View report page

11
October, at a time when the nuisance was at its height, failed to provide a remedy, although
the evidence both of the public annoyance and of the injury inflicted upon health was of the
most conclusive description. It is earnestly to be hoped that the Legislature will turn its
attention to this glaring deficiency in its Burial enactments.
28. I hare further thought it my duty, during the year, to examine into the condition of
the Vaults beneath those Churches, under which Burials were until lately permitted. The
following is the general result of my examination:—
1. St Mary's.—The vaults have altogether a cubic capacity of about 29,700 feet, and
are freely ventilated. Some of the coffins have, from their weight, sunk partially into
the earth, others are so closely packed, that I had great difficulty in counting them. I
estimate the number at about 460. All that I examined were sound; a great many,
however, were quite out of my reach. The last interment was in January 1853. There is
no communication between the vaults and the interior of the church. The air in the vaults
was offensive in many places, but not oppressively so; and the smell appeared to arise from
the excrements of dogs and cats, who have free access by the barred windows, and who have
scratched up the earth in several places. I would suggest the propriety of adopting some
plan for preventing the entrance of these animals, and the advisability of lime-washing the
vaults. I was informed that there were 11 or 12 coffins bricked up at the East end. Can
any objection be offered, now that no further interments may take place, to bricking up all
the others, and clearing the remaining space ? It would be a decided sanitary improvement.
2. Chapel of Ease.—There is one public vault beneath this church, the cubic capacity of
which is about 2560 feet. It is very dry and well ventilated. It contains 114 coffins in a
good state of preservation. There was no offensive smell. There was no opening from the
vaults into the body of the church. There are, in addition, three private vaults communicating
freely with the remaining large space beneath the church, and containing altogether 15
coffins. In one of these vaults, a coffin, bearing date, 1833, had burst. At the time of my
visit no offensive odour was proceeding from it; but, nevertheless, it should be attended to.
The last interment in the public vault was in 1854. The last in the private vaults was in
January 1855.
3. Trinity Church.—The total cubic capacity of these vaults, of which there are four,
communicating by a transept, is about 35,300 feet. The total number of coffins 173. The
ventilation is sufficient, and the air in the vaults not offensive. There is no communication
with the body of the church. All the coffins are sound. One of them burst some years
ago, and gave off a very offensive odour, but the breach was immediately restored. I
should suggest here, as with the Parish Church, especially as it is situated in the centre of
a small square, the desirability of lime washing, and of preventing the ingress of small
animals.
4. St. John's, Holloway.—I found here again nothing to complain of—there are four
vaults communicating by a transept. The total cubic capacity is about 38,500 feet.
There are 106 coffins, all sound. The vaults are tolerably ventilated, presented no offensive
smell, and do not communicate in any way with the body of the church. The last
interment was in December, 1854.
TRADE NUISANCES.
29. That certain businesses and manufactures were being carried on in Islington in a
manner highly offensive to many of the inhabitants, was matter of some notoriety at the
time when I had the honour of being appointed your Medical Officer of Health. The
most objectionable of these were located at Belle Isle, and against several of the proprietors
legal proceedings had been instituted by the Police Authorities. The suppression of these
nuisances very shortly devolved upon the Vestry. It became therefore incumbent upon me
to make myself familiar with the nature of the manufactures complained of, in order that I
might be in a position to determine the cause of offence, and to ascertain whether or not
the best means had been adopted in each instance to remove occasion for complaint. This