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31
UPON THE SANITARY STATE OF CLERKEN WELL.
Nuisances Removal Acts. It is a common notion, that the poorer classes
really prefer a state of dirt and filth, have no objection to the foul odour of
drains, &c. But this is an entire mistake; they have no power to remove
themselves from these conditions. The enemies of the poorer classes are the
landlords, who know well that proper lodgings for the really poor do not exist.
They know also that if they buy at a cheap rate any old premises, not fit
for a pig-sty, and let them cheaply, they will be sure to find tenants. But the
Vestry, who have undertaken to carry out the above Acts, will, it is to be
hoped, speedily remove such unfavourable conditions. In most of the
districts of the Metropolis, a house-to-house visitation is accomplished, and all
the nuisances set right in order. In Clerkenwell, only those cases are interfered
with which have given rise to some excess of mortality, or which have
been found out by chance visitation, or, very rarely, after some complaint has
been made. It is to be hoped that the house-to-house visitation will be
adopted in this district, and that to each inhabitant will be enforced their
share of health and comfort.
NUISANCES OBVIATED.
During the year 1856, 350 nuisances have been remedied in the district.
These consisted of choked-up drains, which have been cleared out; of offensive
cesspools, which have been filled up, and drains made into the sewers;
of accumulations of foul bones and fat, which have been removed; and of
offensive privies, which have been cleansed, panned, and trapped. Of these
350 nuisances, 139 occurred in the southern, and 211 in the northern
division of the district.
The removal of these nuisances must unquestionably have added greatly
to the comfort of those who were living in the midst of them, and must also
have contributed to the improvement of the general sanitary condition of the
district. But the number is small, and it is melancholy to think, that at this
rate, the whole of the nuisances of this kind still existing in the district will
not be removed until the lapse of ten years. And I dare hardly venture to
contrast our progress in this respect with that of one of the neighbouring
districts, viz., Islington, in which 1273 nuisances were amended in one
quarter alone of 1856!
During the quarter of the present year ending on March 25th, 38 of
these nuisances have been removed in the district; and 147 premises have
been visited by myself, in regard to the existence of nuisances, during the
past year of my tenure of office.
In regard to the law of nuisances and injury to health, the following principal
points should be widely known.
Anything which forms a nuisance, or is injurious to health, shall be done
away with.
Nuisances are thus defined:—
1. Any premises in such a state as to be a nuisance or injurious to
health;
2. Any pool, ditch, gutter, water-course, privy, urinal, cesspool, drain,
or ash-pit, so foul as to be a nuisance or injurious to health;
3. Any animal so kept as to be a nuisance or injurious to health;
4. Any accumulation or deposit which is a nuisance or injurious to
health.
Even if a nuisance has been removed, a penalty may be inflicted, if it is