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has been made in the knowledge of methods of cure, considerable
advance has been made in measures of prevention, resulting from
more perfect knowledge of the causes of tho disease ; and there
are abundant grounds for believing that in any futuro visitation its
aravages will bo inconsiderable compared with those of former years.
The numerous painstaking investigations which havo been
made, from time to time, in different parts of tho country afford
conclusive evidenco as to the preponderating influence of impuro
water in tho spread of Cholera; and although tho modo of its
communication, and its apparent eccentricity, are still subjects
involved in some degree of mystery, tho number of facts which havo
been adduced appear to lead to tho conclusion that it is not by
contagion from tho skin or exhalations from tho lungs but from
the virus of tho materia ejected by tho patient being extended chiefly
by water. Without referring to tho cumulative evidence obtained
from numerous sources by thoso who havo made this subject their
study, or giving an unqualified adhesion to any particular theory as
to tho medium by which tho morbific matter is conveyed, sufficient
may bo gathered from the post of this District alono to justify tho
expectation that future visitations will bo less severe.
In tho year 1849, when, as far as can now be ascertained, tho
organic impurity of the water of this District was about equal in
both parishes, tho death-rate of Christchurch was rather higher than
that of Saint Saviour. In 1858, when the parish of Christchurch
was chiefly supplied by the purer water of tho Lambeth Company,
and tho parish of Saint Saviour by that of Vauxhall, tho death-rate
from Cholera was fivo times greater in Saint Saviour's than in
Christchurch. An enquiry, instituted by tho Board of Health in tho
Southern District, extending over the whole of tho Epidemic period
of 1858-51, resulted in tho discovery that, among an equal number
of customers of cither Company, tho deaths among those of the
Southwark and Vauxhall Company were 3½ times moro numerous
than among thoso of Lambeth. It should therefore excite no
surpriso, that at periods when tho water supply of the South of
London was derived almost exclusively from tho Thames at or below
Vauxhall, or from wells, in many instances sunk in close proximity
to privies and cesspools, tho rato of mortality should havo been
so comparatively high. Since the last outbreak of Cholera tho
Vauxhall Company havo removed their reservoir to Thames Ditton;
tho Thames has been to a very great extent purified; and in
Southwark alone, several thousand cesspools have been excavated
and filled up. There is an early prospect of tho sewage of London
being entirely diverted from tho Thames, and of tho London
cosspools being completely exterminated.
These are somo of tho circumstances which encourago tho
expectation of a milder form of the pestilonco in the future; but it
must be remembored that oven water derived from Thames Ditton is