View report page

7
The houses in most of the modern streets are also loftier
and narrow, so that fresh air and sunshine in these dwellings
are scarce; yet these places are the only recreation grounds
for the hundreds of young children who are to be seen playing
in the intervals of school time. The child population here
varies from about 12 to 17 per cent. of the whole, and it is a
sad neglect of civic duty not to have provided for them more
open spaces with trees and thick foliage, for in the midst of dense
populations they act as lungs in purifying and oxygenating the
atmosphere.
The houses of Hampden Street, and some other adjoining
streets have been under special inspection on account of frequent
complaints of smells and dampness. They were originally built
upon ground with imperfectly prepared foundations. The basement,
ground-floor or parlour-floor is often offensive, and upon
examination of drains they are found to be of red earth, tile or
brick drains, that have given way at the joints, or going into
decay, occasionally stop. The soil becomes saturated. Sanitary
orders for constructive works have done much to remedy these
defects ; but where deep draining of the soil was originally
neglected, the local drainage will never be perfect.
Upon referring to table VI. it will be observed that there is
a very dense packing of population—700, 800, or 900 in a single
street—and where the child population is so large, there is always
a high rate of mortality from various causes combined. The
chances of life are only half as good as it should be in these
streets, compared with more favored places in town or country.
The Scavenging of Crowded Streets.
The scavenging of many streets throughout the whole Parish
is not done sufficiently often. Once a week is not enough.
The men and carts ought to come round every second day, or
even daily. House-dust as well as vegetable and animal refuse
is thrown into the streets from the front windows of the houses,
instead of it being taken to the dust bin below. This is done in
spite of cautions given continually. I have observed to-day
in my visits potatoe peelings and all kind of vegetables, fish
bones, scrapings of plates, pieces of bread, a dead cat with
bowels protruding, and the dust sweepings from almost every
second house, all of which will be allowed to remain until the
cart comes round some days hence.