The Sun.
London, England, 1849-09-04 00:00:00

THE CHOLERA.

LAMBETH.—The following is a copy a memorial
from the inhabitants of Lambeth to the Central Board
of Health, which bears the signatures of his Grace
the Archbishop of Canterbury, five surgeons of the
neighbourhood, and other inhabitants, against the
frightfully increasing nuisances therein set forth :
" That the mortality from cholera in the said parish
is larger than any other parish round London, and is
on the increase, as is shown by the returns made to
your Hon. Board. That your memorialists consider,
and have every reason to believe, that this excess of
mortality is caused by the offensive effluvia arising
from the yards o f John Hunt, Jared Tarett Hunt,
H. and J. Cann, H. J. Bellis, George Lamb, J. H.
Barber, and others, who, for the purpose of carrying
on the business of bone crushers, melters, manure
makers, &c., collect large quantities of bones, which
they call ' green bones,' from their having some
of the flesh on them ; bad meat, and other animal
substances, which are suffered to remain in the
open air until the effluvia arising therefrom is
of so disgusting and poisonous a nature that the
inhabitants aye continually made sick and their healths
fearfully affected. that the stench arising from these
yards has increased within the last two years, is still
on the increase, and has become intolerable, arising,
as your memorialists are informed, and have every
reason to believe, from all or some of these respective
parties having become makers of a new description of
manure, for which purpose they collect the said large
quantities of animal matter. That immediately
opposite the yard of J. T. Hunt, in Prince's street,
three persons died in one week of cholera, and one
man lies dangerously ill; that the inmates of the
houses state the stench is frequently so fearful that
they are unable to open the windows, are frequently
made to vomit, and that the passers-by in the street
are compelled to hold their handkerchiefs to their faces
to prevent vomiting; that any one passing up Fore-
street may see tons and tons of the poisonous matter
alluded to. That your petitioners earnestly pray that
immediate measures may be adopted by your Honour-
able Board to put down this intolerable nuisance,
which has produced an unusual mortality in this
densely populated district."

The following letter has been addressed to the
editor of a morning contemporary :
" Sir,—l can fully confirm the statement in the
letter signed by 'A Working Man' in your journal
of this day, as to the polluted state of the air on the
river above bridge, caused by the stench emitted from
the premises of the bone-boilers in Princes-street,
Lambeth. In going to my daily occupation I either
pass these premises or make use of the steam-boats.
I have frequently, after walking to town, felt so sick
from inhaling the atmosphere impregnated with the
effluvium of putrid bones, that I have been unable to
take my food for the remainder of the day, and have
suffered severely from headache for days.
" Since the breaking out of the cholera in the parish
with such unparalleled virulence, I have not passed
through Princes-street, but have used the steam-boats
to avoid the disgusting smell, but there seems no
escape from the nuisance, for whenever the wind sets
across the river the stench is most abominable. On
Friday afternoon last it was so bad that almost every
person on board the steam-boat involuntarily put
their handkerchiefs to their noses, and many com-
plained bitterly that such a nuisance should be al-
lowed to continue. Mr. Grainger, the inspector of
the Board of Health, has, I believe, with others, in-
spected these places, but nothing had been done to
remedy the evil. The proprietor of one of these
premises resides on the spot, and may, perhaps, have
represented to the officers that he and his family enjoy
good health, and that consequently it cannot be
injurious; but the public think differently, and com-
plaints are very numerous.
" The stench is not confined to the immediate
locality of these premises, or to the river, for when the
wind is north or north-east I am compelled to close
the back windows to keep the smell out of my house,
which is nearly one mile from Princes-street ; although
the ditch called the River Effra is within 200 yards
of us, the smell from that is not half so noxious as that
from these bone-boiling premises.
" Locally, it would seem nothing can be done to
suppress these hotbeds for cholera. Pray help us again
with your powerful aid; and if legislative enactments
are necessary, urge on the Government to prepare
such measures by the meeting of Parliament. You
will thereby be adding another to the many obligations
the parish is under to your valuable journal.

" I am, Sir,-your obedient servant,
" Harleyford-roacl, Lambeth, Sept. 3." "T. A.

A FATAL RacE. Saturday evening Mr.
Wakley, jun., held an inquest at the Middlesex Hos-
pital, on the body of John Smith, aged 58, who met
with his death under the following very melancholy eir-
cumstances:—lhe deceased was connected with various
racing and betting-houses in Westminster, and resided
in St. Ann's-court, Suhu-square. He was of very intem-
perate habits, and when in a state of intoxication would
challenge any person to run or jump him for a wager.
On Wednesday evening last, whilst in a state of drunk-
enness, he ran a race of 200 yards, with a youth named
Smith, in Swan-alley, Wardour-street, and when within
five yards of the termination of the contest their shoulders
accidentally touched, the force of which caused the de-
ceased to fall sideways on the pavement. His head
struck the ground with great force, and when picked up
ho was found in an insensible condition. He was re-
moved to the above hospital, where he died the next
day, from a fracture of the skull and injury to the brain.
Verdict—" Accidental death."

TIIE SEARCLI YOB Sift JOHN FRANKLIN.—Sir
George Simpson returned on Monday last from his an-
nual tour of inspection through the Hudson Bay territo-
ries and north-western settlements of this continent.
We learn with regret from him that no elle had been
obtained to the whereabouts or the fate of Sir John
Franklin and his gallant companions. Jul n Rich-
ardson and ed is on his way Lick from the frozen
regiors, and. may be expected iu Montreal early in Sep-
tember. liks exploring party will, however, continue
their search under the orders of Dr. Rae, of thu Hud-
son Bay Company, Sir John's second in command,
throughout the summer. Although it would be almost
criminal to abandon hope in such an enterpris. , it is
impossible to conceal from oneself the unwelcome truth
that the chances to a successful issue become fearfully
diminished by the lapse of time.—Montreal Councr,
Augat 19.