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In the twelve months ended on the 25th June, 1838, the deaths from
fever in this District were 489. In the quarter ended September, 1837,
they were 94; in that ended December, 155; in that ended Lady-Day,
1838, 141; and in the quarter ended June 25th, the mortality from fever
was 99.
It was in consequence of the extensive prevalence of fever in the
Metropolis in 1837 and 1838 that the Poor Law Commissioners, in their
report to the Right Honourable Lord John Russell, dated 14th May, 1838,
stated that they had directed local examinations to be made in those parts
of the Metropolis where fever was stated to be most prevalent, by Dr.
Aknott and Dr. Southwood Smith; and to this inquiry we may ascribe
the origin of the several sanitary laws which aro now in force in this
country. Before that date little or no attention was paid to the construction
and condition of house drains, to accumulations of refuse, to the lodgment of
filth in cesspools and privies, &c.
The public sewers in this district were under the control of the Tower
Hamlet's Commission, who, on application being made to them by the Goodman's
Fields Paving Commission, constructed a sewer in each of the undermentioned
streets, viz.:—Leman Street, Great Prescot Street, Mansell Street,
Great Alie Street, and Lambeth Street, and on a petition signed and presented
by myself the Commission constructed a sewer in Blue Anchor Yard.
The tables which are published in my Annual Reports will show that
there is a diminution in the mortality of all the epidemic diseases since the
year 1856, when your Board was constituted.
Sanitaky Works Performed during the Quarter ended
31st March, 1877.
The following return shows the amount of work done by the Sanitary
Inspectors during the Quarter euded 31st March, 1877.:—
Number of inspections of houses as shown in the official returns 3360
Houses specially visited 225
Houses specially re-visited 716
Preliminary notices served, such notices embracing 423 premises 274
Compulsory orders issued, embracing 286 premises 96
Summonses heard at Police Courts, under Sanitary Act 0
,, „ ,, Adulteration Act 0
Cellars used as dwellings discontinued for such use 2
Cases of overcrowding and indecent occupation abated 4
Houses in which rooms or passages have been whitewashed 198
Rooms disinfected with sulphurous-acid gas, after the occurrence of
small-pox, fever, and scarlet-fever therein 59