The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-20 00:00:00

ARCHITECTURE.

C:1163 L—Broadrick, Codrington, Ackland. Biggers.
Class ll.—Shearwood, Nethersole, Kershaw, Cato.
Clazs lll.—Hayton, De Bourbel, Sowerby, Candy,

MACHINERY.
Clash Brodrick, Whichello, Woodward.
Drawings.—Christie.
Class ll.—Cato. Drawings.—Cato, Kershaw (req )
Class lII.—De Quetteville, Hayton (cog.).
Manipulation .—Skinns.r, Lowe, Nethersule.
Christie, Woodward.

PERSPECTIVE.

FRENCH.

Class I.—Kershaw, Do Bourbel.
Class IL—Cato, Candy, son.
GERMAN.

Class I.—Broadriek, Kershaw (xq ),
Class ll.—Candy, sen.
ESSAY ON WATER SUPPLY TO TOWNS.

Robertson, Codrington, Simpson (mq.).
The President, his Royal Highness the Duke of
Cambridge, the Bishop of London, and General Sir C.
Pasley addressed the meeting in brief and appropriate
terms. The Right Rev. Prelate in particular referred to
the benefits of religious education, as illustrated by recent
events in this country and abroad.
After the company had left the College-hall, some in-
teresting experiments were exhibited in the laboratories
with a magnet of enormous power. The:drawings of the
students in two large rooms were next inspected. Soma
of them were extremely good, and showed that the in-
struction given in this department is of the best kind.
In the machinery department, a curious model locomo-
.

_ .
tive for common roads, driven by compressed air, and
also a new rotatory engine, were eyi!ibited, both ha:mg
been constructed in the College workshop.
It is very interesting to find that the most recent at-
tempts at invention are practically tested in this in-
stitution. After a handsome luncheon to the guests in-
vited, the proceedings terminated with evening prayers
in the chapel, which has been much improved since uur
last visit to the College.

THE METROPOLITAN SANITARY
COMMISSION.
A third report from the Metropolitan Sanitary
Commission was laid before the House of Lords on
Friday. The subject of this report is an epidemic
fever which recently broke out among the scholars of
the Westminster School and the inhabitants of the
houses in the neighbourhood. The report commences
thus.
° Having been informed that cases of fever of a pecu-
liar nature have recently occurred among the scholars of
the Westminster School, as well as among the inhabi-
tants of several houses in the Cloisters and precincts of
the Abbey Church, and rumour having ascribed the
origin of this fever to the emptying and cleansing of a
number of cesspools in the immediate neighbourhood, we
have considered that the circumstances were such as to
require investigation.
" We have accordingly examined the masters of the
school, its regular medical attendants, the physicians
consulted on the occasion, and the officers of the works,
together with such other persons connected with the lo-
cality as were likely to afford information, and we find
the facts, as far as we have been able to ascertain them,
to be as follows."
It appears that in all 36 persons were attacked, 32 of
them within a period of I t days; and that there were
5 deaths, 3 among the scholars, and 2 among the in-
habitants.
The report enters into the circumstances connected
with the sickness, which were examined at great length,
and the following is a summary of the results arrived
at:—
" After having devoted to the examination of the
circumstances attendant on the fever that has occurred
in this small locality an extent of labour that might
have sufficed to investigate the sanitary condition
of a large mess of the population, we have found
on the whole—That whereas it has been stated that
fever broke out immediately after the cleansing
of the cesspools, the fact is found to be that eight
weeks elapsed between the emptying of the last cesspool
and the first case of fever--a period which, according
to the predominant medical testimony, puts out of the
question the operation as an exciting cause of fever,
even if it had been performed in such a manner as to
evolve large quantities of noxious gases, instead of
by a method which produces incomparably less effluvia
than any process heretofore known. That whereas it
has been stated that the fever weed an entirely new type
such as had never been seen or observed before in that
or any other place, the fact appears to be that the type is
one well known and recognized as prevalent for years
past in that very locality and neighbourhood, as well as
in all other parts of the metropolis. That whereas it
was stated that fever was entirely unknown before in
the place in question, the fact appears to be that fever
had occurred there the year before, and also in 1846, as
testified by Dr. Basham, and cases had occurred in former
years ; and although no regular' record has been pre-
served, there is good reason to believe that epidemics
have from time to time occurred there, and that there
has been no such entire previous emetnptions as
reputed. That whereas it was represented that there
was an excess of fever cases iii the Westminster
district after the cleansing operations, it appears,
from particular inquiries its the places cleansed, that
there has been a decided reduction in the sickness
experienced, and throughout the district a less amount
of sickness than previously. That whereas it has been
stated that an offensive smell was perceived in the
school, produced by the filling up of a cesspool that
had been cleansed some weeks before, the fact
is found to be, that this particular cesspool gave out
no unusual smell on that occasion but that the smell
complained of probably arose from the emanations given
off troin a large cesspool which had never been cleansed
at all, and which communicated with the whole line of a
foul sewer passing directly under the school;
the evaporating surface of this sewer, as far as it hits
been possible to explore it, which is only through a com-
paratively small part of its course, being estimated at
2,000 feet, or more than four times the sur-
face of the eighteen cesspools emptied in the early
part of the year. That the course of the disease
followed very exactly the line of this sewer, which
communicates by direct openings with several of
the houses where fever broke out, passes directly
under the school and the dormitory, is in close proximity
with nearly all the houses in which fever occurred, and
is in so foul a state that the officers of the Metro-
politan Sewers Commissions, accustomed as they
I are to such examinations, were absolutely unable to pro-
ceed along it beyond a certain point, so that beyond that
point it still remains unexplored. That the public
sewers of the neighbourhood were comparatively
clear of deposit, and gave off but a very small amount
of effluvium. That if the private drains and the arge
branch sewer, which were by mistake surcharged with
the soil from the cesspools, had been perfectly cleared
out when the cesspools were emptied, the probable source
of the extraordinary sickness and mortality would have
been removed, and the health of the inhabitants in gene-
ral as certainly promoted as the health of the porter of
the Cloisters and his family seams to have been improved
by the emptying and filling up of the cesspools under-
neath his house. That the probability of the recurrence
of a similar visitation will be diminished to the extent
that the cleansing of the present house drains and branch
sewers, and their substitution by a perfect drainaogreee
r-ap-
paratus, are completed; excepting always the m
mote and accidental emanations from adjacent districts
that may remain uucleansed, from which it may be dif-
ficult entirely to protect the school or the Abbey pre-
cinct. That the present cccurrence is an impressive ex-
ample of the great mistake that has hitherto prevailed, in
supposing that the jurisdiction of the Courts of Sewers
fully comprehends all or the most important cleansing
works that have the most direct influence on public
health; it also shows the casualties and disappointments
that must happen wherever an efficient system of okra-
lions is restricted to the public sewers, and where the
private drains or cesspools are left to the ordinary sepa-
rate treatment, that is to say, neglected. That the main
sewers, or the portion of the drainage system under the
jurisdiction of the Court of Sewers, supposing them to
be in a foul state, present only one-fourth of the entire
evaporating surface of noxious gases, that fourth being
for the most part the furthest removed from the general
population, and consequently its cleansing will afford
only a fraction of relief; that the cesspool surfaces make
nearly another fourth ; while the private house drains
supply fully two-fourtns of the noxious evaporating sur-
face, which portion closely bseess the dwelling' :louses,
and has its effluvia circulated through the main sewers.
That, from inquiries made in relation to the expenses of
cleansing and repairing the house drains that exist in
the district, it appears that those expenses are consider-
ably greater to the householders or owners than would be
the expense, under proper legislative and administrative
arrangements, of abolishing all the cesspools and main-
taining a complete soil pan apparatus and impermeable
soil drains, by which the lodgment of refuse, and the
escape of the noxious gases of decomposition
entirely prevented. That imperfectlyas ti ereweeouutldopbee_
rations of cleansing would seem to have been conducted
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and until new and complete drainage works are
laid down, they ought to bo
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imposing obligations, as to the improvement
of house drainage and the abolition of cesspools, is a
delay in the removal of the most extensive sources of
, disease and mortality.
" All which we humbly certify to your Majesty.
" ROBERT GROSVENOR. (L.S.)
" ED WIN CHAD WICK.
" T. souTawoou SMITH. (L.S.)
LAMBERT"IUCIIARD °VENLS
RICIIARU JONES. (LS)
One, perhaps, of the most interesting portions of evi-
dence, having a practical bearing, that the report con-
tains, is that relating to the specific benefits arising from
the cleansing operations recently conducted under the
direction of the Commission of Sewers:—
" The porter of the Cloisters (Henry Burroughs), for
example, states that the health of his family has been
greatly improved by it. Being asked, ' What was the
state of the health of
your family before this new ope-
rationhtiamdea,
Igrheaavte daesailookflysiwckifneeasnsdinyontelyngftetammiillyy'
of cleansing was performed?' he answers, I have
from tomhens e
lost them all but two.' What has been the comparative
health of your family since this cleansing has been
effected and the cesspools have been filled up?'—' I have
had no sickness at all; and myself, wife, and two child-
ren are perfectly well.' You have had no sickness, you