Report of the Health of London Association on the sanitary condition of the metropolis; : being a digest of the information contained in the replies returned to three thousand lists of queries, which were circulated amongst clergymen, medical men, solicitors, surveyors, architects, engineers, parochial officers, and the public.

  • Health of Towns Association (London, England)
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Health of London Association on the sanitary condition of the metropolis; : being a digest of the information contained in the replies returned to three thousand lists of queries, which were circulated amongst clergymen, medical men, solicitors, surveyors, architects, engineers, parochial officers, and the public. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    43/70 (page 41)
    The more decent poor attend to their necessities in the rooms which they inhabit, and afterwards empty their slops into the common privies—a practice which must prove detrimental to health. One respondent is not of opinion that separate common privies for the sexes are indispensable to decency, if due provision were made for cleanliness and privacy. [20.] Is it practicable to introduce a water-closet into each house ? If so, would it produce more decent and cleanly habits, and a better state of health ? The practicability of the introduction of a water-closet into each house entirely depends upon the preliminaries of efficient drainage, sewage, and a sufficient supply of water, at a cheap rate. With these, there can be no question either as to the practicability of the measure, or as to its economy. The introduction of cleansing by the use of w'ater-closets, and the discharge of refuse at once from the house, through the drain, into the sewers, prevents the delay and the accumulation before removal, as well as saves the expense of removal. It is most demanded in the poorer districts, because it is, in truth, the cheapest procedure—i. e.f sup¬ posing them to be drained, sewered, and supplied with water at a cheap rate. It can be proved that the cost of a cheap and appropriate apparatus, and of a sufficient supply of water, is less than the prime cost of cleansing, independent of the cost in¬ curred by the decay of the wood and iron work, and of the tenement itself. This is entirely setting aside the money value of the manure, and the loss which results to both the landlord and the tenant by the sickness of the latter, and of his family. It is stated in the Second Report of the Health of Towns’ Commissioners, that water companies could con¬ struct and maintain in repair an apparatus, in the nature of a water-closet, or soil pan, and house drains, for the re¬ moval of all refuse, and waste water, for a rental of from 5s. to 6s. per tenement per annum, or for a weekly charge of 1 Jd. per house.