London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Paddington 1870

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington]

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17
upon the Magistrates on the day of the renewal of
licences to Public Houses, to request that it should be
obligatory upon the publican whose licences were
renewed that an efficient urinal should be provided,
and in particular those already found defective should
be rectified forthwith. A list of defective urinals was
prepared, and some of them are still under consideration,
awaiting the decision of the Highway Committee,
as to establishing, in convenient positions, additional
public urinals. In the event of this being done,
several private ones in bad situations might be altogether
abolished.
There are now only five public urinals in this large
Parish—at least ten more are required—five more
ought to be erected in main thoroughfares; one in
Maida Hill, near the Cab Stand; another one at
Kilburn, near the Queen's Arms ; another in Praed
Street, at the junction of several streets, opposite the
Junction Arms ; one in the Harrow Road, near or
attached to the Ben Jonson. Here, on Saturdays,
is a large market attendance of costermongers, with a
greatly deficient accommodation. There are also in
nooks and corners some very convenient localities for
private urinals.
The question of providing all the public urinals
with a water supply and flushing apparatus, and in
insisting upon publicans also providing the same, is a
matter of serious inquiry. Its economical aspect is
one suggestive of great difficulty. A man or a lad of
shoe-black type to be in constant attendance for the
purpose of cleansing and flushing, is a plan well worth
B