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Buildings would have been carried away bodily. Having entered
into a somewhat full history of the vital statistics of the place in
my April report, I need say little here except that the deaths
in 1872 were 29 in number = 33 per 1000 (rate in the whole
Parish 17 per 1000). Fifteen children died under five years of
age, and nine persons at ages above sixty. Two deaths were due
to Measles, the only fatal disease of the Zymotic class. On five
of the deceased, inquests were held—all deaths from disease. As
might be expected, Tubercular diseases were rife, and were fatal
in ten cases.
The demolition of this place relieves the Sanitary Inspector of
a considerable source of work and trouble, and myself of not a
little anxiety; for such a crowded population wedged into the
centre of the High Street, must always have been a source of
danger. Your Vestry, however, did what was possible to reduce
to a minimum any danger that might arise. The roadways were
specially and frequently cleansed and flushed, as well as the water
closets, which for the most part were "public." The difficulty was
to get the inhabitants to use them as ordinary persons would. As
for "fittings," it would have been absurd to provide them; the
experiment had often been tried, but as fast as they were put up
they were looted. The water supply was abundant, being obtained
from a large common cistern. Altogether the "Buildings" were
well looked after, and if they were objectionable, it was by reason
both of the bad class of houses, for which the present generation
is not responsible, and the habits of the people who inhabited
them, and for whose moral and physical improvement great
philanthropic efforts were made by numerous benevolent persons
of various religious persuasions.
SANITARY NOTICE.
A Sanitary notice, with respect to the use of dust bins, and the
condition of water cisterns, &c., was issued to every householder
in the month of May. It is reproduced in the Appendix.
SEWER VENTILATION.
The usual crop of complaints of bad smells proceeding from the
sewer ventilators have been received, and each case dealt with, as
far as possible, to the satisfaction of the complaining parties.
Numerous letters, &c., came to hand with respect to the main sewer
in Neville Terrace belonging to the Metropolitan Board of Works.
With respect to this; and with respect also to a side entrance into
the sewer in Pembridge Square, I placed myself in communication
with the Engineer to the Board, who took steps for the immediate
removal of the ground of complaint.