THE SANITARY CONDITION OF BRISBANE: 
READ BY W. PETTIGREW, ESQUIRE, 
AT THE 
MONTHLY MEETING OF THE QUEENSLAND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY, 
HELD 24th DECEMBER, 1874. 
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Several papers Lave Been read before this Society bearing on this 
subject, particularly those, by the late 0. Tiffin, Esquire, Colonial 
Architect, and AY. Coote, Esquire. The latter says a good deal in 
favor of carrying offensive matter in the most efficient way to the 
river, there to accumulate and fill up its bed, which has already been 
done in several places, besides polluting the atmosphere. The other 
advocated and invented an earth-closet arrangement. 
Lately an Act of our Legislature was passed dealing with this sub * 
ject, and compelling the Municipal Council to elect a Local Board of 
Health. I was one of those so appointed, but, I suppose, making our- 
selves too efficient in the discharge of our duties, the Council requested 
the Government to take steps to allow them to put others m our place, 
and which has been complied with. 
This, then, is a subject which has received, is receiving, and will 
receive, attention for a length of time to come. 
AYhen on that Board I had opportunities of observing the defects 
of the present Act of Parliament, to which I shall presently refer. 
Mr. Tiffin in his paper says there are three kinds of filth — slops, 
ashes, and ordure. By u The Health Act ” provision is made for ashes 
and ordure, but none for slops. How, slops can become and are a great 
source of complaint in many places in the city. Several cases were 
brought before the Board of Health, but to these I will not refer. I 
will refer to one of long standing in Margaret street, and to which 
Mr. Berry, many years ago, repeatedly called the attention of the Cor- 
poration. The gutter has been partly stone pitched, but the nuisance 
still exists in a mitigated form. Another one in William street and 
Margaret street is caused from slops and water from near Mr. Carey’s 
premises. In William street and down part of Margaret street where 
the gutter is kept clean there is not much offensive smell, but near the 
river where it runs more slowly the smells are sometimes very offensive. 
