Abstract of the proceedings of the public meeting held at Exeter Hall, Dec. 11, 1844 : containing the speeches of the most noble the Marquess of Normanby, chairman ... together with a form of petition.
- Health of Towns Association (London, England)
- Date:
- [1844?]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Abstract of the proceedings of the public meeting held at Exeter Hall, Dec. 11, 1844 : containing the speeches of the most noble the Marquess of Normanby, chairman ... together with a form of petition. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.
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![86.000 ; that these widows had dependent upon tliem 111.000 orphan children ; and that there were, besides, re- ceiving relief in the Union houses, 18,000 orphan chil- dren. That the expense thus constantly incurred for the maintenance of the destitute w'ould, in many cases, suf- fice to defray the cost of putting the district into a good sanatory condition, and thus to prevent the recurrence of these dreadful evils. That this poisonous atmosphere, even when not suffi- cient to destroy life, undermines the strength, deteriorates the constitution, and renders the labourer in a great de- gree unable to work ; and that there is every reason to believe that his healthy life and working ability is abridged in many districts to the extent of 12 years. That the moral and religious improvement of the indus- trious classes is incompatible wdth such a degree of phy- sical degradation as is actually prevalent in numerous instances, and that until the dwellings of the poor are rendered capable of affording the comforts of a home, the earnest and best directed efforts of the schoolmaster and the clergyman must in a great degree be in vain. That your petitioners gladly acknowledge the important services rendered by the inquiries recently made into these subjects, under the atithority of Government, by which it appears not only that these grievous evils are remediable, but how they may be remedied ; that in the town of Nottingham constant supplies of pure and filtered w'ater at the rate of 40 gallons per day are carried into the interior of dwelling-houses at a very moderate ex- pense ; that the practicability of extending this blessing to the population generally is proved by the experience of Preston, Ashton, Oldham, and other towns, both in England and Scotland; and that it is further shown, by a vast massof incontrovertiblcevidence, that dwelling-houses may be drained and cleansed at one-half of the charge of the existing cesspool, which permeates the soil, cor- ru]4s the springs, and taints the atmosphere around the abodes of the poor; and that with reference to street- cleansing, by improved methods in the construction of sewers, by the system of flushing, and by rendering un- necessary the mode of cleansing by hand labour and cart- age (at once unhealthy and expensive) 50 per cent, of the former expense has actually been saved. That your petitioners beg humbly to express their con- viction that whatever legislative regulations are adopted should be based on a comprehensive and scienlific view](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24931615_0036.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
