The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-02 00:00:00

seeded to quote from a publication of the Health- of
Towns Assiciation, and other documents, to show the
fatal effects of inhaling these noxious gases from sewers,
&c. Fevers had been known in Liverpool and else-
where, as shown by Mr. Grainger. in his lectures, and '
by Dr. Southwood Smith, from parties being lo-
cated opposite gully•holes. Typhus fever had appeared
in these cases. He knew a house in Tottenham-
court-road, where fever had broken out from
a want of proper ventilation of the drains.
In his own practice in connexion with the parish he had '
had occasion to witness some of those cases of fever ..
(which he detailed with great force), in one of which
three children had died within seventy-two hours of
scarlet fever. In this case he besought the father, who
was a carpenter, to take up the flooring, and look under
the floor of his room. It appeared that the soil from
the privy had escaped, and had formed a complete
layer of decomposed matter immediately under the floor. •
In Liverpool a case bad occurred in which the men on
board one vessel had been attacked with fever, and one
or more of them died. An inquiry was made into the
catist, of this mortality, and it was found to have been
caused from the vessel having been moored exactly op-
posite one of the outlets of the sewers. The diseases
produced from these causes were abscesses, scrofula, and
bowel complaints. This was especially the case about
the Mint, and other narrow streets in the parish.
While the opening of the sewers was permitted, the worst .
possible gases were evolved. Having mentioned a va-
riety of cases of sickness produced from the causes re-
ferred to, the speaker concluded by saying that he could
not undertake to suggest what might be the best means
to adopt in the matter; but one thing he was sure was
indispensably necessary, and that was en immensely in-
creased
supply of water.—(Hear, hear.) He had great -
pleasure in seconding the resolution.
Mr. BAKER said he could not forbear from mentioning
an incident which had occurred in his own case. Some ,1
months since he had been greatly annoyed at a very .
unusual smell on the premises. He discovered in-his
garden a small hole, which it appeared communicated
with the sewer or cesspool. He stopped it up very effec-
tually, and the smell vanished. He mentioned this to
show that the commissioners of sewers adopted a wrong
principle in allowing the air to rush into these drains.
Mr. J. L. STEVENS took this opportunity, as an indi-
vidual, to return his grateful thanks to the medical gen-
tlemen, who had truly proved that they were members of
a liberal profession, who had come there to sympathise
with them, and to ask them to cut away the earnings of
their profession. Those gentlemen said, if they were to
profit by their skill they would only do so under sound,
lair, and reasonable circumstances. He hoped they would
go on with this movement, and that they would not be
satisfied with the expression of their opinions, but that
that they would go still further. He happened to live
near an open ditch; and three years since he had fre-
quently serious fits of illness in his own family—among
other cases, one of typhus fever in consequence of the
litch. He endeavoured to get the evil remedied—he
fancied it could be easily done; but certainly he never
was more discouraged than in the attempt he then made.
I'hey were subjected at the time to what was called the
annual cleaning of the sewers. The system was to re-
move
the soil from the bottom, to throw it to the side,
and then subject it to a new decomposition by the action
of the atmosphere; which matter ought to have been car-
ried off. But he preferred latterly the open ditch, when
left alone, to the stink-holes in the streets. His son had
suffered severely from the effects of the effiuvium of those
sewer traps in the Blackfriars-road.
Mr. GILL, of Friar-street, said that one of these gully-
holes had been opened opposite to his dwelling, from the
effluvium of which he and his family sufferedimeat se- ,
verely. The stench, as was well known to many present,
was intolerable. He wrote a letter to Lord- Morpeth,
complaining of the nuisance, on the 21st of March last.
On the 23d ho received an answer from the office of
Woods and Forests, stating that his complaint should be
Immediately attended to and placed before the Commis-
,ioners. On the 24th March, a gentleman fom the Com-
missioners of Sewers called and investigated the case,
►nd promised it should be laid before the Commissioners,
and that he had no doubt that something would be done
to abate the nuisance; but he said he was doubtful
whether they could give him any relief at all, because it
was the duty of the parish to remedy the evil of which
ce complained. It appeared, however, that the poor-law
auditor had refused to sanction a charge of a similar,
character. Thus he was sent from one to the other,
md the nuisance remained. His wife was in delicate
health, and his medical attendant told him that he and
his family were daily inhaling slow poison.—(Shame.)
The resolution, on being put, was carried, with one
dissentient—a young gentleman who was present.
The CHAIRMAN called on
Mr. FRANKLIN COXWORTHY, who, at some length,
detailed his plans, the principal of which was to erect
high columns on each side of the streets, being carried
up above the chimney, and inserting through it an iron-
rod as a lightning-conductor, and for the purpose of aide
ing in the electric condensation of the gases. Another
plan was, to raise a column, and he did not see why, as
they were raised for monuments, they should not be
erected for useful purposes, with shafts from the two
sewers on either side of the street, under ground, with
the same chain for the same purposes.—[We Cannot
attempt to give other minute and scientific details into
which Mr. Coxworthy entered ; his pamphlet on the
" Pollution of the Atmosphere" is well worth perusal].
Mr. G. LEE STEVENS moved the second resolution:—
" That it is the opinion of this meeting that, unless the
openings in the sewers recently made by order of the
metropolitan commissioners of sewers be closed, and some
simple and efficient plan of ventilating the sewers be
adopted, such, for instance, as that which Mr. Franklin
Coxworthy has explained to this meeting, the most ap-
palling consequences must inevitably follow in the ge-
neral deterioration of the health of the inhabitants and
the increased destruction of life."
Mr:EVANS (a medical officer) seconded this resolu-
tion, inasmuch as it was a step in the right direction,
though he did not exactly approve of Mr. Coxworthy's
plan. He could bear witness to the deleterious and fatal
effects of the opening the sewers. He had lost a medical
friend, who, while standing in Regent•street waiting for
an omnibus, while one of these traps was open, was
affected by the effluvia which arose, went home and died
shortly after of typhus fever. In one case, where a trap
was opened opposite his house, he had threatened to
diet, and the nuisance was put down. He doubted the
efficacy of Mr. Coxworthy's plan, because he feared the
noxious gases would only be blown again through the
chimneys below. As a step to improvement, he would
nevertheless second the resolution.
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" That the officers of this parish be requestedslitooliunftiortiwnia:l--;
copies of the resolutions passed this day to the Metrope"
mopnprelorapsirnoieefdtSewers, and respectfully to urge
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either by the adoption of Mr. Franklin Coxworthy'e
plan, or some other equally or more efficient mode; and
that, the officers of this parish be also requested to coin'
municate these proceedings to the parochial officers of
the metropolitan districts, in hope of their general co.
operation."
Mr. COPE seconded the resolution, and thought that
the mode of curing the evil was not what they had to
deal with, that must be left to scientific men.
Carried unanimously.
On the motion of Mr. Connistsote, thanks were voted
to the churchwardens and overseers for the use of the
school-room.
Mr. ARCHER returned thanks, and the meeting so'
rated.