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(Vide Table VI. Appendix), appears to be a work the
beneficial effects of which upon the health of the neighbourhood
it would be impossible to over rate.
In the corresponding table of the last report, a much
larger amount (148,040 feet) of new sewerage was noted
as having been constructed within the District. In 1806
also the amount was very large (121,921 feet), making up,
in three years only, a total of main drainage considerably
over 300,000 feet in extent. It is calculated, taking the
collective returns of the several Surveyors in each year
since the District Board of Works was first constituted,
that a length of this enduring work has been completed
within the area of this District, equivalent to very little
short of 100 miles.
Ventilation of Sewers.—The great defect in the main
sewerage, arising from the necessity for ventilation, is at
length occupying the attention of engineers and others.
Recently, in some of our scientific societies, the matter has
undergone much discussion, and several papers have been
read by men of eminence upon this subject, as well as upon
that of water supply, with which it is intimately connected.
But in the absence of any thorough scheme to meet the
many evils arising from sewer emanations, no remedy
presents itself of equal efficacy and facility of application
as that of sufficient and continuous flow of w ater, by which
means the sewage would be more rapidly removed, the
decomposition through the accumulation of gases prevented,
the absorption of gases when formed secured, and the
necessity for ventilation thereby reduced to a minimum.
As a necessity for the efficiency of the present main
drainage, the above plan has been constantly, and from the
very first, contended for by the Medical Officers of Health
of this District, and it is moreover the conclusion which the
Engineer of the Metropolitan Board of Works appears to
have more recently arrived at (Vide Mr. Bazalgette's Report
on the Ventilation of Sewers, January, 1866).
Water supply.—The Medical Officers of Health have
fully entered into the consideration of this important
subject in a special report recently made to the District
Board of Works, by request. Apart from the reports of