View report page

43
During 1896 this has been kept in mind, and no less than 250
sites of dwellings have been thus concreted, and 300 houses
have had fresh damp courses inserted in their walls. No doubt
when these houses were built,, some kind of damp course was
provided, but how ineffectual it was is proved by the damp walls
in this locality. From what I have observed more recently, I am
afraid houses are still being built with damp courses of ineffectual
materials. Many builders choose the cheapest material for the
damp course; this is either a thin layer of pitch or felt. In my
opinion these materials are unfit for damp courses, as their effect
is short-lived. Materials less substantial or less lasting than the
masonry itself should not be used for the purpose stated above.
Too great care cannot be given to this matter, for upon it depends
in a great degree the health of its future inmates. Dampness of
the walls of a house, it is well known, has a prejudicial effect upon
health.
The view that ground air should be kept out of dwellings is a
sound one; and is proved by an incident which occurred during the
year in Hackney Wick. On the morning of the 17th of Decembeiv
1896, two females were found unconscious in their beds at a house in
Bartripp Street, the house smelling strongly of coal gas. They
were removed to Hospital and ultimately recovered. These persons
slept in the front room of the ground floor; others sleeping upstairs,
I am informed, suffered also from nausea and vomiting. On the
previous evening a slight smell of coal gas was perceived in the
house, but could not be accounted for, as gas was not laid on to the
premises. On investigation it was ascertained that a fracture had
occurred in the gas main in the road about 15 feet from the front
of the house. The surface of the road being well macadamized, the
gas was prevented from escaping through the surface, but was able
to pass through the deeper and softer soil into the house. The soil
on which the house was built being loose and "made up," offered
less resistance than the road outside to the passage of the gas. In
addition, the heat of the house had an aspirating effect, assisting
the escape of the gas from the soil. This incident is an example of
the danger of not covering the sites of dwellings with some