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direct result, or more probably being caused by specific
products mixed with the sewage."—Parkes, Art., "Effects
of Impure Air."
With reference to this portion of the subject, we beg
to direct attention to the subjoined Reports made by us
to the Board:—
Extracts from Reports of Medical Officers of
Health for Battersea.
"In reply to yours of the 31st ultimo, asking me for
information as to amount of sickness prevalent in houses
in my District and elsewhere in the Parish of Battersea,
which had been flooded with sewage in January and
February last, I have to inform you that in the majority
of the houses so flooded nearly the whole of the persons living
therein were more or less injuriously affected by diseases
likely to result from such flooding with sewage matter.
The diseases observed by me were Typhoid or Enteric
Fever, Diphtheria, Mumps, and Gastro-Enteritis, of which
I had many examples approaching Typhoid in intensity if
not in duration. In addition, Rheumatism and Bronchitis
were very prevalent.
"Not only the houses in which the sewage appeared
above the boards of the basement rooms were rendered
damp and unhealthy, but a far larger number, in which
the soil under the joists was impregnated with sewage
matter, a layer of which latter was frequently deposited
on the surface by the receding waters; and in houses in
both these categories I found, as a rule, that the whole of
the inhabitants suffered more or less from one of the
diseases above mentioned, whereas in houses so situated
as not to be influenced by the sewer overflow, although
the severe weather may have caused many cases of illness,
the majority of the inhabitants were in good health.
"I have also observed that in the districts flooded
several cases of Phthisis in the earlier stages, and which