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adaptation; on the North side they have but little ventilation, in consequence
of standing too close to the buildings in the rear, and although they are
provided with a water-closet on every floor, a dust shaft, sink, and other
domestic accommodations, these are not kept in good order. The waterclosets
are often without water;—on a recent inspection, I found all the
closets in one house (No. 12) without water supply, and they had been so,
I was informed, for a considerable time; other closets in other houses were
in the same condition. The walls and ceilings are generally dirty, and
many of them damp from leakage, either through the roof or from the
cisterns. The drainage too, is imperfect; the main drain up the court being
only one foot in diameter, to carry the sewage of about 500 persons, it consequenty
often gets stopped. Finally, the court stands in the centre of the
most squalid and unwholesome part of St. Giles. Many of these insanitary
conditions clearly arise from neglect, but I am satisfied that the bad structural
state of the property, and the noxious surroundings, will always counteract
the advantages to be expected from the Society's philanthropic efforts.
59. Notwithstanding these remarks on the state of this particular court,
I am bound to express my opinion that the Society deserves great praise for
its work in this district; it has been the pioneer of improvements, which, in
the course of time, must become general, and it has shown us by its experimental
efforts, what to adopt and what to avoid. Its experience proves the
importance of reconstructing buildings, from their foundations, upon entirely
new plans, in which all the requisite sanitary arrangements are provided.
Certain Defects in Sanitary Legislation.
60. The experience I have had in applying the sanitary laws, has convinced
me that our health administration will remain very imperfect until
larger measures of improvement shall be sanctioned by Parliament. The Legislature
has, it its true, authorised our interferance with many noxious tiades,
and with most social arrangements, that can be regarded as "nuisances,"
or as "injurious to health"; but these interpositions in matters of detail are,
for the most part, only palliative, and, what is required, is a more comprehensive
dealing with fundamental evils. In addition to this, the duty of
making these improvements should be imperative, instead of permissive. It
was wise, at first, perhaps that our sanitary legislation should be tentative
and experimental; but experience having proved its necessity, it should be
made more stringent.
Lodging-houses. 61. The chief want of the poor in this District is, as I
have already stated, suitable and healthy dwellings. With the exception
of the Model Lodging Houses that have been established in St. Giles parish,
there are few houses so constructed as to be adapted to the sanitary requirements
of several families living under one roof. Most of the houses were
erected for occupation by separate families; in the course of time, however,
a single family has taken possession of every separate room, the accommodations,
consequently, which were intended for one family, are made to do
duty for eight or ten. It may be said, that the law gives us power to
increase these conveniences. This is to a considerable extent, a fallacy;
for, in the first place, we cannot give additional accommodation where there
is no room for it; and in the second place, if there should be space, the law
is, in some important respects, so indefinite and cumbrous that it is inoperative.
Partial adaptations, moreover, of old, disease-infected houses,
standing for many decades of years upon soil saturated with the leakage of
old cesspools, with the debris of vermin and other kinds of filth, fulfil, in a
very imperfect degree, the objects of the sanitary reformer.
62 I conclude, therefore, that nothing effectual can be done for the
permanent improvement of the houses of the industrial classes, in the
absence of a power to enable a Sanitary Board to take property compulsorily
for this purpose.
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