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to describe the Nos. of the houses, or the number of the rooms, it is impossible to
convey to you the situation of the looms in which the overcrowding existed. This
will apply to the lodging houses generally. In addition to the overcrowding of the
above-named houses, there are four rooms unfit for occupation, from their being dark
and badly ventilated; one is No. 7 room in No. 11, Thrawl-street; the other three are
facing the cooking stoves.
At Nos. 48, 49 and 50, Gun-street, the sanitary arrangements are very defective.
In consequence of the dilapidated condition of these houses they have been reported
. to the Metropolitan Board of Works as dangerous structures.
At No. 232, Whitechapel-road, in addition to the overcrowding, most of the
compartments are dark and badly ventilated, and, in my opinion, should not be allowed
to be occupied as sleeping apartments.
No. 5 room in No. 7, George-street, is badly ventilated, and, at the time of the
visit smelt very offensive.
At No. 2, Osborn-place, room No. 7 is very dark and badly ventilated ; also
No. 2 room down stairs is badly ventilated.
The Sanitary Officers have inspected, during the last nine months, 167 Registered
Common Lodging Houses, containing 733 rooms, and having a population of 4952.
The number of rooms found to be overcrowded was 388, or more than the half of
them. Sanitary defects, such as want of light, defective ventilation, defective
drainage, want of traps to drains, offensive privies, defective pavement in yards, were
found to exist in a great many instances.
In addition to the suggestions contained in my two previous letters, I would
further suggest, that in all cases where the numbers of the rooms are not kept up, such
rooms should cease to be registered.
I am, Dear Sir, yours truly,
JOHN LIDDLE,
Medical Officer of Health.
Capt. Harris,
Scotland Yard.
I may here state that when the Act relating to Common Lodging
Houses came into operation (1851), Medical Officers of Health had not been
appointed in the Metropolis, and the sanitary arrangements for such houses
were left entirely to the care of the Police; but since that time opinions
have undergone considerable change, and what may have been considered as
a sufficient space for a person occupying a bed in registered Common Lodging
Houses in 1851 is not now considered to be so. As a fifteenth part of
the population of this District sleep in the Registered Common Lodging
Houses, it is very important to make such arrangements in these houses
as are likely to protect the health of such a large population. All the
particulars relating to my authority in inspecting the Registered Common
Lodging Houses, are fully set forth in some of my previous Reports, and
which were duly forwarded with my letter addressed to Colonel Henderson,
on the 18th of January last.