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14
wo may shortly have an opportunity of judging of its capabilities
in London.
In July last the inhabitants of Burdett Road and its neighbourhood
were put to much inconvenience, sustained considerable
damage to property, and suffered a serious menace to health by
the flooding of the basements of their houses during a sudden,
violent, and long-continued fall of rain. The contents of the
drains forced the traps, and the ground floors were inundated to a
considerable depth with water, holding in suspension sewage matter.
The possibility of such an occurrence proves the inadequacy of
the sowers to a sudden call upon their containing capacity, and
it is to be hoped that steps will be taken, with as little delay as
possible, to remedy the defect.
The shafts ventilating the sewers are a constant source of
annoyance, and complaint in the District. From them there is a
continual exhalation of most offensive odours which, though they
may not carry with them germs of disease, yet produce symptoms
—such as headache, nausea, &c., which, if long continued, must result
in a serious deterioration of health. As yet the Metropolitan Board
of Works havonot, apparently, been able to devise a method, which
would combine efficient ventilation of tho sewers with the creation
of little or no nuisance.