Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]
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194
dust-bin, ash-tub, or other receptacle for the deposit of ashes
or refuse matter." The principle of a moveable receptacle
thus being admitted, it is hardly probably that builders will
now go to the expense of erecting permanent dust-bins which,
as commonly misused, create or constitute a nuisance liable
to be dealt with summarily under the Act. Drastic provisions
in relation to the "business" of dust removal, to which the
Sanitary Authorities took exception, are contained in section
30 (vide page 119).
A constantly increasing difficulty is experienced in finding
convenient, i.e., accessible "shoots" for house refuse, to
the deposit of which within their boundaries the Sanitary
Authorities of contiguous districts naturally object. The
refuse, moreover, has little value now that building operations
are being prosecuted upon so limited a scale in, or
within an easy distance of, the Parish, and other districts
being able to supply the brickmakers' wants. The land
acquired by your Vestry, at Purfleet on the river Thames,
would, it was thought, furnish a profitable outlet for the
greater part of the refuse of the parish. Hitherto, however,
little use has been made of this land, which is held in
resen e in case of emergency. Speaking generally, I have
little doubt that a solution of the difficulty of sanitary
disposal of house refuse will be found in cremation.
TRADE REFUSE.
In a Special Report, dated March 13th, 1885, on Sanitary,
Nuisances Removal, and other cognate Acts, made in
connection with an enquiry referred to the Law and Parliamentary
Committee (April 9th, 1884), 1 stated that your
Vestry "have power, and indeed are required, when called
upon, to remove the refuse of any trade, &c., upon the application,
and at the cost of, the owner or occupier of any
house, &c.;" and, I added, that "the section (of the Act
referred to) would apply in the case of trades which lead to