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11
there does not appear to be any very appreciable
nuisance, but the Inspector pointed out to me that
any disregard of the rules by a workman might make
a great difference in this respect. For instance,
some of the exhaust draught fans might not be in
working order ; the furnace for cremating the fumes
might be allowed to get low ; or there might be
broken windows, open doors, &c., allowing the
stench to come out of the closed rooms into the open
air. I found, however, that the cartage and storage
of the bones and fat caused considerable nuisance,
and this I was informed was practically insuperable
in conducting the business.
The Medical Officer pointed out to me that the
trade of tallow melter was removed from the control
of the London County Council by the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, so that new works of this
character have been considered by Parliament
unsuitable for establishment in London. He agrees
with the principle of the Act and advises me to put
the case against the works as strongly as possible to
my authority.
He also writes, "We were troubled in my own
house with offensive smell—bone boiling. I took a
cab and traced the smell to some tallow-melting
premises 11/3 of a mile in N.N.E. direction across
London." This shows that the odour will travel a
considerable distance ; in this case arising from
infringement of regulations by workmen.
Croydon Rural District Council.—Several
fat and bone-boiling works in district. I have not
visited them, but the Medical Officer writes :— "We
have secured the adoption, in most cases now, of
apparatus for destroying the offensive vapours by
fire, but I cannot say that the results have been
highly successful."