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produce a large amount of those maladies which are influenced, as to their
intensity and frequency, by such emanations. In some of these localities
the soil is so wet that cesspools dug for drainage purposes become filled
immediately they have been emptied, so that an outbreak similar to that
from which this District has just suffered, will in all probability supervene
every hot summer, until the proposed efficient system of drainage be completed
: even then it will most probably happen to a certain extent, but
in a less intense form.
In consequence of such numerous house-to-house visitations a large
number of nuisances have been discovered ; and as many owners of property
refused to abate them, no less than 21 persons have been directed
to appear before this Board to shew cause why they should not be summonsed
to Worship Street. This step has proved sufficient in all these
cases to induce them to perform the necessary works, and thus saved the
expense and inconvenience of an appeal to the magistrate : four parties,
however, against whom proceedings were commenced last quarter have been
prosecuted, and eleven attendances at the Police Courts have been consequently
required. One case was most important, as it involved a question
as to the power of the Magistrates to order the repair of dilapidated roofs,
walls, ceilings, and floors of inhabited dwelling-houses : it was contended
that the Nuisance Removal Act gave no such power, but we successfully
combated that opinion, and obtained an order, under the 13th section, for
the sufficient and effectual repair of the premises.
The time for the renewal of the licences for slaughter-houses having
been fixed for October last, I inspected them in September. I had much
satisfaction in finding them in a much better state than at my visits last
year ; for, although the majority required lime-washing and cleansing,
repair of the paving, &c., yet no extensive structural works were necessary.
The nuisances removed by Mr. Valentine, the Inspector of Nuisances,
during the quarter may be classed as follows:—
Cesspools emptied, filled up, and drained into the sewer 72
Cesspools emptied 101
Horse, cow, pig, and vegetable refuse removed 79
Rooms lime-washed and purified—dilapidated houses repaired 148
Filthy and offensive places cleansed and purified 10
Pigsties purified, repaved, or removed 30
Foul and offensive drains cleansed or reconstructed 82
Other Nuisances 15
Total 537
The births registered during the quarter have been larger than usual,
viz., 613, and the deaths 361 ; the excess of births over deaths being
252, against 247 in the previous quarter. The proportion of births in the
metropolis was 162, and in Hackney 169, to each 100 deaths, which is a
very satisfactory return.