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12 Parish of Saint George the Martyr, Southwark.
have never been surpassed; and so far carried out as they have been by the Jews from
generation to generation, they have preserved this people to a remarkable degree. The
Jews have been borne almost unscathed, through the most fearful epidemics, as in our day
we have witnessed. Pure living keeps the body in that condition, which presents a soil of
rock to the ever floating clouds of germ-poison, upon which if they fall they perish.
To Cholera we owe our sincerest gratitude, yet no blessing ever came in a more
questionable shape. All efforts made for the improvement of the sanitary condition of the
lower classes, yea, and I may say for that of the middle classes also, had proved vain and
useless. Vested and all manner of interests raised their horrid crests, and hindered progress.
Mere pleadings were simply useless. Damp, dirty, dilapidated houses stood there,
the only homes for the poor. There were no other for them. They were built in undrained
unpaved streets; with stagnant foetid pools, and level channels signalising them. Heaps
of refuse and garbage covered every vacant space, and upon which the children made their
playground. One stand-pipe giving water about three times a week, for twenty minutes
or so at a time, supplied a dozen or two of houses. Cess-pools abounded, now considered a
curse, then a blessing, for in many localities there were absolutely none. Courts and
alleys literally stank from masses of fœcal and decomposing animal and vegetable matter.
Open ditches ran in all directions, filled more or less with a thick foul liquid, creeping
sluggishly along, and giving off most offensive smells. Roads were without sewers, and
without scavengers. Neglect was everywhere manifest, and as a result pollutions abounded.
This was our condition when the Cholera first appeared; indeed, upon its cond advent
our condition Was little better. The first visitation proved of small benefit in forwarding
Sanitary progress owing to the superstition and ignorance which then prevailed. The
Cholera, then, was supposed to be the manifestation of God's anger, against our moral
delinquencies, instead of being against our physical delinquencies. From all the pulpits
of the land rang ou. this assertion, an assertion which might reasonably have been doubted,
seeing that the disease fell with overwhelming force upon the poor, who perished in thousands,
whilst the middle and higher classes comparatively escaped. Were the poor, sinners
above all the rest ?
It is well to take a retrospect, and from our present position survey the past; see tha
point from whence we ftarted; the way we have Travalled, the distance passed over
This retrospect will invigorate our hopes, and rercarry on the good work.
"We have cause to rejoice that we have not is manifest on every
hand, especially to those who knew the sanitary District, but a few years
back. From a table which I place before you, there will be seen what a great change has
taken place regarding deaths from Cholera between 1849 and 1866, including exactly tha"
period of time in which Vestries have been exercising their powers as litary workers.
Cholera has destroyed itself, as well as many other diseases, by the sanitary
it has compelled us to bring about, acting chiefly through our fears.