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the oakum rooms, are small, but those for the married couples are exceedingly
clean, neat, and comfortable, and contain above the standard
quantity of air."
" The condition of the house generally, impressed me favorably,
being very clean, well regulated, bore evidence of the care bestowed on
all its parts, and of the great consideration exercised for the comforts
of the poor. The sick are well cared for, and their wards clean and
orderly."
"I carefully examined the provisions, and tasted the meat, bread,
oatmeal, tea, cocoa, sugar, butter, and porter, all of which were good,
but the arrowroot was rather indifferent. I tasted some bread three
days old, which was good and moist."
"The vagrant wards were bad, being small, ill-ventilated, and
contrary to the Metropolis Local Management Act, section 103, which
enacts, "that every dwelling (sleeping) room, being underground, shall
be provided with a fire-place and chimney.' "
The following is an abstract of my Repoit to you on the state of
the East London Union, which was presented on the 26th of June,
1856.— "I have to report that the condition of the house and infirmary
was decidedly satisfactory. I was accompanied in my inspection by
the officials, who were courteous, and showed me over the whole establishment.
The rooms were clean and well ventilated and there was
not any close smell in any of the day or night wards, and but very
little in the infirm wards. The plan of ventilation is good, but in many
of the rooms the floor-ventilators were shut, or filled with dust and
flue many of the ceiling ventilators were blocked up, from the perforations
in the zinc plates being too small. I also pointed out some
other trifling improvements which, in my opinion, were requisite for
the comfort and sanitary welfare of the inmates."
" The vagrant wards are excellent, by far the best I have seen,
being spacious and well ventilated. The provisions were all good, being
equal to those of the Hackney Workhouse. I may mention here the
obligations I am under to B. Clarke, Esq., the Surgeon to this Workhouse,
for affording me the particulars of the deaths under his charge
during last year."
"The following was presented on May 1st:— I have also visited
the German Hospital, which was not originally built for its present
purpose. The arrangements are good, and none of the wards are
overcrowded, for the smallest number of cubic feet to each patient is 900.
I was most courteously received by Dr. Weber, who was in the wards
at the time of my visit, and who desired every facility to be given me
during my inspection. The drainage of the Hospital is not very good
from want of a common sewer in its vicinity. The resident Medical
Officer, who afforded me every necessary information, informed me that
some time since they suffered from the noxious vapours of the drains
finding their way into the wards, and inducing what is called hospital
gangrene. Having no means of obtaining more perfect drainage, the
hospital authorities adopted the plan of inserting a four-inch iron pipe
into the main drain, and carrying it up against the outside wall of the
hospital., to a height of several feet above the roof. Since that period,
there has not been any recurrence of epidemic hospital gangrene. I was