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17
Of the forty-three deaths registered, eight were of persons aged above
seventy, and four out of the eight died during Christmas week,
when the thermometer ranged lower than during the other part of
the month. The deaths among the aged in winter always increasing
in number with the fall of the temperature. The lowest day temperature
in the Tunnel Yard was on Christmas day at Ten o'clock,
when the glass stood at 21°, or 11° below the freezing point.
During the night between the 24th and 25th, the mercury fell to 9°,
or 23° degress below the freezing point, an intensity of cold rarely
experienced in this country.
Yours respectfully,
January, 1861. W. MURDOCH.
SIXTY-FIRST REPORT.
Gentlemen,
The houses-ill Paradise Street, numbered from 82 to 85, have no
drains, all the liquid refuse therefrom, being either thrown into the
street, or down the cesspools, which are in a very foul condition.
The houses in Staples Rents, numbered from 10 to 14, have drains
which run into the cesspools, the latter communicating with the
sewer. The conscquence of this arrangement is, that the solid
matter from the cesspool is carried into the sewer and chokes it up,
the flow of water from the drains not being sufficient to force the
mass along. Notices have been served.
On Friday, 25th January, my attention was called to a winnowing
machine, placed on the upper floor and north side of Mr. Levy's
premises in Rotherhithe Street, towards the river. It was worked
by hand, and used at the time of my examination to separate
poppy seeds from the dust and refuse with which they were intermixed.
Clouds of finely powdered vegetable matter from this
machine were driven by the wind down the river, covering with
dust, and blinding the workmen employed on the premises of Mr.
Stokes and Mr. Hay: I spoke to Mr. Levy and the nuisance
ceased that evening.
It is my duty to state that several complaints have been made,
both at the Office and to the Inspector and Medical Officer, about
accumulations of dust in various houses in this Parish. As I have
before stated, the removal of the solid offal from the dwellings, is
second only to good drainage and abundant water supply for the
preservation of the health of the inhabitants.