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In 1865, the same Magistrate let off with a 5s. fine the owner of a
pig which had suffered from hog-typhus—the carcase having been by
him prepared and dressed for human food in the form of sausages—an
almost incredible decision at the present time.
A great many summonses were taken out iu respect of pig-keeping
in yards and areas about houses, and not always with successful results.
In 1864, proceedings were taken in respect of pigs kept in large
numbers in Bull's Gardens, under Michael Angelo Taylor's Act, which
prohibits pigs from being kept within 40 yards of a street. The
magistrates, however, disagreed; and on appeal tho Court of Common
Pleas decided against the Vestry It is interesting to observe that the
owner of Wickham Place, which was condemned and demolished by the
Vestry in 1892 under the Housing of the "Working Classes Act, was
sent to prison in 1860, in default of paying fines for sanitary neglect of
his property; and that in 1864, outbreaks of typhus occurred in
Wickham Place and in Mermaid's Yard (also demolished).
Nuisances were constantly arising on the Thames fore-shore from
the sewers which discharged direct into the Thames; and the question
as to who was responsible for the nuisance led to much correspondence
between the Vestry and the Metropolitan Board of Works, without
anything much being done to abate the nuisance. The foul state of
open ditches in Kensal Town was also much complained of.
In 1866, London was invaded by Asiatic cholera. There was an
outbreak of the disease in White Hart Court, Chelsea, and 21 deaths in
all were registered in the parish. The Vestry displayed commendable
sanitary activity. A sanitary staff of labourers was organised to visit
the courts and alleys, with which the older parts of Chelsea at that
time abounded. These men cleansed cisterns, privies, and drains, and
limewashed, cleansed, and disinfected the interiors of the houses. All
the public pumps from the shallow wells in the parish were closed in
July, but it was not until the following year, 1867, that the pumps
were permanently removed. Steps were also taken to obtain a fresh
supply of water for the poorer classes on Sundays, and to prevent overcrowding
of their habitations. With a view to the latter purpose,
Regulations for Houses let in Lodgings or occupied by members of
more than one family, under the Sanitary Act of 1866, were framed,
adopted, and enforced. In 1867, the Vestry attempted to recover from
the owners concerned, the expenses incurred by the special cholera
sanitary staff in rendering decently clean and habitable the properties,
whioh by the neglect of such owners, had become so highly insanitary.
These proceedings, however, failed ; and the rates were saddled with
all the expenditure incurred to fight the cholera.
On the whole, so far as one can judge from the somewhat limited
information now available as to the proceedings of the Vestry and its
officers in the early days, it would seem that having regard to the then
very undeveloped state of public opinion on the utility of sanitary
measures, to the hostility of the Courts of reference (the Police