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

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Rotherhithe 1867

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Rotherhithe]

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MR. HENRY FINLAY, Deputy Superintendent.—Rallying Point, No. 7. The Surrey
Consumers' Gas Company's Works, Rotherhithe-street.
MR. JOHN BULMER, Deputy Superintendent.—Rallying Point, No. 8. Midway-place,
Schoolroom.
CAPTAIN E. J. COX, Deputy Superintendent.—Rallying Point, No. 9. "Stanley Arms,"
Jamaica Level.
The expenses of an attendant upon the organisation of the Force, amounting to £65 6s. 9d.
were repaid by the Treasurer of the County.
APPENDIX No. 1.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH.
From 25th March, 1867, to 31st March, 1868.
To the Vestry of the Parish of Rotherhithe, Swrey.
Gentlemen,
Until the last few years the state of sanitary knowledge was not satisfactory, and the
subject failed to excite much interest in the mind of the general public; the medical part of
the community have always contended, that the prevention of disease was better than its cure,
and have from time to time enunciated those views, and carried them into operation, as far
as they had power and opportunity.
The indifference of the public, has been in some measure overcome by the destructive
effects of some severe epidemic diseases, which have appeared amongst us, aided by the exertions,
for a series of years, of a few earnest and philanthropic men, who have been engaged in
effecting a remedy for this defect in our social system. Various Legislative enactments in
relation to Collieries and Factories, the Interment of the Dead, the Health of Towns, Nuisances
removal, the preservation of large spaces for the People, the supply of Water, purity of Gas,
and recently more comprehensive Acta of Parliament have been passed, which have excited
very hopeful feelings in the minds of those engaged in the work of sanitary improvement.
We have reason to believe that in ordinary times a great saving of human life has been
effected by the operation of the laws already alluded to, and that the power of severe epidemic
diabases has been mitigated by the introduction of our sanitary laws. In the year 1866, when
we experienced an outbreak of Asiatic Cholera, London and its suburbs, except the Eastern
district, were lightly visited by it, and we have ground to conclude that the combined and
systematic arrangements that were made in different localities to combat the disease, were
attended with great success.

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Bennett's Charity, distributed in 1s. Tickets900
Coat and Cloak Charity600
Mrs. Embleton's Gift, £1 10s. of this was expended in transferring stock5010
Expenses getting money for Smith's Charity026
Treasurer of Charity School, Hill and Bell's Charity300
£156153
Balance in the hands of the Churchwardens10144
£16797