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.

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    mon lodging-houses has for some time past been in operation in Glasgow, with the happiest effects. [34.] Do you think that in the construction of dwell¬ ings for the poor, provision for the efficient admission of light (especially solar light) and air should be enforced ? The replies to this question are in the affirmative, and contain the following statements:—That the subject deserves more attention than it has hitherto received—that an abun¬ dance of solar light is so essential that health and organisa¬ tion are never perfect without it. In the construction of dwellings for the poor its admission should be insisted on as conducive to health and cleanliness, and it should form part of theduty of an Officer of Health to enforce the provision made for that purpose. The window-tax, by impeding ventilation, and the free admission of light, is productive of disease, and consequently becomes a tax on health. Whether it would be politic to repeal this tax is a question which at the present moment it may not be desirable to enter upon; a suggestion has been made, however, to the effect “ that the assessment should be made, not on the number of windows that actually exist in a house, but on the number of windows which ought to exist in such house, in proportion to its cubic contents. Such an alteration would, perhaps, go far to remedy the evil com¬ plained of, but its total repeal would be to say— “ Let there be light.” The following fact, as showing the physical effect of the want of light, is instructive, and well worthy of attention:— “ Some poor people having taken up their abode in the cells under the fortifications of Lisle, the proportion of defective infants produced by them became so great, that it was deemed necessary to issue an order commanding these cells to be shut up.” [35.] Do you think it would be desirable to give power to parishes, or to the local administra¬ tive bodies, to raise money to purchase pro¬ perty for the purpose of opening thoroughfares