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18
diseases; in 1866 there have been 82, which number
includes 9 cases of cholera, and 24 of diarrhoea. We
have reason to believe that our sanitary inspections,
increased attention to cleanliness, ventilation, drainage,
&c., have operated beneficially in limiting the propagation
of these diseases. Nearly all the cholera cases
which occurred last year in our parish were isolated,
occurring in different parts of the district, in single
cases, without spreading the infection. In only two
instances did the disease extend beyond the original
case. The parish was very vigilantly inspected, and
the result was, that we not only had few cases of
cholera, but our list of deaths from other epidemic
diseases was much below the average.
The increasing interest of the public in questions
relating to sanitary laws must be very obvious to all.
It is very desirable that it should be so; the more we
can enlighten the public mind on the true objects of
medical science the better, not only for the public, but
also for medical practitioners, because our just influence
must increase with an increase of the capability of
right judgment of all on medical subjects. The law.^
by which disease is prevented, and health improved, arc
of more real importance than the treatment of disease
when it has taken place ; for the preventive laws show
that very similar means to those which prevent are of
great importance in the cure, and the whole subject is
thus rendered more rational and more comprehensible,
as well as more beneficial.
I regret that my recommendation to carry out the
35th Section of the Public Health Act of 1866 was
objected to by the Vestry. At the same time I must
admit that the objection to doing so was grounded on
an important difficulty; that the ejected for overcrowding
find it almost an impossibility to obtain lodgings.
All landlords object to receive a large family ; and the
difficulty of obtaining house-room where there are