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buildings, from which they are separated by small back yards. The houses apparently are old and
worn out, all are unoccupied, except two, and on the north side are being pulled down and re-built.
Providence-place.—This is a narrow alley, 12 feet wide, situated at the end of Verulam-street. At
one end it is closed in by the cowshed and buildings in Union-terrace. It contains a row of two-storey
cottages on either side, which are old and worn out, but are now in a fair state of repai:, owing to alterations
which have recently been carried out under notices served by the sanitary authority.
Half Moon-court.—This is a narrow court having three rows of houses, one on either side, and the
third at the end, opposite to the entrance to court from Portpool-laue. This row of houses is immediately
in the rear of houses on the north side of Providence-place. The court is confined by surrounding
buildings, and many of the rooms are badly lighted. The houses on eastern side and all but one of end
row are closed.
Overcrowding of rooms was met with in 47 cases. The most marked instances of this occurred
in that portion of the district known as the "Italian colony." A form of lodging prevails here which
corresponds with an ordinary common lodging-house, in that the sleeping rooms are occupied in common
by four or six or more male lodgers. These rooms are generally furnished with double beds, and are
only used as sleeping rooms, the lodgers making use of the living room of the occupier for the purpose
of meals. In these cases, however, ordinary casual lodgers are not received, the occupiers of the
premises being Italians, who provide lodging for members of their own nationality at a weekly charge,
and the lodgers in most cases remain in the house for long periods. Generally the sleeping rooms in
these premises and the beds were found cleanly and well kept, but the rooms were much overcrowded.
The following are examples, a room of about 563 cubic feet slept in by three men ; a room with three
beds, which it is stated are occupied by six men, about 1,200 cubic feet; a room with three beds for
the use of five men, about 1,000 cubic feet.
The registered common lodging-houses in the district now number eleven, two having been
closed since my inspection began. With one exception they were found in a cleanly state and well
managed. Some of the premises are not in all respects well adapted for use as common lodginghouses,
in one instance the house being old, but fairly well maintained, while in two cases the dayroom
is badly situated and not well ventilated.
I was unable to obtain any definite information as to the number of workshops in the districts.
Hitherto there has been no special inspection in regard to these premises, they have only been visited
on complaint or as met with in the ordinary inspection of premises, and no register of workshops
is kept by the sanitary authority. During the course of this inspection 27 workshops were visited, 16
of which were either dirty or in need of repair. In 7 the water-closet accommodation was inadequate,
and 5 water-closets were in a dirty condition. Overcrowding of workroom was noted in 5
instances.
There are 24 bakehouses. These, with two exceptions, are situated underground. All
those visited were cleanly and in good repair, but in three the means of ventilation are not well
provided.
The two licensed slaughterhouses in the district I found to be in accordance with the regulations,
one of them, however, is badly situated owing to the fact that it abuts upon the house, a window of
one room of which opens on to the slaughterhouse. There is one cowshed, which is not well lighted
and ventilated, this being in great measure due to its confined and objectionable situation. The shed
is the ground floor of premises, the two upper floors of which are used for human habitation. There is
also a set of premises in the district occupied by a tripe boiler, which at the date of inspection was
undergoing alterations and improvements. The milkshops visited were generally satisfactory, but in a
few instances (where small quantities of milk are sold in the shop only) the utensils were not kept in a
cleanly manner.
The sanitary authority do not themselves carry out the collection and removal of house refuse
and the scavenging of the streets, but have made arrangements with a contractor for these purposes.
In connection with removal of house refuse a new contract was entered into in March, 1896, and by the
terms of this contract it is stipulated that each house in the district shall be called at once in each
week. For some parts of the district arrangements have been made for a daily collection. Inquiry is
also made daily on behalf of the contractor at the Town Hall as to any complaints of non-removal of house
refuse. During the inspection 25 instances were noted where undue accumulations of refuse existed,
and upon inquiry it was found, as regards some of these, that the refuse had not been called for during
the previous week. The cleansing of the streets is also carried out by a contractor, and the sanitary
authority have an inspector (in the department of the surveyor) who supervises this work. But there
does not appear to be any control as to the method in which the house refuse is collected, except
such as can be exercised by the sanitary inspectors in noting the condition of the ashpits in the course
of visits to premises which are engaging their attention.
The disinfection of articles of clothing and bedding after the occurrence of infectious diseases is
also carried out by a contractor, the authority not having provided a suitable disinfecting oven for the
use of the district. Arrangements have therefore been entered into for disinfection by steam in such cases.
The contractor sends on alternate days to the offices of the sanitary authority to ascertain whether any
cases requiring disinfection have occurred, and he is notified of any cases occurring between his visits.
The articles are removed and returned in covered vans. The disinfection of rooms is carried out by an
official of the sanitary authority. A shelter for the use of persons during the period that their rooms
are being disinfected has not yet been provided within the district, but arrangements have been made
with the sanitary authority of Clerkenwell to share their shelter.
An ill-designed mortuary containing separate chambers for the bodies of persons dying of
infectious and non-infectious complaints, and a post-mortem room has been provided in the stone-yard
at the rear of the Town Hall. The situation is unsuitable owing to the surroundings, and to the fact
that the building has been erected against a high wall of the adjoining premises. The entrance to
the non-infectious chamber is through the post-mortem room.