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17
air become almost poisonous before half the night has
elapsed. Those who enter such a room, even an hour
or two after the family have risen, find it difficult to
breathe the atmosphere; the occupants themselves do
not perceive the condition of the air, but anyone who
may, iu the early morning, have occasion to enter it, is
warned of the danger of going in, and stops at the
threshold. This condition of the air of rooms so occupied
is the principal cause of that great mortality of
the children in such houses 011 the occurrence of any
epidemic disease. Such a complaint as measles or
whooping cough, in closely crowdcd rooms, is very fatal
among the children who live in them, while among the
classes who arc better lodged such diseases of children
are infinitely less fatal. The proportion of deaths of
children in places so crowded, ranges from one-third and
sometimes to one-half of the total number. Some portion
of this excessive mortality would be prevented by
having the upper sash of the window always open for
about an inch. As soon as possible in the morning
children should be enabled to breathe the open air, the
air even of a London street or court is very much more
healthful than that of the house. It is impossible to
have healthy children if they are kept in the house for
days together; the result of breathing the impure
atmosphere of a crowded house or room is that low
condition of health which makes children incapable of
resisting attacks of disease, and will account for the
large number who are carried off by the first epidemic
disease to which they are subjected.
I am happy to be able to report that the sewers
ordered by the Vestry to be cleansed and repaired
in Mercer Street, the Strand, Oxendon Street, and
Chandos Street, no longer give out from the gullyholes
and ventilating shafts those offensive odours of which
the inhabitants complained. There is no doubt, that
emanations from sewers and drains are most important
c