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39
Looking at the small proportion of deaths to cases treated,
the Union Medical Officers may be fairly congratulated
upon the success of their administrations. There were, it
appears, 21 deaths in 211 cases. It is true this is rather
beyond the average of the previous ten years, but still is
no less favourable than was the ratio of the preceding
year, when the number of deaths to cases treated was 16
in 183.
During the prevalence of the Cholera epidemic, the
poor of this Sub-district appear to have suffered but very
slightly, at all events, the Medical Relief Books do not
tell of any victims, amongst the pauper population, of either
Diarrhoea or Cholera.
I may here remark that every precaution was taken in
this locality to prevent the spread of the disease, and that
all the assistance it was in the power of the authorities to
render the profession in their treatment of the epidemic,
was liberally and willingly afforded. The Special Meeting
of the Wandsworth Board of Works, to consider the Order
in Council, took place on August 1st. The Vestry, or
Local Committee, to whom the Board delegated its powers
to act in the emergency, was called together shortly afterwards,
viz., on the 6th August, when every arrangement
was made, not only to put in force the law in respect to
the removal and abatement of nuisances, but for the adoption
of all other measures that seemed advisable under
the circumstances, with what effect the statistics I have
already referred to will show. The appointment of an
Assistant Sanitary Inspector, who was very energetic in
his work, was attended by the best results.
Sanitation of the year.—I need only refer the reader to
Table VI. in the Appendix to show that the amount of
accomplished sanitary work was greater during 1866 than
during any year since operations were commenced under
the Act for the Better Management of the Metropolis,
and that this Sub-district has been behind none of the
others in the promotion cf improvements conducing to the
health of the inhabitants.