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to be obtained simply by inclining the pavement so that the water flows
towards the middle line, and so to the entrance of the court.
"The medical and other officers with whom I conversed agreed in
stating that there had been some improvement effected in the Union generally,
6ince the last epidemic cholera. The pulling down of houses for new streets
has opened up the ventilation in a few close epidemic localities.
" The cleansing has been improved, and there are fewer nuisances. But
bone-boiling and starch-making are still carried on in populous neighbourhoods,
and there are many slaughter-houses and filthy ill-kept stable-yards
and similar places." All the bone-boilers have removed from this district.
" In proof of the manner in which these nuisances injure the health
and destroy the lives of the working classes, I may cite the following
examples from the Registrar General's Report for the week ending October
9th, 1852:—
"The son of a labourer, aged one year, died on the 4th October, at 16,
John-street, Whitechapel, North, from ' inhaling a poisonous atmosphere,
congestion of both lungs (30 hours).' Dr. Godfrey subjoins on his certificate,
' I was only called to attend this child when it was dying. It is
probable that it had also some sudden inflammation of the coats of the
stomach and intestines. The air is poisoned by bone-boilers and stinks of
a most disgusting and unwholesome nature. In this close, over-populous
and dirty neighbourhood, fever and all malignant and contagious diseases
constantly exist, and are propagated through the surrounding districts.'
" As Whitechapel does not suffer from natural defects of position, like
some other districts of the metropolis, I consider that the public health may
bo materially improved by active perseverance in the removal of everything
that can injure the purity of the atmosphere.
" All courts should be very carefully attended to. At present many of
them are in an extremely unhealthy condition, and this should be amended
as far as practicable by continuous surface cleansing, and removing all surface
water from them. The most marked and immediate benefit of a sanitary
kind would be effected by flagging the whole of them, were there the necessary
powers and means to do so.
" A careful inspection should be made of dilapidated filthy houses,
which abound in many localities. These should be carefully cleansed and
limewashed. This is a most valuable preventive measure, and would be of
great use against tho scarlet-fever now prevailing in the epidemic localities,
as well as against cholera.
"Above all, these cleansing measures should be persevered in so as not
to allow the unhealthy districts to fall back into their present condition. It
will be of little use to go over all the districts once and then to leave them.
What is wanted is constant inspection, and the constant removal of every
removable cause of atmospheric impurity,"