No. 216.] 451 



has the care of the lives and health of the community, or of indi- 

 viduals. 



From what has been related respecting the effects of the habita- 

 tions of the poor, upon their health, lives and morals, the evils are 

 attributable to three things, viz: 1st, The living in damp, dark, un- 

 derground, and other ill-ventilated apartments. 2d. The dirty and 

 injured condition of the floors, walls, yards, and other parts of the 

 premises. 3d. The crowding too many persons in single rooms of 

 inadequate size and accommodations. To correct the first two of 

 these evils, there appears but one way, and that is to place all the 

 dwellings of the city under the inspection of competent officers, who 

 shall have power to enforce a law of domiciliary cleanliness. For 

 this purpose, those places known or suspected to be kept usually in 

 improper condition, should be visited periodically, say once in one, 

 two or three months. The law should be so arranged as to make the 

 cleansing bear upon the owner or lessee, and not upon the tenant di- 

 rectly, who is generally so poor as to be unable to perform the ne- 

 cessary purgation and rectification of the premises. 



The provisions of such a law would be similar to these. 



1st. Every dwelling, or house, or room, court, alley, or yard, or 

 other place used as a dwelling in the city of New- York, shall be 

 subject at any time, between sunrise and sunset, to the inspection of 

 ihe health inspector in whose district it may be situated. If in opin- 

 ion of said officer, it shall be deemed unfit for the purposes of a resi- 

 dence, by reason of dampness, darkness, dirt, filthiness, too low ceil- 

 ing, ill-ventilation, being under ground, or any other good cause, he 

 shall immediately report the same to the city inspector, who shall, 

 upon being satisfied that such report is true, serve a notice to that 

 effect upon the owner, agent, or lessee, stating the reason therefor, 

 and directing the same to be put in proper order and condition, with- 

 in a specified time; said room, house or premises, to be outlawed, and 

 forbidden to be occupied as a dwelling, until said order is complied 

 with to the satisfaction of the health inspector. 



2d. Should any room, cellar, dwelling, or premises, be found by the 

 health inspector to be in a condition dangerous to the public health, 

 by reason of emanation from the soil, or other places, or from any 

 other cause, said officer shall report the same to the city inspector, 

 who shall upon being satisfied of its correctness, notify the owner, 

 agent, or lessee thereof, directing him to cleanse and purify said 



