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99
health, and good drainage and water supply are also
essential. Insufficient accommodation, air space and
sunlight and defective hygienic conditions, on the other
hand, have a deleterious effect on health, vitality and
efficiency, and on the mental, moral and physical
development of children and adolescents. Diseases such
as tuberculosis, rheumatism and the common infectious
diseases spread more readily if the home conditions are
bad, leading to a high sickness rate and mortality.
Inefficiency and increased sickness rate among the working
classes reduce the national earning capacity, throwing
an increased burden on those in full work, who have
to pay higher rates and taxes.
The landlord and the tenant are mutually responsible
for the conditions which prevail. One cannot help
noticing, in any town, marked differences in the appearance
of houses in the same street, largely due to variations
in the upbringing, habits, education and outlook of the
tenants and the degree of encouragement and helpfulness
afforded by the landlord.
During recent years the public conscience has been
stirred regarding housing conditions among the poorer
classes and owners of property in Fulham show a much
greater desire to carry out improvements and co-operate
with the staff of the Public Health Department.
Indifferent tenants often improve and take better
care of their houses when repairs and redecorations are
carried out by the owners. A change for the better in
ownership of working class property is often followed
by a corresponding improvement in the habits of the
tenants. After house to house inspection of a street and
improvements have been carried out, the tenants, in the
majority of cases, take more interest and pride in their
houses and often vie with each other in this respect,
adding to the amenities of the houses in various ways.
During the last ten years there has been great
improvement in the sanitary conditions of working class
dwelling houses in the Borough and this has been largely