Board of Health. x 



attendance ; the care of nurses ; and supplies of medicine, 

 wine, approprite diet, fuel, and clothing. 



' i. Inquire into the powers of the committee of police, 

 and whether they be not competent both to originate and 

 effectuate the proposed reforms. 



' 2. Or whether a board of health might not with more 

 propriety, because with more legal authority, be appointed 

 by the committee of police, to act under their auspices, 

 and to hold from time to time a communication with 

 them ? 



1 3. Or might not a board of health be nominated by 

 the magistrates of the quarter sessions, and act under 

 their auspices in connection with the committee of police ? ' 



Dr. Percival had written elsewhere, ' It has been found, 

 by experiment, that .the fumes emitted by almost every 

 species of burning fuel are fatal to animals, when applied 

 in a sufficiently concentrated state. I have computed that 

 three hundred tons of coal are every day consumed in the 

 winter season at Manchester. The factitious gas generated 

 by its combustion must amount at least to one-third of this 

 quantity ; it is probable that the smoke proceeding from it 

 constitutes another third part, and both together are 

 capable of occupying a space of very wide extent. Now if 

 it were not for the dispersion of these vapours by wind, the 

 precipitation of them by rain, and the influence of other 

 causes, which restore salubrity to the air, respiration could 

 not be carried on under such circumstances. And we may 

 observe that frosty weather, which is generally serene and 

 without wind, always proves extremely oppressive, and 

 sometimes even fatal to asthmatic patients in great cities. 

 Indeed the rate of human mortality bears a pretty near 

 proportion to their magnitude and population ; and I have 



E 2 



