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188
The water supply is "better than it was," but "its inadequacy
is still the cause of unhealthiness and misery," due, in
some degree, doubtless, to insufficient means of domestic storage.
To a larger extent, however, I believe, "unhealthiness," in connection
with the water supply, is due to neglect on the part of the
inmates to cleanse the receptacles, the quality of the water not
being in question. The Commissioners recommend that the
water supply should, as a general rule, be in the hands of the
Local Authority, and that the Companies should be deprived of
their summary powers to cut off the water. The supply, I would
add, should be " constant."
"There is much room for improvement in the matter of
dustbins, doubtless"; but it would be better to abolish dustbins
altogether and to insist on a daily removal of "house refuse."
The improvement as regards the drainage of London in the
present generation, is well described as being "enormous," the
"system of house drainage having become universal, with remarkable
effect on the death rate": still, "there is much misery produced
by bad drainage." This, no doubt, is the fact, but the continuance
of bad drainage is largely due to the defective state of the law,
involving delay and difficulty in the removal of nuisances.
"Ventilation is defective; what is wanted is 'unused air.'
But this is difficult of attainment, owing to the ignorance of the
poor in all sanitary matters." Rapid change of air means
lowered temperature, which the ill-fed and ill-clothed cannot bear
They "block out draughts," and they huddle together for warmth.
"On the whole, more," it is said, "has been done to remedy
sanitary defects than structural defects," and this, no doubt, is so,
the power being greater for the one purpose than for the other.
The Sanitary Authorities are charged with general remissness
in carrying out the duties imposed on them by law, and, severely
blamed for their neglect to make "Regulations for Houses let in
Lodgings," under the provisions of the Sanitary Act,. 1866,
section 35 of which contains "a remedy for some of the evils
described," but is "likely to remain a dead letter in many districts
until some improved means be devised of putting it in action."