CHOLERA.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir, --A correspondent in The Times of Tuesday adverts to the probability of the recent severe outbreaks of cholera in districts east of Regent-street being greatly induced by house-drains communicating with the leading sewers not being "trapped." The mockery of such a system of sewerage or drainage must be obvious to all. Allow me, however, to remark that, having paid much attention to this subject, I have noticed in districts where the old cesspools in the yards or basements of houses have been done away and drains formed into the sewers, that the street-gratings have, pari passu, emitted the most intolerable effluvia; so much so, that if I have stopped to speak to a friend or to cross a street near one of these pestilential openings, I have immediately been disagreeably cognizant of the fact, and have moved off accordingly. Shopkeepers, and those who live contiguous to these gratings, get so accustomed to the malaria that, except on coming out of fresh air, they are generally unconscious of the mephitic poison they ordinarily inhale. As it would be unwise to disturb these sewer openings at the present moment, when the atmosphere seems tainted with the prevailing epidemic, I would suggest that a tarred sack should in dry weather be laid over each street grating, so as to prevent the escape of effluvia. It would be but a trifling exercise of trouble for the servant of the person whose house might be in front of the grating, or for the police during the night, to fold the piece of tarred sacking back, so as to allow the escape of water, should a fall of rain occur. An efficient system of trapping private as well as street drains is no doubt required, but, under the present emergency, I have no doubt a great amelioration would be experienced in the atmosphere inhaled by those who have the misfortune to live near a street sewer-grating.
I am yours, &o.,
Piccadilly. CHARLES BOND.
SEPT. 8, 1854