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tices of coal; (2) hard core, consisting of bottles, bones, crockery,
metal pots and pans, etc.; (3) soft core, consisting of animal and
vegetable matters and textile substances. The breeze and the
hard core are sold to brickmakers, builders, and others; whilst the
soft core is chiefly burnt, in each case in a Destructor provided for
the purpose, though at Lett's Wharf the paper and rags are also
first carefully separated out and sold as such. The whole process
is an exceedingly offensive one, and most degrading to the workpeople
employed in it, especially the women and girls; whilst
the foul odours which are given off during the process of sorting,
and also from the heaps of refuse awaiting sorting, may, and
often do become, a nuisance to the surrounding neighbourhoods.
It is somewhat difficult to understand why the whole of this refuse
is not burnt, seeing that each of the Depots is provided with a
destructor, and there is consequently no sufficient reason, apparently,
for such preliminary sorting. It is an anomaly, if not a disgrace,
that the wealthiest Corporation, in the world should persist
in carrying out what is recognised by all Sanitarians to be a
most noxious and degrading business; and as such business is
carried out in the Parish of Lambeth, it became the duty of the
Medical Officer to report strongly in connection with the matter
to the late Vestry, who not only approved the report, but sent a
copy to the two authorities mentioned, with a suggestion that the
practice complained of should be discontinued. The Clerkenwell
Vestry have since then practically discontinued the handsorting;
but the City Corporation goes on as before, apparently
oblivious to the bad example they are setting to other lesswealthy
authorities.
There is always a difficulty in proving actual injury to health:
from such offensive occupations as the sorting of refuse; but there
can be no doubt as to such a trade process being dangerous to
health, when one considers that the employees work half buried
in offensive and more or less decomposing and fermenting organic
refuse, the fumes of which surround them, and are being
breathed and re-breathed continuously; and in my opinion representations
should be made to the City Corporation.
Hand-sorting of house refuse is also carried on in other parts
of the Parish, viz., Cookson's and Clarkson's Yards, Tinworth