View report page

37
with carbolic acid, the Sewers were examined and cleansed,
well washed with disinfectants, charcoal placed in the
ventilators, and the stump ends of many sewers were
opened and ventilators inserted, so as to prevent as far as
possible any gases accumulating, by allowing them immediate
escape and so prevent their finding their way into the
houses by the drains, very few of which are quite perfect.
This matter of the immediate escape of sewer gas
from the sewers is of great importance, for there cannot
be a doubt that the sewers do possess a ready means of
conveying infection, as they communicate with all parts
of the parish, and should do with every house, and
if the germs of infection can be carried off with gases, it
will be readily understood how disease may be rapidly
spread over a whole sewer district, for the sewers are the
only channels by which all discharges from patients are
got rid of. Gases will ascend to the highest point and it may
be in this way that St. John's Hill and its neighbourhood was
so generally visited before the lower portion of the district.
I myself descended the Sewer on St. John's Hill and in
High Street; the former was perfectly clean, but I was
affected with very disagreeable nausea, evidently the effect
of Sewer gas ; whilst in the latter, which contained some
six inches of matter, I experienced no effect whatever. The
pace of the flowing water in High street sewer was very slow
indeed. What then is the remedy in reference to these same
gases? plainly, to cause the soilandurine to be removed before
they have time to decompose and so give out their foetid
substances ; and this can be done only by periodical and frequent
efficient flushings especially in hot weather. If no means
exist in the inland portion of the District for such purpose,
I would recommend that the 'main' be utilized. These
remarks apply with great force to the drains in back streets,
which are so frequently found stopped, and which there is
no means of examining except by opening the ground
directly upon them, so that it is almost impossible for the
surveyor to be acquainted with their state. I fully agree
with the opinion expressed by a member of the Board, that
no sewer should exist which a man cannot pass through.