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58
and gave off an offensive odour, and illness in several
families was attributed to it. The water company was
communicated with the plug at dead end of the main
situate close by was opened, the people advised to empty
their cisterns, and Mr. Richards visiting next-day he found
all of the complaints had been removed, clearly pointing
to the accumulations of organic matter in the neglected
dead end as the cause, though not altogether admitted
by the company
Overcrowding. But five instances of overcrowding were
discovered, the two following are examples
A front room upstairs in M Street, was found
to contain 1,500 cubic feet of space, in it were living
and sleeping—
Father.
Mother.
Two grown up daughters.
Two grown up sons.
Five younger children.
eleven in all, giving 140 cubit feet of space for each person.
In the back room of same floor containing 890 cubic
feet, were found living and sleeping—
A widow, her daughter and child.
A man about 20 years.
A girl aged 15 ,,
,, 11 ,,
equal to 150 cubic feet each person. Notice was served
and the overcrowding at once abated.
The following will show how difficult it is at times to
discover the cause of complaint of objectionable smells
and from what unexpected source they may arise.
An offensive smell was alleged to prevail at uncertain
times in the drawing room of Culmvale, St. James' Road,