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Forty-one deaths were registered in April. Owing to the pre-
valence of easterly and northerly winds, diseases of the lungs and
respiratory passages have been mure common than they usually are
at this time of the year. Small-pox is still prevalent, but no death
occurred from it during April.
The Parish is at present healthy.
Your respect fully,
May, 1860. W. MURDOCH.
FIFTY-THIRD REPORT.
Gentlemen,
On the 5th May last, at 10 minutes past midnight, I was
suddenly summoned by Mrs. Moody to visit her residence, No. 365,,
Rotherhithe Wall, the messenger stating that by prompt attendance
I should be enabled to witness the smoke nuisance so long and so
frequently complained of. On my arrival however at Mrs. Moody's
a few minutes after receiving the message, the nuisance had entirely
disappeared. I opened the window of the room into which I was
ushered. There was no effluvium whatever perceptible to my sense
of smelling, and no smoke in the atmosphere about the window,
although the wind was blowing directly from the chimney of the
smoke-house of the neighbouring fishmonger to the place where
I stood. I expressed to Mrs. Moody that I was unconvinced of
there being any nuisance, but still open to conviction on proof
thereof being given. I therefore see no reason for altering the
opinion on this subject expressed by me in my former reports.
During the elapsed month several complaints have been made to
me of the insufficient water supply in different parts of Rotherhithe.
The district of Jamaica Level, Slipper's Place, Robert Street,
Winchester Street, Clare Hall Place and Cottages, seems to be one
of the worst supplied, and when there is any scantiness, the very
first to suffer.
The patent manure maker, under the Brighton Railway Arches,
is receiving due attention.
Several times during the month after heavy rains the roadway
of Berkley Street has been completely under water.
The other cases mentioned in the Agenda Paper relate to
imperfections of drainage.
As a sanitary measure, next in importance only to good drainage
and abundant water supply, is the regular and systematic removal
from the houses of the dust and refuse. No impartial observer can