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7
cause of much mortality. I will only mention two or
three of the most prominent, viz., sudden meteorological
changes, "but these, although producing momentary
injury to health, and increased mortality, especially
among the aged and very young, are doubtless, in their
ultimate effects, beneficial; in any case, they cannot he
subjected to sanitary measures. Street accidents, and
others of various kinds, add to the mortality. There
is also a class of nuisances which, although apparently
of a petty nature, may and do inflict much serious
injury and annoyance, more especially to invalids. I
refer to unnecessary street noises—to dog barking, cock
crowing, railway whistling, noise of machinery, &c.
I have seen patients dangerously ill suffer severely from
these nuisances, the greatest injury being prevention of
sleep; yet they, and the authorities, are powerless to
suppress or remove them, complaints made to the selfish
owners of such nuisances being generally treated with
indifference or derision. Although these matters appear
trifling, they are always more or less injurious to some,
and, in many instances, not only assume dangerous proportions,
but produce serious and fatal results. I have
therefore not thought them unworthy of passing allusion,
and hope they will obtain more definite notice in
forthcoming health legislation. Rest is not only essential
in disease, but for the preservation of health. How
can this be secured in London, if the noises inseparable
from day-time are perpetuated throughout the night in
still more hideous and injurious forms? The best
efforts should be directed to obtain the benefits of nocturnual
rest for toiling Londoners, they would then feel
less necessity for artificial stimulation during the day,
enjoy better health, do more work, and have longer
lives.
Then there are what may be truly termed the voluntary
causes of disease and injury to health. It is
unnecessary to indicate them here, because, as in the