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9
Fever Hospital from the Workhouse, which, added to the present return,
gives a total of 60; of these, 44 were of typhus, 12 of enteric, and 4 of
scarlet - fever. Of this total number, the registered common lodging
houses have furnished 35. Although it is difficult to say how far these
lodging houses are answerable for this large amount of fever, yet, from
the old and worn out condition of the internal walls of some of them, it is
impossible thoroughly to scrape, purify, and limewash them, which unquestionably
ought to be done, where so many persons are congregated together,
as they are in the common lodging houses; and it is of the utmost importance
to the public health that all such houses should be so ventilated
as to render the air free from offensive smells, and at the same time to
prevent currents of cold air passing through the rooms, whereby the temperature
of those occupants who are exposed to its influence, becomes so
lowered as to be almost unbearable. The best practicable means should be
adopted to get rid of the heated and contaminated air which is engendered
in every room in which many people are congregated together.
In reply to a letter addressed to Mr. Vallance, the Clerk to the Board
of Guardians, requesting information respecting the number of cases of
fever which were sent from this District to the Homerton Fever Hospital,
I have received the following reply:—
WHITECHAPEL UNION.
Clerk's Office, Workhouse, E.,
3rd May, 1876.
My Dear Sir,
Of the 91 cases of Fever admitted into the Homerton Fever
Hospital, during the six months ended Lady-day last, from this Union, 60 were
from the "unhealthy area," complained of by the Guardians; that is to say—
they were either admitted to the Fever Hospital direct from that area, or from
the Workhouse, to which they had been first, and very recently admitted from
that area. Of such 94 cases, moreover, 61 were from "Common Lodging
Houses" within the Union, or from the Workhouse to which they had been
very recently admitted from "Common Lodging Houses."
In 55 of such 61 cases, the "Common Lodging Houses" were within the
"unhealthy area" already mentioned.
Of such 94 cases, 23 have died.
Yours faithfully,
W. VALLANCE.
John Liddle, Esq.
The above communication, which embraces the return given to me by
Mr. Ilott, is of very great importance at the present time, as it bears
materially on the question of the unhealthiness of the area complained of
by the Board of Guardians, and already shows the desirability of taking
down the unhealthy houses in the locality described by them.
It will be seen in my report for this quarter that I have made an
official representation of a portion of this area to the Metropolitan Board;