The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-04-05 00:00:00

THE SANIT•IIY CONDITION OF TUE TOWN.

The Mayor remarked that be had received a note. I
signed by certain inhabitants, requesting him to lay
before the Council the petition which had been got
up in the town relative to the sanitary question; and
it was in pursuance of that request the Council had
been called together. His Worship then read the
petition, which was as follows :
" The petition of the undendgned inhabitants of the
Borough of Bridport to the Worshipful the Mayor, the
Alderman, and the Common Councilmen of the said
borough of Bridport, in council asaembled,
" Sheireth,
" That your Petitioners are deeply concerned at the
sanitary condition of the town, as indicated by the fear-
ful mortality prevailing gut ds inhabitants.
" That w herring the average mortality in all England
it only 22 deaths per LOW inhabitants, and in the most
unhealthy districts it is only 27 deaths per 1,1111 t) inhabit-
' anti., the tality in the Superintendent Registrar's
anh-district of Bridport (which embraces the parishes of
Bridport. Allington, and Bnidpole, and which in 1851
contained • population of 7,792) has gradually increased
during the past fourteen peen, till it has equalled that
in the worst districts and the worst cities in England ;
as is proved by the following facts, obtained from the
registrar's records. The average number of deaths in the
district for the seven years from 1845 to 1851 inclusive
was 25.5 per 1,000 per annum; seven years Iron, 1852
to 1858 211.5 per IWO; four years Irmo 1855 to 1858,
28,6 per 1,0110; and during the year 1858, it leached
33.7 per 1.000.
"That reckoning our proper average at the average
for all England, viz_ tn per 1,000. the foregoing numbers
show, that from 1845 to 1851 we lost by deaths aniiiiia/4
27 persons more than our legitimate average ; front 1852
to 1858, 36 ; from 1855 to IttsB. 53 ; and in 1858, 93, or,
in other words, that during the last fourteen years we
have lost 441 inhabitants, above our legitimate average
by anaurtirof deaths.
"That this high rate of mortality represents not only
the number of pretvetible and therefore unatural deaths
occurring in our midst every year, and the direct pecu-
niary loss which accrues to the community in its
diminished power of labour and in the premature widow-
hood and orphanage of not a few of its members ; but
that it also indicates and amount of sickness and suffer-
ing, of strength diminished and mind Unpaired, which
it is fearful to contemplate—evils which fall chiefly on
the poor, and which entail on them a most disproportion-
ate share both of suffering and expense- the most c&re'
fully compiled statistic, by the Registrar General, and by
the medical officers of the *nay. the metropolitan polite,
the custom house, the post office, and the public hos-
pitals, proving that for eve 7 death there are, at the very
least. 40 case of sickness which average 10 days' duration.
"That this would give us in our Registrar's district,
from 11‹15 to 1851 annually, 1,080 cases of sickness over
our legitimate average; from 1852 to 1858, 1,440; from
1855 to 1858, 2,15)
; and in 1858, 3,720.
"That supposing it cost no more than nine pence
per day to nurse, diet, and doctor each of these inva-
lids, their illness involved • cost to the community of
Bridport,
resulting from the incapacity of, soy.
last year, of .C 1,300 besides the loss of labour
1,000, as represent-
ing the able bodied men, women, and youths out of the
3,720 invalids, whose lost wages, of, say, one and six-
pence per day, would be worth £750 more. This added
to the £1.390 for nursing, dieting, and doctoring, would
give us a oust of 1:2,140 for preventible disease last
year.
"That whilst your petitioners doubt whether any
sanitary appliances could have prevented the appearance
of those epidemic diseases with which for several seasons
the town has been visited, they are convinoed that our
bad sanitary condition has so enfeebled the vital powers
I of the inhabitants as greatly to have diminished their
I ability to withstand those epidemic:.
"That whilst your petitioners are aware that any
effective measures for the sanitary improvement of the
borough would cost a considerable sum they believe it
may be demonstrated, from the best possible data, that
such expense would not be a moiety of that which is
falling upon us now, year by year, and especially upon
the poor, 10 the shape of avoidaMe rates, loss of labour,
, and expense for sickness.
"That the borough is now liable, at any moment, to
the exercise of those powers by the Board of Health
whereby it is enabled to compel the borough authorities,
even against their will or the will of the inhabitants, to
' undertake and carry out effective Sanitary Public Works,
so WOO as the mottality exceeds 23 deaths per 1,000
Inhabitants.

" That whilst your pAitioners are desirous to avoid, if
it be pinniible, the introduction of a Board of Health into
the Borough, under the influence and control of the
Central Board, they feel a growing conviction tint it a
a paramount duty of the local authorities, and especially
of the Town Council, to prevent this terrible waste a
human life, and this unnecessary amount of aickness,
by adopting such Sanitary measures as may be deemed,
by competent authorities, best calculated to diminish the
said sickness and toot Laity.
"That your petitioners would suggest that the Council
should obtain the opinion of an eminent engineer as to
the best mu le of draining the town and supplying it
with water--that the plan agreed upon by the Council
under his advice, should be l•slged with the Town Clerk.
alai that, instead of the preser.t latching of ourdransg;
from year to year, a definite and well considered plan
should be carried into execution, by instalments, as tin,
resources of the Borough will permit."
(Here follow some 12t) signatures.)

Mr. Williams moved a resolution to the effect that
the statements uiade in the memorial demand the
earnest and prompt attention of the Council, and
that a committee be appointed to consider what
means could be devised to remedy the same, and
that they report to the Council the result of their
investigation at the carlie..l possible period.
Mr. Jefford seconded the revolution, which was
carried. _ _

Mr. W. S. Cillard proposed, and Mr. S. Stephen.
seconded, that the committee to be appointed, consist
of the following gentleman, viz., the Mayor, Messrs.
J. Barnicott, J. P. Stephens, J. Jefford, It. Tucker,
and J. Williams.
The resolution was carried nem eon.
It was arranged that the committee should enter
upon their labours at the commencement of the
ensuing week. The Council then separated.

ASSAULTS ON WOMEN AND CIIILDREN.—The fol-
lowing is a copy of a petition now circulating for
signature in Bndpott :
" To the Honourolie the Coinmoiu of Me United hag.
dont in Parliament azarentUtd.
"The petition of the undersigned Inhabitants of the
Borough of Bridport, and its vicinity,
"Showeth,
" That the crime of aggravated assaults on worsen awl
children, in a great number of Cases of the most violent
and dangerous character, continues undiminished.
" That the number of Assaults, for which convictions
were obtained in the year 1K57. amounted to 44,860.
"That in the opinion of your petitioners, the Crime
continues unabated, in consequence, mainly, of the
system of punishment at present adopted; and your
petitioners therefore pray your Honourable House to
take such steps for its suppression, either by pegging
the Bill now before you, or by any such other means as
your wisdom may direct."