The Express.
London, England, 1853-09-19 00:00:00

THE CHOLERA IN MARYLEBONE.

On Saturday forenoon, at 10 o'clock, Mr. Brent,
the deputy coroner, held an.,iiiinqineit
Morylebone workhouse, on the body of Owen Cronin, aged
17, one of the persons stud to have been seized with
cholera, in York-court, East-street, Manchester-square.
The jury having heels sworn, the deputy coroner in-
formed them that he had viewed the place where the de-
-1 sod his relrtives reiiit:.:4 in York-court, and it was a
•'` -',..e•ased and The rnn ,
most filthy locality.
eight other persons were residing was about /0 feet by 11
There was no yard to the Louse, and it altogether presented
a wry unwholesome and shocking appearabee. He
suggested to the jury that they should also view the place.
Mr. Bridget, of Mast.street, the foreman of the jury,
said he believed every gentleman summoned was trora the
locality, and, as they were well acquainted 'with York-
court, and its character, there was no nece,sity fur them to
carry out the coroner's suggestion.
The body, which laid, in the dead house, having been
viewed, . . . .. . _I an
tc,...t.he... n"
of

;13; Cronin, sister of deceased, was first examined. She
said-1 reside at 12, York-court, and have but ono room.
My mother died about a year ago, and there are seven chil-
dren nearly grown up. We have lived there two years.
My brother Owen was taken ill on Monday night List. lie
wus seized with griping pains in the stomach, and I gave
him some cold water. lie bad cramps in his feet and legs,
and all over him. He got worse about two or three o'clock
the next day. My sister came to the workhouse on Tues-
day morning and obtained a doctor's order, and the doctor
came and saw him, and gave him some medicine and pills;
but he got no better. The doctor law him twice. Be
died on Wednesday morning. I have not made any cola-
' plaint about the dirty state of the house.
Michael Cronin, brother of deceased—l was present when
Owen was taken ill. Ile was first seized with vomiting
and purging; the next day the doctor came to see him. Ile
was quite sensible and complained of cramp. lie was very
pale ; his eyes were dark, and hie lips blue. The priest
visited him, and he said if he had been properly treated he
would have recovered.
Mr. Hodgson-1 am at present residing at Marvlebone
Infirmary, and am acting for one of the parochial visiting
surgeons. Between three and four o'clock on Tuesday
afternoon I went and b3M deceased where he lived in York.
court. He was eufferieg from diarrhcoa. I prescribed for
him the usual remedies, and on Wednesday he died. Ap-
plication was made for the admission of the father and two
eons, ens being the deceased, into the infirmary of the
workhouse that day, but I did not then think the ease a
very urgent one. I again visited the family about ten
o'clock en Wednesday morning. I then Mend the de-
ceased, Owen Cronin, d. ad, and I ordered the admission of
the father and the other son into the infirmary.
By the Coroner—The cause of death was endemic cholera.
lam positive it was not Asiatic cholera. The condition of
the room and place generally was meat filthy, ■nd such as
would be likely to cause disease in other persons. Beath
might have arisen from a variety of causes.
James O'Brien, the owner of the house in question, and
several others in York-court, was next sworn—l ant the
owner of Nos. 8, 11, 12, 114 and 16 in York-court, and I
reside myself in No. 8, York-court. I did not sec the de-
ceased while he was lying ill. My property is in a more
healthy state now than it has been for the last 30 years.
The police frequently call at 11 and 12, and have made com-
plaints from time to time of their condition. I lime-whited
the place about two months ago. The police have not made
any complaint since till this occurred. I have sent com-
plaints to the court house about the accumulation of filth,
and they have always been attended to.
Jorcpa l'rice exairuned—l am a police canstable, but
have been appeirted by the police commi•sfoners an inept c-
tor of common lodging-houses. I inspected the house No.
12, York-court, on the 12th July last, and found it in a
meat disgusting state. On the 6th of August, 1 assued
summons agaiust several of the inmates, under tte act
12th and 13th Victoria, cap. 111., the Nuisances Act,
and it was adjourned. The house would come under the
denomination of common lodging house, and the magistrate
has power to line or imprison the parties for infringements
of the act. We have 12 houses under summonses in York-
court, which will be proceeded against under the act 16 and
17 Viet., cap. 11, because it contains more stringent clauses
than the former act,

Police-constable Brown, 48 A, deposed that he had also
inspected the house, No. 12, York.eourt, several times. No.
12 is certainly in a better state than it was. I have visited
the room in which the body of deceased laid. It was in a
miserable state, and so are most of the houses. On one oc-
casion, at No. 15, I saw persons sleeping on the ground on
shavings.
. . _

1 he coroner having offered a few observations on the state
of the rooms,
The jury returned a verdict, " That the deceased died of
endemic cholera, caused by the foul air and accumulation of
filth in York-court. The jury also begged to express their
satisfaction at the energetic steps taken by the police in the
discharge of their duty, particularly in reference to this and
other cases brought under their notice."