Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants, of the parish of Selby, in the county of York / by William Lee.

  • Great Britain. General Board of Health.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report to the General Board of Health on a preliminary inquiry into the sewerage, drainage, and supply of water, and the sanitary condition of the inhabitants, of the parish of Selby, in the county of York / by William Lee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    I know there are some people in this town who only look at the great expense of this undertaking In iny opinion the first question ought to be, does the health of the town require it? if it do require it, let it be done effectually. We are in duty bound to use all available means to protect the poorest classes of society from such direful scourges as that which has lately afflicted this unfortunate town. 1 feel thoroughly convinced that it is the wisest and best economy to place this town in a proper sanitary condition ; and I do believe that the town generally will suffer less from local taxes under proper manage- ment than it does at the present lime. I am one of the last men in the world to cause any unnecessary expenditure, because it will partly have to come out of the pockets of the poor as well as the rich; and God knows that they can ill spare any more of their hard-earned pittance which they now receive. But if a sacrifice be necessary (which I do not believe), I will willingly and cheerfully contribute my mite ; and in doing so I shall derive both pleasure and comfort in knowing that I have conscientiously done my duty. Report of the Sanitary State of Selby. By Mr. John Linton. Sir, Of all the social questions which agitate the public mind at the present day, that of sanitary reform is, beyond all doubt, the most im- portant, and the one which appeals the most strongly to the sympathies of every humane and enlightened man. To assist in improving the condition of the poorest classes, and of raising them from the depth of degradation and misery into which for many years past they have been sinking lower and lower, is the ardent desire of every true philanthropist. In this sanitary movement all persons have an interest; it affects their property'—it affects their health—and it affects their lives ; yet I we find people who are opposed to improvement, whose opposition must [ arise from not properly understanding this question. The friends to sanitary reform ought to use every means to convince their opponents of the necessity and the benefit to be derived by fully I carrying out the sanitary principle. j In my opinion the basis of sanitary improvement is deep and effectual drainage; without this essential provision it is impossible to put this town into a proper sanitary state. I will, Sir, with your permission, endeavour to prove that in this town effectual drainage is necessary; next, I will show that it is jirac- ticable; then I will endeavour to prove that it will not cause any addi- tional expense to the town ; and lastly, that an actual profit may be derived from it. Tlie drainage of this town is very defective, being nothing more than two or three elongated cesspools, receptacles of excrementitious and other filthy matter, and totally inoperative as regards the drainage. The main sewer crossing Finkle-street and New-street in a north-west direction, passing under a number of dwelling-houses and various other buildings, and terminating behind the houses in Ouse-gate. [171.]