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to be sickening for the disease. These have consequently carried typhus
away to spread it elsewhere. The rooms occupied by these families were
all, more or less, overcrowded—that occupied by the Clarices most of
all—the cubic space per head not exceeding about 144 feet. The room
was sickening to enter. As the owner, although promising to make all
the requisite amendments, did not carry out his engagements, a summons
was at last taken out against him at the Police Court, and, at the
hearing, on March 23rd, lie agreed to an order for abatement, and for
the closure of this and the other houses until made fit for human habitation.
As I write now this order has not yet been complied with.
This is monstrous. The fault lies in two circumstances—first, the imperfections
of the Nuisances Removal Act, when applied to meet the
actual outbreak of infectious disease ; and secondly, the immense
amount of work now thrown upon the magistrate and officers at the
Clerkenwell Policc Court, which, notwithstanding the efforts made
to accommodate us by as early a hearing as possible, results in delays
which are wearying to us, which involve great loss of time to our
officers, and may, as in this instance seems to have been the case, give
occasion to the spread of disease which might otherwise have been
checked.
Of the 9 deaths from fever during the month, one was from typhus ;
it occurred in Elder Walk. I am informed that Mrs. Roadknight, mentioned
above, had come into 3 Mildmay Avenue from some house near
the Lower Road.
EDWAltD BALLARD, M.D.,
Medical Officer of Health
Yertry Officei,
J.pril 9th, 1884.