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22
Parish of St. George the Martyr, Southwark.
don, and, who can say how far the waters which rolled down the bed of tho Thames, contributed
to that commencement, acting as a spark to gunpowder. In 1860 the deaths from
fever were 1392; in 1861, 1770; in 1862, 3598; in 1863, 2892; in 1864, 3689; and in
1805, 3262. The lowest death rate in 10 years from fever was in 1860; the period when
fever was so prevalent amongst the towns on the banks of the Thames; in two years the
deaths had increased by 2206. The belief is gaining ground, that if pure water could be
obtained for drinking, either by preventing its admixture with sewage, or anyhow by having
the sewage at once disinfected, that one cf the fatal fevers which now harass and destroy
tho people might be abolished.*

*For the connexion which exists between pure water and cholera, see my Annual Report for 1859—60, p. 17.