London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Wandsworth 1884

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Wandsworth District, The Board of Works (Clapham, Putney, Streatham, Tooting & Wandsworth)]

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20
built dust-holes, and are emptied regularly three times a
week. The introduction of such a plan, or better
still a daily removal, would be of immense sanitary
advantage to this district, and would probably be
more expeditious to the dust-men, owing to the shorter
time spent in carrying the galvanized iron receptacle
with a cover to the dustcart. Tarpaulin covers are
now commonly placed over the full dust-carts in this
district, though the protection they afford is somewhat
fortuitous. A fixed cover to the carts with movable lids,
to be open only during the process of filling and
emptying would form a much more certain protection
against the dissemination of disease.
The prospect of a Cholera Outbreak.—This is a question
which for the last two years has much exercised the
public mind. During last summer the importation of
Cholera into Paris was, owing to its foul cesspool system
and impure drinking water, followed by a serious
epidemic. That this may be repeated during the
coming summer is not at all improbable, and its
introduction into London cannot then be considered
unlikely. This however need cause no alarm, if only
proper precautions are adopted. Much has already been
done, and even if Cholera appeared it could scarcely
become so widespread as in former epidemics. Certain
local conditions are necessary for its existence and
propagation, and these are the same as those producing
Diphtheria, and more particularly summer Diarrhoea and
Typhoid Fever. The prevalence of these is therefore
an index of the possible inroads of Cholera. All are alike
filth- diseases, due to dirt (which may be very minute in
quantity but virulent in its properties), in the house or
the complex contents of the dust-bin, or contamination
in the drinking-water or the atmosphere. Hence the
importance of general cleanliness, of early and frequent