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is to say, any business in which bones are converted into charcoal, or in which any residual produced
in such conversion is dealt with," had been scheduled in 1888 by the Metropolitan Board of Works as
an offensive business. The solicitor communicated with the manufacturer, and the business was
discontinued.
During the year a number of offensive businesses which had been discontinued for a period of
nine months or upwards were struck off the Council's register. These businesses included those of a
blood-drier, two fat-melters, a fellmonger, a gut-scraper, a manure manufacturer, two soap-boilers, and
a tallow-melter. The business of a manure manufacturer carried on at Arch No. 492, London, Brighton
and South Coast Railway, Rotherhithe, was discontinued by a magistrate's order in October, 1893.
The occupier of these premises had previously been convicted and fined on several occasions for
breaches of the by-laws, and in October, 1892, he was warned that if the nuisances were not abated the
Council would apply to a court of summary jurisdiction for an order to suspend or prohibit his
carrying on the business. In the summer of 1893 further nuisances occurred, and proceedings were
again instituted. On this occasion he was fined and warned that should the offence be repeated the
magistrate would have no hesitation in making an order depriving him of his business. Further
nuisances again occurred, and were proved before the magistrate, and the order was made.
The following are the principal nuisances resulting from trade operations referred to in the
reports of the medical officers of health—
Kensington—(1) From the carriage of fish offal, in this case there was a conviction for the
infringement of the Council's by-laws ; (2) from marine stores ; (3) from brick-burning. With respect
to marine stores, application had formerly been made to the Metropolitan Board of Works to declare
the business of a marine store dealer a noxious trade, but in the opinion of the Board's solicitor this
trade could not thus be dealt with, inasmuch as it was not ejusdem generis with those specified in the
provisions relating to noxious trades. With respect to brick-burning, the Council had in 1889 asked
the sanction of the Local Government Board to make by-laws for regulating this trade. That Board,
however, had declined, and had expressed the opinion that section 21 of the Public Health (London)
Act would suffice. Proceedings under this section were instituted by the Yestry of Kensington.
Hammersmith—From various deposits of dust-bin refuse; from smoke ; from the Albert Mills,
Oil Mill-lane; from factories in the neighbourhood of the " Chancellors," Hammersmith; from
piggeries; from slaughterhouses; from brick-burning; from tripe-boiling; from bone-boiling in
Acton; from gas works.
Fulham—From removal of offal and of bones and fat from butcher's premises; proceedings were
instituted in connection with the removal of bones and fat, with the result that the defendants agreed
to comply with the Council's by-laws pending application to the Council as to the businesses which
were subject to such by-laws.
St. James, Westminster—From offensive smells and dust, and from discharge of hot water and
steam into the vestry's sewer from the electric light station in Mason's-yard. The vestry directed
proceedings to be taken.
St. Pancras—Effluvia, smoke and heat from fried-fish shop. Order for abatement made by the
magistrate.
Clerkenwell—" Two offensive trades re-arranged."
Shoreditch—From the works of the Gas Light and Coke Company. The officers of the vestry
recommended—
1. The provision of funnel-shaped collectors connected with the furnace flues placed above the doors
of the retorts to collect the smoke and fumes arising during the drawing and charging of the retorts, and
to prevent their dissemination through the retort house.
2. The enlargement and better covering of the shoot at the Whiston-street works to prevent
unnecessary contact of the lime with the air.
3. Watering the surface of the dry lime in the lower tiers of the purifiers to prevent dust rising,
and covering the unworked surface of the purifier and of the sieves when removed with sacking or
tarpaulin, as is done in some works described by Dr. Ballard in his report to the Local Government Board.
4. The passing of air through the purifiers just preceding the removal of the cover, in order to take
up as much of the free sulphuretted hydrogen and residual coal gas as possible.
The engineer to the Croydon Gas Company was consulted by the vestry. He agreed with the
second and third recommendations, but regarded the first as impracticable, and stated that from the
account of the precautions taken when a purifier is discharged, he thought it extremely unlikely that
any nuisance was caused at either of their (the gas company's) works beyond what is inseparable from
the manufacture of gas. A letter was addressed to the gas company, advising them to carry out the
recommendations in the report of the engineer.
Limehouse—From the smelting of sulphide of antimony, the apparatus allowing the escape of
large quantities of sulphuric acid gas; a notice for immediate abatement was complied with. From
barges containing fish offal passing along the Limehouse-cut; it was decided that a letter be addressed to
the Conservancy Board asking for preference to be given to the passage of such barges, and for
proceedings to be taken against the owners if nuisance was caused.
Poplar, Bow—From discharging refuse from acetic acid and soda works into sewers ; means were
adopted for preventing refuse passing into sewers. From defective smoke hole in connection with fishcuring
; the smoke hole was repaired. From escape of sulphuretted hydrogen from the main shaft of
sulphate of ammonia works; the condensing apparatus was increased. From cork-burning; extra
precautions were taken to prevent escape of noxious vapours. From burning out castor-oil cans at tin
works; the process was discontinued. From escape of noxious vapours from a set of fat-melting
pots; the boiling apparatus was repaired.
Poplar and Bromley—From fumes from antimony smelting discharged into the atmosphere; the
works have been cleansed. From scraping and drying fish-skins; the works were closed. From
fumes from drying kilns of colour works discharged into the atmosphere; a condensing apparatus