[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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    and sickening odour. It is of such, a character, that I have no hesitation in advising the Board to take active measures for its pre vention. lam not sufficiently positive as to its exact source, but I have very strong grounds for belief. October 5, 1857. Gentlemen, —The sanitary condition of Bermondsey for the week ending September 19th, is shown to be in the highest degree satis factory, the deaths being only six, the average being 35 for the corresponding week of the last ten years; and the births numbered 36. In the Leather Market district, the deaths were none; in St. Mary Magdalen four, and in St. James's district two. Throughout the entire metropolitan district, with a few exceptions, the deaths were below the average; but in no other instance to anything like the same extent as with us. In the following week, ending 26th Sep tember, the deaths show a marked increase, they are in number 22; one is, however, a suicide, whose death took place in July; there are four from natural decay, at advanced ages; three from fever, one in Foxlow Court, where there was no medical attendant, from convulsions, and the others from ordinary diseases. Diarrhœa seems to have disappeared. It is, however, right for me to apprise the Vestry, that this is the period when precautionary measures may safely be energetically adopted. Cholera of a very malignant form is at the present time prevalent in Hamburgh. I am anxious, therefore, with the con currence of the Board to pursue, with some degree of System, the measures advisable for the ensurance of our future safety. I recommend that a house-to-house inspection should take place of one district after another; and from what I have witnessed to-day, I consider that the St. James's district should be first inspected and reported on. In my last report I alluded to some fatal cases of Malignant Fever in the vicinity of Swan Mead. I had my attention again called to this spot yesterday by the Minister and congregation of Ebenezer Chapel. Complaint was made of a sickening odour, which com pelled some of the seat-holders to leave and go home. I found the origin of this stench to be a heap of 400 tons of diseased potatoes in a state of steaming decomposition. I have certified them as a nuisance, and urge prompt measures for their removal. I have had the carcase of a diseased bullock seized and condemned as unfit for human food—the owner summoned and fined for the offence. This will, I trust, be a salutary warning. The discovery is due to the activity and intelligence of your Inspector. After repeated adjournments, the magistrate has dismissed the summons against Mr. O'Neal for a nuisance to the neighbourhood of Dockhead. Since the proceedings were first taken, very con siderable efforts have been made by Mr. O'Neal to remove, or diminish, the cause of complaint against him, and a large expendi ture of money has been made. I have reason to hope, that these efforts have tended to mitigate considerably the amount of vapour,
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