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The cellar of the Plough Tavern has been for several months
past inundated with water, which stagnates there and renders the
house damp and unhealthy. It would appear that this state of
things has some connexion with an old sewer running close to the
cellar. I beg to invite thereto the inspection of the Surveyor.
I am sorry again to obtrude on the consideration of this Board
the state of the dust heap near Plough Bridge. It is at this
moment (31st January) as large as ever it has been, the whole
house refuse of Rotherhithe and Bermondsey, that is of about
70,000 inhabitants, being daily carted thereto. Part of it has
been sifted, and part of it remains untouched. Let us not disguise
the matter, this dust heap is a horrible nuisance, emitting unwholesome
effluvia with every sudden rise of the temperature.
On Sunday, the 3rd of this current month (February), the odour
from it was sickening, and exceedingly offensive. The owner of
Napier's Terrace complains bitterly of the presence of this accumulation
before her houses, and well she may. Her tenants,
according to her statement, are either leaving or threatening to
leave, the road opposite the row is always in a filthy state, all
strown with vegetable matter and ashes, and the edge of the dust
mound is placed within thirty feet of the threshold of the street
doors. Every owner of property must commiserate her case and
sympathise with her.
Fifty-five deaths occurred in Rotherhithe during the elapsed
month, of which 10 were of persons above 70, and 6 of the 10
of persons above 80.
January is generally the most fatal month of the year to the
aged. The Parish continues free from all epidemic diseases, except
hooping cough, six deaths from the latter disease having been
registered.
Yours respectfully,
February, 1861. W. MURDOCH.
SIXTY-SECOND REPORT.
Gentlemen,
In the early part of the elapsed month many complaints were
made of the noxious effluvia arising from the premises of Mr.
Salmon, under the Brighton Railway arches, and some of the
persons employed at the Commercial Dock Station of the Green-