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6
Preliminary notices served, such notices embracing 632 premises 267
Compulsory orders issued, embracing 124 premises 64
Summonses heard at Police Courts 7
Cellars used as dwellings discontinued for such use 2
Houses in which the rooms or passages have been whitewashed 164
Rooms disinfected with sulphurous acid gas after the occurrence
of small-pox, fever or scarlet fever, therein 19
Yards of houses paved or the pavement repaired 54
Drains in houses improved 77
Dust-bins provided 15
Privies limewashed, cleansed, and repaired 87
Cesspools abolished 2
Water-butts and cisterns provided or repaired 20
Water waste preventers erected 8
Nuisances from dung and other offensive matter, removed 9
Goat kept so as to be a nuisance, removed 1
Area gratings and cellar flaps repaired 139
Overcrowding and Indecent Occupation of Rooms.
From the preceding return of sanitary work performed during the
Quarter, it appears that on the inspection of houses some of the rooms
were found not only to be overcrowded, (that is to say, a less space than
300 cubic feet for each person) but, in some cases, they were indecently
occupied.
From the following report of Mr. Wrack, one of the Inspectors, the
Board will learn how the poorer class of people are occasionally lodged
in some of the bye-places in this District.
"On Saturday morning the 13th April, between 6 and 7 o'clock, I
visited all the houses (6 in number) in Goodman's-buildings. I found
all the rooms 12 in number both overcrowded and indecently occupied.
There were in several of the rooms as many as nine or ten persons,
principally adults of both sexes, sleeping together. The rooms measure
12ft. x 9ft. X 8ft. giving a cubic space to each room of 864 feet or
about 96 cubic feet to each person. The smell arising from each of
these rooms was most offensive. Notice was at once served upon the
owner to abate the overcrowding, when he at once caused the tenants to
remove, and then thoroughly cleansed the houses. As'these rooms were
insufficiently ventilated notice has been served upon the landlord to
provide more efficient ventilation by carrying an air shaft from each room
through the roof of the house."
On this subject Mr. Battram reports as follows: "In making an
inspection of the houses in Wells-place, Whitechapel, I found some of
the rooms at the rear, which were built for kitchens, used as living and
sleeping rooms. The kitchen at No. 9 was occupied by a married couple
and three children. This room measured 15ft. X 8ft. X 7ft., thus giving
a cubic space of 840 feet. This allowed only 168 cubic feet for each
person. In the kitchen of No. 15 a man and his wife, two adult
daughters, and a boy six years of age, lived and slept. This room
measured 9ft. x 6ft. X 6ft., giving only a space of 324 cubic feet for 5
persons, or 65 cubic feet for each."
Hayes Court.
"Upon the inspection of the houses in this court, I found that several
of the rooms were overcrowded and indecently occupied; also some of
the rooms in the buildings at the rear of Nos. 3, 5, 7 and 9, Glasshousestreet,
which project into the said court, were found to be overcrowded.
At No. 9 on the ground floor room four persons slept, namely, one boy
2ged 18, and three girls, aged respectively 13, 10 and 7 years. This room