which passes
through the lungs of a man of ordinary size in 24 hours
to be 267 cubic feet, a space of at least 300 cubic feet should
be allowed for each individual, but a much larger space
is afforded in prisons and workhouses. It is bad enough
for persons who are in health to be huddled together;
but, in the course of time, when fever is engendered, the
consequences become extremely dangerous. The state of
depression induced by over-crowding frequently tends to
habits of intemperance, which increases the tavern as well
* See pp. 27, 28, and 29.