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19
The Parish Authorities, throughout the trying circumstances of these visitations of
disease, acted with energy and humanity. Every means was used to stop their progress.
The Board of Guardians supplied liberally comforts, and even luxuries, to the sufferers, some
were attended at their homes, and others sent to the Fever Hospital. Nor was the Local
Board of Health idle, the cleansing and scavenging of the various streets was everywhere
carefully attended to. Summonses were taken out against the owners of houses who would
not effect such improvements as the Sanitary Officers thought necessary. Every house in
Fisher s-court and Cross-alley was cleansed and whitewashed, in New-place the drains were
cleared; in Hanover-street dust bins were built, the water receptacles repaired or renewed,
and, above all, the overcrowding of the houses was discontinued.
There was, however, and is still, one thing wanted, which, alas! Sanitary Boards and
Sanitary Officers cannot communicate, I mean habits of order and cleanliness among the
people. Let us hope, however, that the day will come when the humbler classes of society
will be well educated enough to know that cleanliness and attention to the decencies of life
bring not only comfort and health, but also improved morals in their train.
I shall consider, as I did last year, the table of mortality appended to this Report in
regard to the seasons, the ages of the persons who died, and the diseases to which they
succumbed. The most unhealthy period was the summer quarter from June 24th to September
29th, 1863, when 191 deaths were recorded. The number of deaths in the other
quarters were nearly equal, being 152 from March 25th to June 24th, 1863, 159 from September
29th to December 25th, 1863, and 162 from December 25th, 1863, to March 25tli
1864.
In respect of age 205 deaths, or less than a third of the whole number, were of children
under 2 years, and 85 were between 2 and 5 years, making together, 290, or considerably less than
half the mortality. A glance at the annexed tabular arrangement will give a good idea of the
fatality of different diseases at different ages of life.
The Zymotic diseases destroyed 179 persons, viz.: 79 died from fever, 23 from smallpox,
46 from scarlatina, 18 from whooping cough, 6 from measles, 18 from diarrhoea, 2 from cholera,
and 1 from diphtheria; 45 deaths were registered from natural decay, 6 between 60 and 70
years, 17 between 70 and 80, 21 between 80 and 90, and 1 between 90 and 100. The last
was of a man aged 99 years 11 months and some days. He followed actively his calling a« s
chimney sweep till within about 3 weeks of his death.
•
Let us now pass to the Sanitary work done. During the elapsed year 166 nuisance
notices were served, the drainage of 187 houses was completed, and 1,595 feet of pijie sewer
and drains added to those already existing.
Fifty-four summonses were issued, one against a wharfinger for storing and kiln-drying
damaged grain, one against a coal tar distiller, 50 against an owner of property for allowing
his houses to be overcrowded and not attending to their Sanitary arrangements, and 2 against
a fish manure maker at the China Hall Gate.
This last manufacturer was afterwards indicted at the Old Bailey. In the meanwhile his
premises at the China Hall Gate were incorporated into those of the Grand Surrey Dock
Company. and he transferred his business to the Atlas Works Jamaica-level. This Board then
consented to stay the proceedings on condition that he, the manufacturer, should erect proper
buildings for storing the ingredients used in the manufacture of fish manure, and also the