The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-31 00:00:00

THE CHOLERA.

Mow the °metal Board of Ilealth.)
It appears from the spacial returns made by the
superintend. iits of the 1), K, M, N, and V divi-
sions of police to the commissioners, and by them
transmitted to the Genetll Bond of Health, there
had been 11 castes of cholera within those districts on

the 2tlth and 27th instant, of which 5 have resulted
fatally. In two instances the patient died 14 hours
hours after attack, and in a third in 12 hours from
the time of seizure.

A very severe case of cholera is reported as having
occurred at Blackheath. The patient, a child, was at
the time of the report of the surgeon in a state of col-
lapse and dying. The house is " one of Bin a small
place, misname l a Pquare, all without water and
drainage, and all with overflowing closets." In my
opinion (adds the medical attendant) " all are unfit
for human habitation, and all ought to be closed to
prevent further eases of cholera.' A fatal case oc-
.

Curred in the house directly opposite in 18;9, and
dkeases of a low type, fever, &c., have prevailed
ever since that ',cried. The same surgeon, in report-
ing the abovementioned ease in 1849, at that time
stated his conviction that these houses were " unlit
fur hums- habitation."

Mr. Hall, from the Poor-law Board, and Dr.
Milroy, (root the General Board of Health, had an
interview on Thursday with the board of guardians
of Wandsworth. The union embraces the parishes
of Battersea, Wandsworth, Putney, Claphain, Tott-
ing, and Streatham, districts varying much in respect
of natural advantages as well as of other local circum-
stances intimately affietiug health. The full extent
of the ,eit rous and eery responsible additional duties
imposed oa parochial medical officers by the regula-
tions and directions, which the general Board of
Health have issued under the present order io council,
would not appear to have been quite eppreciated
by these gentlemen or by the board of guardians.
After the explanations given by Mr. Hall
and D. Milroy the board at once recog-
tibia the importance of the suggestion that
the duties of sanitary inspection and general hygienic
superintendence of the union be committed to their
medical officeis by passing a formal resolution to this
effect. Hitherto retident medical gentlemen have
been exposed to considerable obioquy, and the 6,1 of
injury to their professional prospects when called
upon occasionally to certify to the existence of
nuisances on the premises of the inhabitants, or to
make complaints of the unwholesomeness of many
dwellings, the property it may be of an influential
parishioner. But these inconveniences are of course
at once got rid of when it is understood that these
gentlemen have no option left them in the discharge
of duties officially imposed upon them, and which arc
no longer merely voluntary or permiesive but impe-
rative and compulsory. Independently of being
constituted the sanitary inspectors of their respective
parishes or districts, the medical officers are required
to act as health officers et the same time, by maintain-
ing a vigilant surveillance over the health of the
poorer classes, so us to detect at once and bring under
immediate treatment all cases of epidemic disease
from their first development. Should any consider-
able
increase of sickness take place, so that they
cannot officially undertake the additional duties re-
quired of them, they are without delay to apply to
the board of guardians fur such assistance as may be
necessary. The nr.ehinery when once properly esta-
blished, in conformity with the regulations and direc-
tions of the General Board of Health, is capable
of ready expansion whenever an emergency may occur.
Many complaints were made by the members of
the board of guardians respecting foul stagnant
pools and ditches in different parts of the union, and
allusion was made to the disastrous outbreak of
cholera in 1845 among the pauper children at Toot-
ing, as being in part connected with the raking up
of filthy ditches and the exposure of their putrid
contents on the bank, without any means having
been taken to correct or neutralise the noxious
effluvia. There is no question that any disturbance
of such foul matter is a most unwise proceeding in
times of epidemic sickness, unless due precautions
aro taken to prevent the atmospheric pollution by
the free use of powerful antiseptics, as chloride of
zinc, chloride of lime, with alum, &c., or by imme-
diately covering all offensive matters with a sufficient
stratum of earth and quick lime.
On the 28th inst. Dr. Milroy had an interview
with the Boards of Guardians of Shoreditch and St.
Luke. In both parishes the guardians have been
energetically at work in removing many nuisances,
cleansing out courts, and purifying the poorer dwel-
lings when found in a filthy and unwholesome con-
dition. Local committees, formed of the members of
the board, have perambulated different districts, and
already much good has resulted from their labours.
In proof of their activity it may be mentioned that
on one day no fewer than 21 owners of houses were
summoned at the instance of the guardians of St.
Luke before the magistrate at I% orehip-street for
neglect and disobedience, and in es ery instance an
order was obtained for suppressiou or removal
of the nuisance complained of. Much diffi-
culty has been experienced in Shoreditch in
dealing with the greater offences caused by
the accumulation of dung and other offensive refuse
io the yards of manure contractors, &c. These accu-
mulations excite the disgust and grievously injure
the health of the residents in the neighbourhood. The
only plan °rebating this abominable nuisance, if such
occupations should be permitted at all in towns, is to
requiretkodaily entire removal of the offensive matters
so that no collection is ever permitted to remain. The
usual pretext for delay, viz., the alleged difficulty of
procuring barges or other means of daily. removal,
should never be listened to. Where there is a will,
and still more a necessity, there is always found a

way.
The defective and otherwise very faulty state of
the sewerage in many parts is represented as a serious
impediment in the way of sanitary improvement.
With the view of giving greater efficiency. to the la-
bours of the local authorities in carrying out the
regulations and directions of the General Board of
Health, issued under the recent order in council, the
boards of guardians in both parishes, after hearing
the explanation given by Dr. Milroy, unanimously
adopted the following resolution:
„That the medical officers be directed to Let forth-
with as sanitary inspectors, each in his own district,
in pursuance of the directions of the Board of Health
now in force.
"That this board will be ready hereafter to con-
sider the extra remuneration of the medical officers,
when the nature and amount of such extra services
shall have been ascertained.
" That the clerk do forward a copy of this resolu-
tion to the medical officers severally.'
'the very responsible duties of active sanitary
inspection in conjunction with those of vigilant sut%cr-
vision of the health of the different districts are thus
devolved upon those, who, by their local knowledge
and their professional avocations, can most efficiently
discharge them: thus making a first but very im-
portant step towards the formation of a health police.
Du:amt.—Oct. 27, 28. Cholera-5 deaths. The
Parochial Maid of Dundee report that since the last
rt turn as to the state of diarrhce is this town, the
cases of this disease have gradually increased, though
as yet we cannot say that there is any very alarming
number of such casts. We find them existing in all
parts of the town.
LUTON.—Oct. 28. Cholera-2 deaths. In respect
to these cases the regi,trar remarks thattlittle has yet
been done to purify the houses where these and pre-
vious cases have «Tarred, or to ranove the nuisances.
The yards, cesspools, S:e., are at the present time in
a filthy,une holesorae condition, emitting most noxious
alluvia, and can only be fruitful in disease and
death.

NEWCA ,TLE-UPON-TYNE.—OCt. '29. No deaths
were registeml in the union since last return.
GATEAU: .I).—Oct. 29. No deaths were registered
in the union since yesterday's return.

Fisk.—Yesterday morning, at about one o'clock I
a lire brokti out oa the premises of Mr. W. Lee, 12, East-
street, Wa:worth, hatter, and all but destroyed the build-
ing, stock iu trade, and furniture, besides damaging the
nest house, wliich is occupied try Mr. Wells, a trimming
seller. Mr. Lee's family tSC iped with il.fficulty. Ills pre-
mix!' wtro insured.—A serious fire likewise oreerred early
on Saturday morn:o7, in Little Moorfields. It broke nut
in the premises of -Mean. Leek, packiug-easo matufac-
turmrs, and cre it c -u:.l be subdued, it almost destroyed the
builditg and its c suttats, and did some damage to several
of the neighbouring house). Messrs. Leek were also
insured.

%A LE fir' NE.trii itATI.WAY.—On Friday the line
between the Ilirwein Junction and Merthyr was pub!iely
opened. The kn,;t:t of this psrt of the railway is .3 mile',
of which 2,180 pals consists of a tunnel perforating the
Abtrl.re nour.o.:u.