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70
In consequence of suggestions from me, two papers have been drawn up
and circulated, tjie one to request the discontinuance of the custom of giving drink
money to dustmen, the other for the establishment of a trade-refuse cart. I fear
neither of these proposals has been worked out to the point I should desire.
A special report was made on the nuisances arising from the escape of
gas, and another on the water-supply of the district, with analyses. The latter
is for the most part embodied in the first part of this report.
On the outbreak of cholera at West Ham, last October, I made representations
to the Sanitary Committee who, kindly seconding my views, obtained
permission from the Board that lime-whiting should be freely used in and about
the homes of the poor; that the Sanitary Inspector should continue and be
aided in his operations, and that certain pumps whose water was shown to be
impure, should be closed.
The alarm passed away, and lime-whiting was hardly employed at all,
and the pumps whose water was so bad are now open for any one to drink that
pleases. I have stated my belief that bad water adds t o the disease of a district,
in ordinary as well as in epidemic seasons, and should be very glad to see the
keys of all these pumps kept strictly by the men who have charge of the water
carts.
Complaints having been made to the Board of Works, of the effluvia
arising from the vaults under the church of St. George, Bloomsbury, they
were carefully examined and reported on by the Surveyor and myself. We
were of opinion that the best thing to be done, was to remove the paving and
a certain depth of earth, place the coffins in the excavation, and replace the
soil and paving upon them. It was felt that a proceeding of this magnitude
involved too serious and extended considerations to be carried out without
much deliberation ; and it was resolved by the Sanitary Committee to lay our
project before Mr. Grainger. On application being made to this gentleman,
who is the Medical Referee of the Home Office in matters relating to the
Burial Acts ; he thought it his duty carefully to examine, not only the vaults
complained of, but all the burial vaults of the district. After numerous consultations
with ourselves and his colleagues, and looking at the entire subject
from every point of view, Mr. Grainger sketched the draft of a report to the
Secretary of State, containing recommendations almost literally the same as
those which had been presented to the Board by the Surveyor and myself. In
these necessary preliminaries, however, so long a time elapsed that the warm
weather was approaching before hi3 recommendations could be carried into
effect. Hence as it appeared very indiscreet to attempt any movement of dead
bodies in the hot weather, and as Mr. Grainger was of opinion that there
should be no delay in improving the vaults under St. George, he introduced
some modifications into his original report to the Home Secretary, recommending
a species of entombment which involved no removal whatever, and
which can be performed quite as well or better in the summer than in the
winter.