View report page

5
in the total number there were 3 cases of Measles, 39 of Diarrhoea, and 103
of Fever. In the corresponding quarter of last year, the number of cases
of illness in the Workhouse was 528, including 50 cases of Fever, and 15
of Diarrhoea.
Since my last Report, the Water Supply to the district has been
improved by the erection of four additional Water-waste Preventers.
There are now five of these machines in operation, so that the poor in all
these localities Jhave a constant instead of as formerly an intermittent supply.
Besides these, there are two other machines of a similar construction, so
far as relates to the affording a constant supply of water without occasioning
waste, which have been in operation for several years. They appear to
answer the desired purpose in a very satisfactory manner.
I have mentioned at the commencement of this Report, that the
mortality in the district is in excess of that of the corresponding
quarter of last year, and I regret to add that this excess is increasing
year by year. The state of the public health is certainly very
unsatisfactory, whether we regard the increased mortality, the large
number of deaths from zymotic diseases, or the fact of the deaths
exceeding in number the births. If we estimate the number of
houses which now exists, and compare it with that at the last census,
it will be found that, owing to the extension of railways, the number of
them is less. If, therefore, the population has increased, the inciease is
owing to a greater number of persons living together in the same house,
a state of things, which from the reports of the Inspectors, I find in some
instances, is actually the case. Thus, in Inkhorn Court, which is a cul de sac,
about 54 yards in length and yards in width, and has houses on each
side of this narrow space, there were in October, 1859, 117 inhabitants.
In October, 1861, the number of inhabitants was 138, and on a visit
recently made, the number was ascertained to be 156. This over-crowding
in houses, I believe to be very general throughout the district. The fact
of over-crowding is one very difficult to detect, and if detected, still more
difficult to prevent; for, many of the houses in poor neighbourhoods
become over-crowded in consequence of some of the tenants under-letting
their rooms to lodgers for single nights, so that, when the Inspector makes
his visit in the day time, he only learns the number of tenants who rent
the house from the landlord, and it is only from information obtained from
the inhabitants of the adjoining houses, that he learns the fact of there
being many more occupants at night. The police have the power of dealing
with such cases, and when informed, they take measures to remedy
them.
My attention has been recently directed to two buildings now in the
course of erection, one in Diamond Court, and the other in Osborn Place,
both of which the respective owners intend to let out in separate tenements.
On inspecting the house in Diamond Court, I found that the already too
narrow open space in this Court had been considerably encroached upon