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16
Consequences of Over-crowding in Cities.
I may mention a few of the natural consequences
resulting in physical and moral dangers from a
deficient air space. The want of an enclosed back
garden, or open space at hand for recreation, compels
young children to play in the street; invalids,
lying-in women, mothers with infants in arms, and
old persons have no where to sit out and enjoy fresh
air and sunshine, weather permitting ; and strong
men coming home after work are sadly tempted to
exchange the stifling atmosphere of a single room
for places where stimulating recreation is to be
found amidst the pleasant vices of drinking and
smoking. It allures them to spend hard-earned
money in selfishness and extravagance, instead of
devoting it to the necessities of a family home. Nor
does the mischief end here ; the washing of linen,
personal and household cleanliness, must be carried
on by the women under insurmountable difficulties.
There may be a wash-house and copper provided
for each house, but the back yard, ill-paved and
damp, is often too small for the linen to hang
out to sweeten and dry in open air; hence the
living and sleeping room, or the landing of the
staircase, is resorted to for hanging up wet clothing,
filling the house whilst drying with its damp and
noisome effluvia.
Besides the inevitable re-breathing of foul air in
close rooms, deteriorating the general health, it
must be remembered that most of the working
people are fixed to the spot, and cannot like richer
neighbours get a periodical change of climate, or