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as to be equally detrimental to their own health and
that of those living in the neighbourhood — at once a
means of importation into the town of contagious diseases,
and a prolific source of their propagation. On the
advent of the epidemic of Small-pox in 1856, the first case
which came under my notice, and the first death from that
disease occurred, amongst them; and to the best of my
belief, after full enquiry, this disease was imported into the
town by them in that year. It has appeared to me desirable
to reproduce here briefly the main circumstances contained
in that report, in order to show that the evil is of sufficient
magnitude to require measures to be adopted for its
suppression.
The plan of causing to be cleansed and limewhited all rooms
amongst the houses of the poor requiring such measure, in
which contagious disease had been present, was carried out
last year much more fully than heretofore, (as seen on comparing
the Table with those of former reports), and has been
attended with much benefit; the extension of contagious
diseases having often been promptly arrested by these
simple but important proceedings, where, without them,
its further development would have been as certainly
anticipated.
The process of naming streets and numbering the
houses has been applied to several parts of the town. Of
the greatest assistance in the efficient prosecution of sanitary
works, and in the investigation of the local causes of
disease, this otherwise great public convenience will, it is
hoped, be universally adopted throughout the parish.
The general scavengering of the town has been performed
better than heretofore, but it is still very short of what is
needed. It requires to be more systematic, more searching,
and more frequent; particularly in the bye-ways, in the