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15
and the weather prevailing at the time they are collected. From
some localities the animal matter in these sweepings is large in
quantity, from others small, sometimes it is a slop, and at other
times a dry pungent powder.
"The house refuse varies also in composition, but it may be
considered as consisting primarily of four distinct component parts
known in the trade as hard core, soft core, ashes and breeze. The
hard core consists of brickbats, stones, etc., and is used for making
up roads. The soft core consists of vegetable and animal matter.
The breeze is the dust sifted from the ashes.
"The trade refuse must necessarily also vary in composition,
sometimes ashes form a large portion of it, at other times it will
consist to a great extent of animal and vegetable matter.
"Of all these substances, those belonging to the animal or
vegetable kingdoms are the most likely to prove injurious to health.
I cannot condemn too strongly the practise of allowing these
substances to accumulate in large quantities and pass into a state of
decay. We must not forget also that decomposition has in many
cases, I may say in most cases, set in before the house dust-bin has
been opened and cleared. Who has not experienced, and having
experienced who does not remember, the disgusting odour emitted
during the operation of emptying a dust-bin. To carry the offensive
matter uncovered and exposed to the mid-day sun along a
crowded thoroughfare is bad enough, but to store it in a yard in the
neighbourhood of inhabited houses until a convenient opportunity