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most elaborately plastered, so as to make it quite impervious
to air; except that one crack in the wall was discovered behind
the aforesaid cracks in the skirting-board, from which a
pretty strong current was blowing, but quite without smell.
It is clear from the above that the only evidence to be
got was that there was an unventilated room, but that no
effluvia could be discovered coming through the well-plastered
wall. Nevertheless, moved by the urgent representations
of the complainant, the Committee determined, under the
advice of the Medical Officer of Health, that the matter
should be referred to the magistrate at Marlborough-street,
rather than that there should be any allegation of denial of
justice. An application was therefore made to Mr. Knox
for a summons, to compel the occupier of No. y to pull down
the pipe within his wall; but Mr. Knox refused to grant a
summons to the local authority, because the evidence adduced
by their officers of the existence of a nuisance was
insufficient. At the same time, he pointed out that the
complainant could apply for a summons himself, without the
intervention of the local authority, under the 13th section of
the " Amended Nuisances Removal Act, 1860."
—Hotel, Albemarle-street.—Complaint of foul smells and
of a vast number of rats, proceeding from an old brick drain
which had been left when the house was newly drained by
pipes. This case is mentioned in illustration of the fact
that some of the best streets contain almost_the only thoroughly
ill-drained houses in the parish.
No. 14, Eccleston-street East, Pimlico.—A small fourroomed
cottage, occupied by four families, numbering twenty
persons. The overcrowding was in the front parlour, which
contained a family of eight persons. The overcrowding was
abated.
No. 4, Eaton-court.—Complaint that a dead,body was retained
here, through the refusal of the medical attendants to