The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-15 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 15, 1853.

THE CHOLERA.

__4,--
(Prom the Onoral Dowd of NW , Nov. IL)

The returns from the divisions D L ki T of the
Metropolitan Police and the Thames division give 13
new Mel and 8 deaths.
On the 11th inst. Dr. Milroy had an interview
with the guardians of St. Saviour's Union upon the
subject of the public health of the parish. For some
weeks put the number of deaths from cholera in this
and the adjoining districts has been steadily on the
increase. The Sanitary Committee have been ener-
getically at work in the removal of surface nuisances,
and hue organised a staff for the inspection of every
house in the unwholesome localities; but the con-
dition of the sewerage is alleged to frustrate their
labours more seriously than any other cause. Par-
ticular mention wu made of one sewer which was

declared to be full up to the arch with deposits seve-
ral feet in depth, and exhaling at various points the
most poisonous effluvia.
The incurably bad state of the dwellings of the
poor in many of the courts and streets in St. Saviour's
parish, is another grave difficulty with which the
guardians have to contend ; for they complain that
they have no power to deal summarily with such
property.
Dr. Milroy urged the appointment of two addi-
tional medical officers, and advised the board to pro-
vide a place of refuge for the reception of the inmates
of such houses as might require to be thinned or
emptied altogether.
_ LUTON. _ _ _ _

In consequence of a severe outbreak of cho-
lera, an inspector of the General Board of Health
has visited this town. Luton (says Mr. Lee) is pro-
bably one of the moat thriving towns in the king-
dom. The population is said to have doubled since
1841 ; and although 800 or 700 houses have been
erected since the last census, there is still a great de-
mand. Ths relieving officer says :—" There is not
a cellar dug out but there is an applicant for the
isnnre "

All the natural circumstances connected with the
niece are highly favourable to health. There are no
mining operations, scarcely any machinery, and the
atmosphere over the town is almost as free from
smoke, and looks as pure, as that of a small country
village. The greater part of the staple trade consists
in the sewing of bonnets. In this operation men,
women, and children are engaged, and the work is
mostly done at their own homes. There was no
cholera in Luton either in 1832 or 1849, nor ought
there to have been now, but for the neglect of almost
every precaution and arrangement connected with
the preservation of health and life.
The Public Health Act was supplied on petition of
the inhabitants in 1840. The local board consists of
nine members.
At the first election there were two lists of candi-
dates, consisting of nine each, and locally distin-
guished as the" clean party" and the " dirty party."
The "dirty party" was at first triumphant, but at
the last election three of the five vacancies were filled
up by the friends of sanitary improvement.
The relieving officer and district registrar accounts
for the apparent anomaly of the original composition
of the board by saying that "the poor people were
driven to vote for such candidates by the owners of
cottage property. Mr. Sibley, the owner of Adelaide-
terrace (the place where nearly all the deaths from
cholera have taken place), and of much more cottage
property in a bad sanitary condition, was one of the
first of the local board. He must have about 100 cot-
tages in the town. He and one or more persons
could command sufficient votes to swamp the town.
Every influence was used to get in a class of men
that would do nothing; and there cannot be a doubt
that the sanitary state of the town is worse than
before the act was applied. The whole of the new
property has, until lately, had dumb wells made to
drain into. Those are intended to percolate away to
the chalk ; and the water the people have to drink
is drawn from the chalk." _ _ _

Mr. Lee adds, that when he attended the meeting
of the local boardhe read to them the verdict agreed to
at a recent inquest, in which the jurors found " that
the local Board of Health had been extremely neg-
ligent in not carrying out the powers given to them
by virtue of certain acts of parliament
Mr. Henry Brown, the chairman, said in reply,
that a majority of the board had been elected pledged
by the ratepayers not to expend money in large
works; and therefore he felt that the board was not
responsible, but that they threw the responsibility
back upon their constituents. He admitted, how-
ever, that great influence was used at the elections to
bias the ratepayers.
Mr. Lee, after giving a number of details, thus
summarises the statistics of Adelaide-terrace, already
referred to : " There are 33 houses (8 empty and 25
occupied) and 128 inmates. There have been 64
cases of choleraic disease in three weeks, and 16
deaths ; so that the mortality in three weeks is
equal to 119 in a thousand. At the same rate, the
whole population would be destroyed within six
months. Mr. Sibley's property at Adelaide-terrace
is a terrific proof of the power of filth, and also of
the extent to which so awful a disease as cholera
may be localised. On three sides, at least, this
property is enclosed by other buildings, many of
them houses. I inquired, but could not ascertain
that there had been a single cue of the disease in
any of the untiring. property."
CROOK, NEAR BISHOP AUCKLAND.
Dr. Waller Lewis visited on Thursday last this
colliery village, in which there have occurred 9 deaths
of cholera and lof diarrhoea. The place is stated to
abound in unissued, the habits of the pitmen being
dirty in the extreme. " Wherever I go (says Dr.
Lewis) the poor people complain bitterly of the want
of doinesticconveniences,and the consequent impossi-
bility of keeping their abodes clean or sweet. This
great evil is evidently caused by the total absence of
regulations as to buiMing. Nothing effectual will be
done to remove the mischief until it is made illegal
to let house for human habitation without provisions
for health, decency, and comfort. This appears to
be the greatest desideratum fur nearly all the towns
in the north. In company with the clerical, medical,
and other local authorities, I inspected a house in
which 6 deaths have occurred, and 3 other persons
were attacked but recovered, making 8 cases out of
13 inhabitants. This is one of hundreds of examples
of the direct connexion between sanitary evils and
disease. The churchyard is full to repletion.
The village green, instead of being a lthy
rendezvous for the recreation of the children, is
made the meeting place for the open sewers that
contain the drainage of a great number of the houses,
and the air there is always tainted with noxious
effluvia. The Public Health :Act is much wanted,
and I think the inhabitants are very anxious for its
application. The board of guardians of Bishop
Auckland have resolved to meet occasionally at
Crook.
Blum? AIICILAND.—The local Board of Health
have now at their disposal a sufficient scavenging
staff, and it is to be hoped that the streets of this
town, containing a magnificent episcopal palace, will
not present much longer the disgraceful appearance
described in a report made at a recent inspection.
ELT.—The local Board of Health are stated to be
at work most efficiently ; but from the low situation
of parts of the town many things must remain in
their present condition till the house sewerage is
connected with the main drains. No deaths have
occurred for the last few days.
&max.—The active exertions of the sanitary
committee, together with the house to house visita-
tion, and the more favourable weather, appear to
have entirely checked the spread of the disease, at
any rate for the present. On the 12th and 13th
there were three fatal cases.
DUNDEE.—The medical arrangements, it is stated,
are now complete. There are three ordinary medical
officers who act as superintendents of their respective
districts. There are five extraordinary medical offi-
cers, eight qualified house-to-house visitors, and four
city missionaries engaged in addition as lay visitors,
and in giving information and assistance. On the
10th and 11th instant there were 9 deaths from
cholera.
FoarAß.—On the two former visitations of cholera
this town was exempt from the pestilence, but,
there have been already nine ouss of the disease,
five of which have been fatal. On the 9th instant a
powerful man was seized about eleven o'clock, and
died in five hours.
ARDROATIL—One fatal case of cholera having
occurred the acting committee of the Board of
Health have to request Dr. Gavin to promo
the services aore teNlvio medical students as home to
house visitors. Two of the medical officers have been

specially appointed to go through the town, and
1 under authority of the Genera Board of Health Iv'