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locality should be resumed; those that were examined during the
quarter, disclosed precisely the same deficiencies as are mentioned in
the returns from many of the other sub-districts.
STREATHAM. Cases of Fever having occurred in the Manor Park,
Brick Fields, Mr. Brown in one of his returns calls attention to the
necessity of some stringent measures to improve the state of this locality.
He states, that " in front of the houses the people deposit all their
refuse animal and vegetable matter, around which is a perfect swamp
of putrid water, fully accounting for the cases of fever that have arisen
there." The health of this sub-district appears by the return to have
been very good throughout the quarter.
TOOTING AND BALHAM. Both Mr. Chapman and Mr. Ward
have furnished returns during the quarter, that are highly satisfactory
as regards the health of their respective sub-districts. The former gentleman
calls attention to the defective drainage of a court in his subdistrict,
in which seven cases of common continued fever had come
under his notice; and the latter to some sewers in Balham New Road,
and in Devonshire Road which require examination and improvement.
Several houses in the vicinity of these sewers were found flooded at
their basements in consequence of the defects referred to. This nuisance,
has, it appears, been several times reported on by Mr. Ward.
The moral and physical deterioration of the industrial classes produced
by unclean dwellings, ill ventilation, bad or absent drainage,
and imperfect water supply, is a theme upon which volumes might be
written; but the simple question I would now put, is—Is all being
done that can be done, to secure the blessings of more healthy homes to
those in this district who, it has been shown, are by reason of their
helplessness and inability to secure these blessings for themselves, so
much more liable than any other class to fall victims to sickness and its
long train of attendant evils ?
There can be no doubt that much activity is being displayed, and
always has been displayed, by the Board end its executive officers, to
fully accomplish the objects and design of the Act which authorises
their efforts; but it may not be without its advantages to show, in as
concise a form as possible, to what extent those efforts have been successful
during the past quarter, as well as the results of the Board's interference
where such was needed, and the want of success that has attended
some few first efforts to effect certain improvements for the general