London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Rotherhithe 1858

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Rotherhithe]

This page requires JavaScript

8
boards, and at all times stinking gases arise. It is an intolerable
nuisance to the inmates of the house No. 1, Queen-street. A
366, Rotherhithe-street, a pork-butcher's shop, the cellar in
often flooded with sewage, which there is every reason to believe
comes from the same cesspool.
The two patent manure makers alluded to in my previous
reports, consume by combustion the gases arising during the process
of mixing. I have repeatedly visited the burial-ground
of All Saints'. The instructions of the Committee with regar
to the depth of the graves is carried out.
My attention has also been turned to the Railway arches.
They are freer from nuisance than heretofore, indeed the
amount of business at present done there seems but trifling
compared with formerly.
Fifty-one persons died in Rotherhithe during the just elapses
month. Measles, scarlatina, and hooping-cough are still prevalent.
Yours respectfully,
W. MURDOCH.
June, 1858.
THIRTIETH REPORT.
Gentlemen,
The numerous dustheaps complained of in my last report are
gradually diminishing under the vigilant supervision of the
Inspector of Nuisances, but it is of little use causing our own
dust to be diligently carted away, if Rotherhithe is to become
the receptacle of all the ashes and offal of a large neighbouring
parish. That it is such is proved by the following fact:— Once
piece of land in Corbet's-lane, near the Viaduct, there stands and
immense heap of house refuse, covering an acre of ground and
least, and forming quite an artificial hillock, the level of the
surface having been raised by it twelve or fourteen feet. The
bulk of the heap is composed of ashes with a due admixture of
putrefying vegetable matter and fish. The principle of allowing
the offal of other parishes to be quietly brought into Rotherhithe
and shot there is radically wrong, and I deemed it necessary
that an evil of such magnitude should at once be made known to
this Vestry.
Four chimneys have been erected near the spot. The process
of boiling linseed-oil is carried on there, but the apparatus is ???
well constructed that no smell whatever arises therefrom.
The ditches being rather foul in that neighbourhood, I would.
suggest the propriety of flushing them occasionally.
A catgut maker lives in St. Helena Cottage, and pursues his