London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Kensington 1888

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]

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157
5. That all drains be trapped from the sewer, outside the wall of the house
next the sewer.
Note.—Where convenient or practicable an intercepting chamber with a closefitting
cover and an air-tight pipe should he recommended.
6. That all house drains are air-tight;
Note.—Where there is reason for believing that any house drain is imperfect,
notice must, if necessary, be given to the Surveyor, who willprovide workmen
for opening it up for examination.
7. That all special soil pipes be air-tight at the joints, and carried, full
diameter, above the roof, at a safe distance from windows and chimney
tops;
8. That all rain-water pipes used as soil pipes be air-tight at the joints ;
Note.—The use of "combined soil and rain-water pipes" if a bad arrangement,
and should be discountenanced.
These Instructions, adopted February 11th, 1885. were by
your Vestry, on February 10th, 1886, directed to be observed
" in respect to all other houses wherein, on examination, sanitary
improvements are found to be necessary."
HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES.
In connection with the subject of registration of houses let
in lodgings, a full summary of the Report of Her Majesty's
Commissioners for enquiring into the Housing of the Working
Classes, was given in my Annual Report for 1884-5 (page 184).
The report itself did scant justice to the work of the
sanitary authorities, which, though carried on under pressure of
many difficulties, has had the effect of making London the
cleanest, best paved, best drained, best lighted, safest and
healthiest of great cities. The existing system of local government
may not be perfect, but under it much good work has been
done, work that is not likely to be surpassed under any change
in the form of local government.