194 president's address— section I. 



profit and loss is on a higher footing — though the monetary phase 

 of it must not be disregarded — and the undertaking of all that 

 concerns these matters is best left in public hands ; and I am not 

 disposed to curtail the bounds of the matters that concern the 

 public health. For instance, I would include some matters that 

 may be said rather to affect public comfort and convenience than 

 health. I have referred to the condition of the streets and roads 

 of a town as an important factor in the matter of its health. I 

 would therefore advise that everything connected with that con- 

 dition should be under the control of the authorities — paving, 

 cleansing, sewers and drains, water mains and services, gas mains 

 and services, tramways, tree planting, and such like. I would do 

 so all the more on account of the commercial aspect of some of 

 these undertakings, for commercial considerations might require 

 that streets should be dealt with in one way while public health 

 and convenience might lequire something different. Some of us 

 who have had exjierience in street making and maintenance know 

 the annoyance and evils connected with the joint occupancy of 

 a roadway by water and gas and tramway companies, all claiming 

 rights interfering Avilh the duty of the town authorities to maintain 

 the surface in good, safe, and clean condition. Moreover, the 

 proper administration of all these matters not only prevents the 

 annoyances and evils referred to, but secures to the public a 

 better service than can be attained when trade profit is the main 

 consideration, and at the same time secures the profit also. For 

 instance, the city of Birmingham acquired the gasworks by 

 purchase in 1875. Since that time the chief point aimed at has 

 been the making of a gas as free from impurities and of as high an 

 illuminating power as practicable. And not only has this been 

 secured, but the price of gas has been reduced from 3s. 6d. a 

 thousand feet to small consumers to 2s. 7d., and at the same time 

 a profit averaging £50,000 a year has been made, half of which 

 has been placed in a reserve fund and half gone in aid of the 

 general improvement rate of the city. " The ratepayers of 

 Glasgow," as Dr. Russell says, " through their representatives, not 

 only purvey their own water, gas, electricity, and street locomo- 

 tion, but under the force of circumstances are becoming holders 

 ■and purveyors of house accommodation," and, I may add, the 

 ratepayers are finding it quite worth their while to do all this. 



I would be willing to base the whole case in favor of energetic 

 administration of health laws upon the arguments to be dra^vn 

 from the example and experience of the proverbially shrewd and 

 practical men of Glasgow% They have not only done what Dr. 

 ilussell mentions, but have carried out all that the health laws of 

 the country empower them to do ; and where they found that the 

 pro\'isions of the general law were not sufficient, they have pro- 

 moied special sanitary legislation for their city. There are no less 

 -than twelve such special Acts on the statute rolls of Parliament. 



