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buried, which are undergoing slow decomposition in leaden coffins,
and though not perceptibly in many cases, yet really polluting
the atmosphere.
I haye visited nearly all the vaults in the Parish; the condition
of them was not so offensive as I had expected. In some of
them very largo numbers of coffins lie piled on each other to a
height of six or seven feet, over the entire area of the church.
It would be well if, by some Act of Parliament, arrangements
could be made for removing them all to some Cemetery, or if this be
impracticable, that the vaults be filled up with charcoal or other
disinfecting material, and then hermetically sealed as far as this
can be effected.
UNWHOLESOME FOOD.
I have already reported on Milk as sold in this Parish, and
I believe that no article of nutriment so much affects the public
health as this; in consequence chiefly of its employment in the early
periods of life, when the tissues aie being framed, and the whole
system is very weakly and delicate. So long as the cows are kept as
at present it will be impossible to have a supply of wholesome milk.
Bread, as the most important article of food, has very naturally
engaged my attention. The employment of Alum in bread by the
bakers is almost universal. I have only met with two cases of freedom
from it out of many specimens examined. No doubt the effects
of the alum are to render the bread whiter, to give it a crisper crust,
a cleaner fracture, and make it some what 'lighter.' It also renders
the flour more retentive of moisture, so that more bread can be
made of a sack of flour with than without alum. Bread without
alum, when a day or two old, 'crumbles' very readily; whereas,
bread with alum, however old, is tough and will not readily
crumble. It is probable too, as suggested by Dr. Odling, that
alum prevents the conversion of starch into sugar in some cases when
the wheat has sprouted. The worse the Jlour the larger the quantity
of alum used. The use of alum in bread is partly the fault of the
public, who will insist upon having very white bread with a smooth
fracture. The baker, however, is glad to take advantage of this
taste, because by the use of this ingredient he can employ a worse
quality of flour than he could otherwise dispose of.
There is a penalty of £10 for the adulteration of bread with
alum (1 & 2 Geo. IV. cap. 50, sec. 6). It becomes a question for
serious consideration, whether it would be well to prosecute the
bakers under this Act, or what measures are best calculated to cheek