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

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St James's 1885

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for St James's, Westminster]

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52
CONSTRUCTION OF VAULTS.
The following regulations have been made in regard to
the construction of vaults under footways:—
1. That plans and sections of proposed vaults be submitted and
deposited with the Vestry.
2. That no deviation of such plan as sanctioned be made during
the execution of the work, without the consent of the Vestry.
3. That all walls and arches be at least one brick, or nine inches,
thick.
4. That the space from the upper surface of the pavement to the
outside of the vault be in no case less than three feet.
5. That no vault be allowed to project beyond the outside line of
kerb where the footway is ten feet or more in width, and in no
case shall the outside of the brickwork be carried nearer than
three feet six inches to the centre line of the carriageway.
SANITARY.
It will be seen on reference to the Report of the Medical
Officer of Health, commencing on page 143, and the
appendices thereto, that continuous attention has been paid
to the abatement and removal of nuisances. It is impossible,
however, to convey any accurate idea of the extent of value
of sanitary work by the mere tabulation of figures. The
most satisfactory proof of the value of this department of
the Vestry's work is afforded by the reduction in the rate
of mortality in the Parish since the creation of a sanitary
department some thirty years since.
Two officers have been constantly engaged in the work of
inspection with a view to detecting and removing nuisances, but
the Vestry are still more anxious to prevent unsanitary conditions
which give rise to nuisances.
With this object they once more appeal to the
parishioners for intelligent co-operation, especially
to such as by their avocations are brought into
contact with residents in the poorar and more