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

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Shoreditch 1884

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Shoreditch, Parish of St. Leonard]

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84
promises became dangerous to health, a few years before the last
proceedings, the owner, by order of the Vestry, to a groat extent
abated the nuisance,but he did not have the work done thoroughly
and to the satis faction of the Sanitary Officer; but as the nuisance
was at that time seemingly removed, the Medical Officer agreed to
allow the value of the improvements to bo tested by time, thereby
mooting the owner on his own grounds. This course was advisably
falcon to enable the Sanitary Committee, should events necessitate
it, to report to the Vestry that the owners wishes and measures had
been acceded to, and they had entirely failed, and therefore the
Vestry, on the recurrence of the dangerous nuisance, must require
the owner to speedily and thoroughly abate the nuisance, or the
Vestry would bo obliged to direct workmen to enter on the premises
and to do what was required in the interest of public health.
The promises became charged with sewage and the drains wore
useless; and after many days of dilatory proceeding the Sanitary
Committee directed workmen to enter and do what was required.
And I submit that the Sanitary Authority had no alternative ;
in the face of the facts they must either do that with as little
delay as possible, or increasingly endanger the lives of the
inhabitants, and the Sanitary Authority having taken that course
wore bound to have the work well done, and with such alterations
as wore necessary to make the houses safe to live in.
I have ventured to recall those particulars to your Vestry, with
a view of showing that the course most conducive to the welfare of
the health of the Parish, is to endeavour to induce the owners themselves
to put and keep their dwellings suitable for the health of the
tenants, but should they after much consideration fail to do that, it
is waste of time and means to merely contend in words, the Sanitary
Authority is then called upon to order the premises to bo entered
and the requisite changes made. Such firmness will in this, and
other great questions, more quickly lead to a mutual understanding.
I am further led to make these remarks, for the question is
increasingly forced on the public mind, what manner of proceedings
shall be adopted to secure healthier dwellings.
LODGING HOUSE REGULATIONS.—During the recent
demonstrations respecting the deplorable condition of the dwellings