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cover of wood. It runs southwards from No. 2 to No. 7, where it
discharges itself into the sewer in Trinity Road. At Nos. 2, 4, 6,
and 7, it traverses the yards at some distance from the back of the
houses. All the inmates occasionally perceive a slightly disagreeable
odour when water runs along the drain; and at No. 6 (Mr. Luck's),
the stench is greater than at any other of the houses above
named. During my visit of his premises it was exceedingly
nauseous. At No. 3, tenanted by Mr. Thomas Steel, an aged gentleman,
the drain runs under the kitchen, and the stench at all
times is disgustingly offensive, causing headache and other unpleasant
symptoms and sensations from which Mr. T. Steel has much
suffered. At No. 5 (Mr. Durrant's), it passes under bis outhouse or
store-room, and produces effects similar to those noticed at Mr.
Steel's.
The only remedy for this state of things would be the substitution
of a pipe drain for the one now in existence. Notices were
served at the respective houses.
On the 14th March, I examined the drain at the house, 51,
Clarence Street, tenanted by Mr. Smith. The foul smell arising
from it had caused, according to the certificate of a medical gentleman,
fever and other ailments to the inhabitants of the house.
A notice was served.
On the same day I inspected the privy of No. 12, Silver Street,
tenanted by Reevely, and at the request of the Surveyor, Mr.
Legg, that of the house, 65, Paradise Street. Both were nuisances,
and notices were served accordingly.
On the 15th March, 1856, I entered the premises of Mr. Hammond,
Patent Manure Maker, Rotherhithe Street, with the Inspector,
Mr. Sanders, to try to discover the cause of a filthy stench
which had pervaded the immediate neighbourhood of the factory
on that morning, and at various other times.
On the 17th I returned alone and caused some of the manure
to be made before me. The process is as follows:—
Bones are first subjected to the action of steam, in a digester, or
steam boiler, by which operation they are deprived of their gelatine,
and rendered more friable.
A certain quantity of them thus prepared, say a basketful, is
then thrown under powerful revolving steam propelled crushers,
with a small portion of impure nitrate of potass, to keep them
from sticking to the machinery. To them are added powdered
coprolite, previously mixed with sulphuric acid; animal charcoal
from the sugar bakers having previously undergone the same
preparation of being mixed with sulphuric acid, soot, gypsum, the
refuse of the candle factories, and a small quantity of Fuller's
earth. The whole are triturated together, and after a certain
time of trituration, are sprinkled over with sulphuric acid. The
mass is then sifted and is ready for use in the shape of a coarse
blackish-grey powder.