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prevent the dust-heap becoming so great a nuisance as it is in some cases, by
caution in regard to the matters which they place upon it. Many of the
things which are put on the dust-heap would be much better put on the fire;
there would no doubt be thus produced in some cases an offensive smell, but it
would be of very short duration, and would be much less injurious than the
smells arising from the slow decomposition of the dust heap.
I should recommend that all those, whose business it is to look to the
scavenging of the Parish, should be instructed to observe carefully the dustmen
from time to time, as occasion offers, to discover those who do not wear
the badge. It would probably be useful if some arrangement could be made,
by which certain districts should be visited on fixed days of the week, which
should be made public, so that the inhabitants might know when to expect the
cart, and be prepared for it.
REPORT ON THE IMPERIAL GAS WORKS.
My attention has been directed at intervals for twelve months past to the
nuisance arising in the manufacture of Gas, at the "Works of the Imperial
Company, King's Cross. In order to judge fairly on the matter, I have visited,
in company with other Officers of Health, the chief Gas Works in the Metropolis,
and have visited the King's Cross Works five or six times; and thus I have
been enabled to compare the processes as conducted at King's Cross with those
at other Gas Works.
When I visited these works some twelve months ago, I found that there
were several very serious grounds for complaint. In the first place the refuse
from the wet lime purifiers was deposited in uncovered tanks, and gave rise to
the escape of a very large quantity of sulphuretted hydrogen, sulphide of
ammonium, and other most offensive and noxious gases. These tanks were
a constant source of nuisance, and at frequent intervals they were emptied, and
were then in. the highest degree offensive. In the next place the refuse lime
charged with sulphides, was used to lute the mouths of the furnaces, and was a
source of great nuisance from the same cause. Besides this was the minor nuisance
arising from the oxide of iron, which had been employed for purifying the
gas. The chief gas that escapes during the exposure of this product to the air is
ammonia. There was also considerable annoyance arising from the smoke of
the retort houses.
The first ground of complaint has been partially removed, in compliance
with my suggestion, by covering in the tanks used for the refuse lime. There
is still however a very great nuisance occasioned every time that the tanks are
disturbed, and especially when they are emptied. There are several methods
in which this might be obviated. One is by the employment of oxide of iron to
separate all the sulphides; and the lime which is then used subsequently, to
remove carbonic acid, would be almost entirely free from odour when removed
from the purifiers. Another plan is to receive the refuse lime into a close tank,
and then to make hot air from the furnaces pass beneath, and play over the
surface of it, on its passage to the chimney ; by this means all volatile gases are
removed, and the refuse brought to a plastery consistence, and is then fit for
luting. There is an objection to this method on the following ground: the
injurious qualities of the gases which are thus carried up the chimney, are not
completely if at all destroyed,—the gases are no doubt diffused; but there is in
my mind but little doubt, that in some conditions of the atmosphere, they would
descend and prove both offensive and injurious in places at some distance from
the works. This plan is however adopted at the Phoenix Works (Vauxhall),