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poor. In Wandsworth for example, there are instances* of water cisterns
being placed within the closets, where the water remains exposed to
all the contaminating influences usually found in such places, and where
it is necessary for the tenants to go to obtain every drop of fluid for
drinking and other domestic purposes.
Additional Remarks relating to the several Sub-Districts.
CLAPHAM.—In reference to this sub-district, Mr. Mc.Donogh states,
in his return, that the health of the inhabitants continued good throughout
the whole of October, with little or no epidemic disease coming
under treatment. Throughout November and December, although the
health of the locality was on the whole satisfactory, and particularly
so amongst the poor, bronchial, catarrhal, and other affections of the
respiratory organs prevailed to a considerable extent, and contributed
somewhat largely to the registered mortality of those months. Mr.
Mc. Donogh further states, that 55 complaints were entered in the
complaint book and were attended to; and that 135 dwellings were
carefully inspected by himself, finding however, in the majority of the
examinations made, but little to complain of. In the early part of
October 23 slaughter-houses were duly inspected ana reported on, and
recommendations were tendered to the proprietors to adopt certain
sanitary improvements, which were, with scarcely an exception, at
once cheerfully carried out. In the return of November 7th, a recommendation
was inserted that all persons keeping pigs should be registered
by the Inspector, and cleanliness strictly enforced in every case. In
subsequent returns attention was directed to numerous dwellings in the
parish needing sanitary appliances to render them healthy residences
for the poor. Especial attention was also called to the bad sanitary
condition of Howard Street and of Waterloo Place, and to the state of
several dung heaps and accumulations of offal.
The deaths from all causes, during the Quarter, in Clapham were 84,
the births 145—thus giving an excess of births over deaths of 61.
Neither the amount of sickness, nor the rate of mortality amongst the
pauper population was unusually high during the Quarter. Lung
* In Martin's Buildings, Frogmore.