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

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Paddington 1872

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Paddington]

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13
and very few escaped an order for improvements.
Some of them are very strongly objected to on account
of close proximity to dwellings. We have reduced the
number of cows in some sheds. On the last occasion
of re-licensing these places, the magistrates showed
a greater disposition than usual to refuse the license,
making it a condition, on renewing it, that the
carrying out of the orders of the Vestry, and the
keeping of these places in perfect sanitary order must
be attended to.
Private Slaughter-houses in Towns.
In March the Vestry requested the Sanitary and
Public Health Committee to report upon the Metropolis
Building Amendment Bill, which contemplated
perpetuating the nuisance of slaughter-houses within
the metropolis. They were of an opinion that a
Petition should be presented against the Bill, and that
no adequate opportunity had been offered for examining
into the truth of the statements and the opinions
in favor of the Bill circulated by the Butchers' Trade
Society. Considering the magnitude of the interest
concerned, they thought more special inquiry would
be expedient, when therefore this Bill came before the
House of Commons for discussion at the Second Reading
it was actually referred to a Select Committee, which
at the present time is sitting—it is called, a Committee
on "Noxious Trades," and it is hoped that some
valuable evidence will be taken. The following is my
expression of opinion in a Report ordered to be read at
the Vestry on the 1st of April, 1873:—
"As the object of all sanitary work is to secure fresh air