[Report 1857-1858].

  • Bermondsey (London, England). Parish. Vestry.
Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1857-1858]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    should at present venture upon it, without a most pressing neces sity. In connection with this subject, I have again with extreme regret to report, that the water supply is in some districts alarmingly inefficient. Our baths and wash-houses have also suffered from inadequate supply, and the Superintendent informs me that the water is not of good quality. From enquiries made by your Inspector, and from complaints at the Office, there can be no doubt of the serious inconvenience to which the inhabitants generally are subjected in consequence of insufficient supply of water. I look upon this as a very alarming circumstance, calculated, not only to predispose our population to disease, should any epidemic arise, but as also very certain to pro duce injury to the public health. I have inspected the premises of Messrs. Procter and Bevington, and found a considerable accumula tion of scutch, and also large heaps of horns, in a putrid and putrifying condition. I do not believe that they can remain there without risk to the neighbourhood, and I have certified accord ingly. There is at times a gaseous, offensive and suffocating vapour, which proceeds from these premises, occasioning sickness, headache and nausea, to the inhabitants of the vicinity. It arises from the employment of muriatic acid. I consider that some means might be employed to diminish this cause of complaint. At Mr. Young's premises the scutch was being removed. I suggest that the carts used for its removal should be covered, during the present hot weather, with a coating of charcoal or plaster of Paris and a tarpauling, as the effluvia from putrid animal matter is most offensive, and to many persons very injurious. August 3, 1857. Gentlemen, —The deaths registered in the week ending July 11th for this parish were 15, the average during the last 10 years being 24.2. For the week ending July 18th, the deaths registered were 14, the average for the last 10 years being 29.6; and for the week ending July 25th, the number registered is again 14, the average being 29.6. This is a most satisfactory state of things, and is encouraging for us to continue with steadiness and perseverance in the path of sanitary reform. Considering the unusual temperature, which during the week ending the 25th ult. was 6.7 degrees above the average of the same week in the last 43 years, this result is beyond my most sanguine anticipations. The temperature of the week previous was nearly to the same degree in excess of the average. I attribute the diminished mortality in some degree to the very wholesome alarm which prevails when diarrhœa commences, and the consequent promptitude in resorting to medical advice, and to precautions in diet; for diarrhœa has been very prevalent, almost general, especially with children. One fatal case of cholera is registered in a child aged five years, after 23 hours' illness, still we are, at present, entirely exempt from this disease in an epidemic form; isolated
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