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surely the duty of the legislature to insist upon the owners of property let
in tenements to the poor to provide them with the means of practising the
decencies of civilized life It would, indeed, be well for society, if more
attention were given by those in authority to the means of preventing disease,
and its consequences—pauperism; for, if this were done, we should
not have, to the same extent, these periodical returns of destitution, which
we have lately seen in the East of London Much of it might be prevented
if more attention were paid to the condition of the abodes of the poor,
whereby their health might be better preserved The systematic house
to house visitation, adopted in this district, is continually bringing to light
the indecent manner in which rooms are occupied, and the frequency of the
stoppage of the house-drains, pipes of the privies, and also the want of efficient
privy accommodation, especially for children As regards the first-mentioned
evil, I almost despair of being able to get it remedied It may be, however, to
a certain extent, mitigated, by compelling the owners of houses so occupied
to register them, when they will be compelled to observe the eighth section
of the regulations of the Board, respecting the separation of the sexes
in lodging houses: and, as regards the frequent stoppage of the privies,
I am of opinion, that a better arrangement is required for these conveniences
than the syphon-pan and trap now in use
A good plan has been adopted at the Shoe Black Society in Mansell
Street, and at the large Jews' School in Bell Lane, Spitalfields, for carrying
off the filth from privies It consists in placing what may be called, by
way of distinction, "a trough water-closet," instead of the trap and pan
system The trough water-closet is an ordinary seat placed over a highlyglazed
earthenware trough, filled with water The trough is so fixed as to
afford a sufficient incline for it to be quickly emptied into the drain by the
removal of a plug When the trough is emptied (which it should be at
least once or twice a day), it should then be immediately re-filled with
water If this rule were observed there would be no nuisance from bad
smells From the simplicity of the apparatus, it would seldom get out of
order, and it would be found to be more economical than the present system
of the syphon-pans and traps Small seats for children over this
trough should be provided
Metropolitan Buildings and Management Bill
A Bill under the above designation was, in the course of the last Session
of Parliament, prepared and brought in by Mr Tite and Colonel Hogg,
and was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed, 31st July, 1867
If this Bill should become an Act, all the existing Building Acts will be
repealed It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that the several provisions
of the Bill should be considered, and a few important clauses relating
to public health inserted