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ISL 29
REPORT
ON THE
SANITARY CONDITION OP SAINT MARY, ISLINGTON.
FOR JANUARY, 1860.
No. XXXIV.
The general mortality of Islington, as registered during the month of January,
has not been excessive, the number of deaths recorded being 243. Scarlatina
has continued to decline, and, were it not for the spread of small-pox among
the unprotected members of our population, the state of the public health
might be regarded with tolerable satisfaction.
In the last week of the month there was not a single death from scarlatina
registered; the total number of deaths in the month was 14, the weekly
numbers being 6, 3, 5, 0. Another sad illustration of the influence of the
neglect of sanitary laws upon the progress and issue of this disease has come
forcibly under my notice. At 7, George's Place, Upper Holloway, is situated
one of the worst constructed and worst managed cow-houses in the parish,
very dirty, badly drained, badly paved, badly ventilated, with a receptacle for
storing dung for a week or more within the shed, the whole being in close
proximity to the dwelling house, which is pervaded by the offensive odour.
Its condition was reported to the Sanitary Committee when I made a general
inspection of the cowsheds in 1857. On January 12th, two daughters of the
dairyman died from malignant scarlet fever, after an illness of 5 and 11 days
respectively, and on the 15th, a young man aged 16 years; others in the
house also suffered, and among them a young woman, who only owes her
recovery to immediate removal to the Fever Hospital. The Metropolitan
cow-houses certainly require to be placed under the regular supervision of
the sanitary authorities quite as much as the slaughter-houses, and it is