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any dwelling. It is very desirable that means should be taken to prevent
the accumulation of vegetable matters.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
JOHN CHALLICE, M.D.,
Officer of Health.
TO THE VESTRY OF BERMONDSEY.
August 2nd, 1858.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, —During the week ending July 17th,
the Deaths registered in our parish were 26, and for the week following
28, in each case being a fraction below the corrected average. Yet we
are suffering somewhat severely from Measles and Whooping Cough;
11 deaths having taken place from the former, and 4 from the latter
disease in the fortnight; 4 deaths occurred from Diarrhœa in the week
ending July 19th, and 5 from the same disease in the following week;
and on the 21st, a child died, aged 15 months, at 41, John street,
Dockhead, of Infantile Cholera. I have visited the house, and found
that the case was one of that isolated character now always met with
in one district or the other of the Metropolis at this season of the year.
It is, therefore, not sufficient to create alarm, but more than sufficient
to instil watchfulness and precaution. The drainage connected with
the privy of the house was stopped, and I have certified it as a nuisance.
The supply of water was said to be plentiful. My attention has been
drawn to another case of death, from disease of a different character, at
No. 4, Swan Mead, where a child died from low Fever, with ulceration
of the face, mouth, tongue, and fauces, on the 19th ult.; and close by,
another died lately from Small Pox. I allude especially to these cases
because I have, upon more than one occasion, reported to the Vestry
upon the condition of this locality. The premises occupied by Mr.
Cripps are in the highest degree offensive. On the 29th July I found
the process of skutch-boiling with sulphuric acid in full operation.
The stench emitted was most suffocating; producing not only sickness
and nausea, with headache and pains in the bowels, but also a sense of
constriction about the chest, with difficulty of breathing. The heated
vapour from this process is conducted into the sewer, thus rendering its
contents most offensive, and injurious to the health of the inhabitants,
not only in the immediate neighbourhood, but also to others at a considerable
distance.
In some premises nearly adjoining, also in the occupation of Mr.
Crisp, there were considerable accumulations of putrid animal matters,
covered with myriads of maggots. There were also stale and stinking
bones, evidently intended for boiling, as there is an open boiler and
some vessels containing fat. I earnestly urge upon the Vestry the necessity
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