The Act applied to England and Wales—and this time actually included the metropolis.
The previous definition of the term “nuisance” was enlarged, and “overcrowding” was now for the first time declared to be a “nuisance.”
“Any house or part of a house so overcrowded as to be dangerous or prejudicial to the health of the inmates” was henceforward a “nuisance” and punishable as such. And it was further enacted that “where two convictions for overcrowding of a house, or for the occupation of a cellar as a separate tenement dwelling-place” should have taken place within three months, it should be lawful for the magistrate to direct the closing of such premises for such time as he might deem necessary.
Under another extension of the term “nuisance” the industrial classes got the shadowy boon of all factories, workshops, and workplaces (not already under special Acts), being made subject to the sanitary supervision of the local authorities; and those authorities were given power to inspect such places to ascertain if they were kept in a cleanly state, were properly ventilated, and not overcrowded so as to be dangerous or prejudicial to the health of the inmates.
A section in the Act aimed at the inefficiency and inaction of the local authorities, and made it obligatory (no longer optional) upon them to make inspection of their districts.
“It shall be the duty of the Nuisance Authority to make from time to time, either by itself or its officers, inspection of the district, with a view to ascertain what nuisances exist calling for abatement under the powers of the Nuisances Removal Acts, and to enforce the provisions of the said Acts in order to cause the abatement thereof.”
An effort was also made to check the spread of infectious disease by giving the local authority considerable powers as regarded disinfection. It was enacted that the local authority might provide a proper place for the disinfection of clothing and bedding which might have been rendered liable to communicate disease to others; and the authority was empowered to maintain carriages for the conveyance to hospital of persons suffering under any infectious or contagious disease. A blow was struck at the iniquitous but common practice of letting a room where there had been dangerous infectious disorder, until it had been disinfected. And provision was made for the establishment of a hospital for the reception of the sick.
All these were most considerable reforms, and would have been most useful had they been given effect to and properly enforced.
The most important and wide-reaching provision of the Act was that directed against overcrowding.