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sulphurous acid gas being destructive to life. in every form, and
having great power of penetrating large articles, such as beds, mattresses,
&c. In many hundred cases supplies of disinfectants were
gratuitously distributed to the poor by the Sanitary Inspectors, who
not only pointed out the proper mode of using them, but frequently
superintended the disinfection of premises and articles.
I entertain grave doubts of the efficiency of disinfection carried
out imperfectly and half-heartedly, as it too often is by the poor;
and I believe it would be sound policy to train a Sanitary Labourer
to do the work. Such an arrangement will be well deserving of
consideration whenever your Vestry shall have provided a Disinfecting
Chamber. While the clothing of the sick, and the other
contents of the infected chamber are undergoing purification, the
room itself should be thoroughly cleansed and fumigated. It is
useless to purify clothes and bedding which must go back to an
infected chamber.
Ventilation of Sewers.
Many complaints having been made of the offensive smells
emanating from the sewer ventilators, especially at the head of branch
sewers, a Special Committee was appointed to consider the matter,
and, if possible, devise a remedy. A good deal of attention was
paid to the subject, and a deputation from the Committee was
received by Mr. Bazalgette, Chief Engineer to the Metropolitan
Board of Works, who entered fully into the entire question and explained
what had been done to abate the annoyance in the Sewers
under the control of the Board. The Committee came reluctantly
to the conclusion that no effectual method of dealing with this
difficulty had as yet been discovered, and thereupon suspended their
labours. 11 may be mentioned that charcoal ventilating traps were
applied in localities whence complaints came: and in these instances
no further complaint has arisen. But it may be doubted (notwithstanding
the admitted power of charcoal to deodorize offensive gases)
whether the success of this apparatus may not be due rather to its
obstructing the ventilators and preventing the escape of foul air than
to any real and effectual ventilation with deodorization. The public
have occasionally taken the matter into their own hands and stopped
up the offending apertures—a course to be regretted, as it is better to
to have a stench here and there in the roadway than the escape of
sewer gases into houses; for it need hardly be said that Sewers
must be ventilated, and if this is not provided for artificially the
resistance of almost any drain trap will be overcome by the pressure
of the contained gases and foul effluvia, with all their injurious
consequences, find their way into our houses. I am strongly of
opinion that something should be done to remedy the evils in question,
and among other things I would recommend that whenever a
new sewer is built it should be ventilated a t the blind end by a
shaft carried above the level of the adjoining buildings. In the case+