clx MEMOIR 



of which were but too apparent, obviously demanded the expendi- 

 ture of much time and careful study on the part of the intelligent 

 proprietor himself and the professional experts he had to call in, 

 and, it is needless to add, much money. There came also, from the 

 poorer parts of the town, the cry that in many cases the houses of 

 our working people were built anyhow that the dictates of a narrow 

 economy suggested to the speculative and irresponsible builder. The 

 horrors of what was called the ' Sandwich system,' amongst other 

 evils, were brought to light. It is sufficient to say, generally, that 

 this particular practice of the builder consists in placing in a block 

 of workmen's houses, to save space and money, the water cisterns of 

 one flat, directly under the sanitary appliances of the other, and so 

 on to the top of a house of several storeys. It is easy to conceive the 

 abominations that must ensue when the leakage of the upper floors 

 begins to penetrate to the drinking water below. The picture was 

 a hideous one, apart from the well-known fact that a whole class of 

 diseases is habitually spread by contaminated water. 



In October 1876, a brisk and interesting discussion had been 

 carried on in the columns of the Times at intervals during the 

 greater part of that month, in which the same subject, that of the 

 health and sewage of towns, had been dealt with by several writers 

 well informed in such matters. Amongst others, Professor Jenkin 

 himself took part, as did Professor Gr. F. Armstrong, who now occupies 

 the chair of Civil Engineering in Edinburgh. Many of the truths 

 then advanced had been recently discussed at a meeting of the British 

 Association. 



It was while such topics were attracting attention that Fleeni- 

 ing Jenkin's family were shocked by the sad intelligence of the loss 

 that friends of theirs had sustained in the deaths of several of their 

 children from causes that could be traced up to the insanitary con- 

 dition of their house. Sympathy took the practical form of an 

 intense desire that something might be done to mitigate the chance 

 of such calamities ; and, I am permitted to say, the result of a home- 

 talk on this subject was an earnest appeal to the head of the house 

 to turn his scientific knowledge to account in some way that should 

 make people's homes more healthy, and their children's lives more 

 safe. In answer to the call Jenkin turned his thoughts in this 

 direction. And the scheme which I shall endeavour briefly to 

 sketch out was the result. 



The obvious remedy for a faulty house is to call in a skilful 

 expert, architect or engineer, who will doubtless point out by means 



