The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-29 00:00:00

THE HEALTH OF LONDON COLLISION BETWEEN the BOARD
DURING THE WEEK. OF HEALTH AND THE MARYLEBONE
(From the Registrar-General's Return.) BOARD OF GUARDIANS.
In the week ending Saturday, August 25, the Yesterday, a special meeting of the Vestry of St.
deaths in London were 2,457; of which 1,276 were Marylebone took place at the Court-house, for the
by cholera, 238 by diarrhoea. The deaths from all purpose of receiving a communication which had been
causes in each of the last seven weeks were 1,070, received from the Board of Health by the board of
1,369, 1,741, 1,931, 1,967, 1,909, 2,229,'-2,457; the guardians, with reference to the alleged outbreak of
deaths from cholera, 152, 339, 678, 783, 926, 823, cholera in Marylebone.
1,229, and 1,276. Although the number of deaths Mr. Churchwarden MALLALIII3 having. been called
last week is greater than any number yet recorded, to the chair, the document from the Board of Health
it is gratifying to learn that active measures are now was read. It was addressed—" To the Select Vestry
in actual operation, or commencing in every district, of St. Marylebone," and peremptorily ordereds. the
to combat the great epidemic which has already appointment of two medical officers in addition to the
destroyed 7,470 lives in London. The mortality present staff, to pursue the system of house to house
stands in favourable contrast to that which has been visitation; and that buildings should be provided for
felt in other cities, where the visitation has recalled the removal of the inhabitants in proximity with
the ravages of the middle ages. But if the general places where the cholera existed. It also ordered
sanitary state and arrangements are superior to those that the vestry should be assembled to consider the
of the other civilized countries of Europe, it is quite matter and carry out the said order,and it also ordered
certain that while the present epidemic has excited that not only a copy of the minute of the vestry, but
some talk and terror, the efforts which have hitherto also the names of the vestrymen present and those ab-
been employed to combat it look feeble and insignia- sent, be forwarded to the:Board of Health. This do-
cant when contrasted with the vast means and agency cument was signed "Ashley, E. Chadwick, and T.
which are brought to bear by the nation in other Southwood Smith."
fields fol• the protection of life and property. Mr. Menu, in bringing forward a resolution on
The energy with which parts of our institutions the subject, denied the existence of cholera in Mary-
work makes the defects of the rest more evident. On lebone, and declared that the conduct of the Board of
August 9 last, a man was murdered in Bermondsey, Health was calculated to frighten the public into the
and before his death, reported by the coroner, will disease. He moved a resolution to the effect—
appear in these returns, one, and it is probable both " That, in the opinion of the vestry, there was no
the persons charged with the murder will be in necessity for the appointment of any additional me-
custody. Steam-ships, the electric telegraph, the di cal gentlemen,
I inasmuch as the board of guardians,
heads of the police, and professional agents, specially
re-
chosen, were all employed to arrest the destroyers on Friday, the 10th of August, instructed their
of this life; the columns of the newspapers sident physician to engage any assistance he might
with the details of the were
' ''
death.
On the same require,. at any time when he perceived such a ne-
filledday ' (August 9) a stockbroker died at No. 12, cessity.
proof that
Albion-terrace, Wandsworthroad ; widow Mr. LOWE seconded the motion. Asa
•
and an old domestic servant at No. 6; in the five fallacious, there had not been so few patients
a
preceding days in the same terrace the daughter ofamongst he poor for sixteen years as at this moment,
grocer, a child of five years of age, had died at No. and there was medical staff enough to meet any
1 ; the widow of a coach proprietor,a .and a commer- emergency.—(Hear, hear.)
cial clerk, at No. 2; a gentlem..d ow at No. 3; Mr. JosErn proposed an amendment—
a surgeon's daughter at No. spinster of 41 at " That, in acknowledging the receipt of the com-
No. 5 ; the wife of a Dissenting minister, his mother, munication from the Board of Health, the vestry have
a widow lady, and a servant at No. 6; a young to state that the entire medical charge of the sick poor
woman of 21 at No. 10; a gentleman at No. 12,
thatis by law under the control of the guardians; and
where the stockbroker died ; a commercial clerk andthis vestry desires to express its warm confidence
a young woman of 19 at No. 13, where a young that the guardians will adopt every means calculated
woman also died on July 28 ; a gentleman's wife at to meet any necessity '
which cholera or any other
No. 14, who had seen her daughter die there the day epidemic may create ; and that, in so doing, the
before. The 19 persons died of cholera, many of the guardians and directors will meet with the ready co-
inhabitants of the terrace were dispersed ; and the operation and support of this vestry."
deaths of several have been registered elsewhere. "It Dr. GRAY seconded the amendment.
appears," says the registrar, Mr. Frost, " that at No. Mr. 11. C. WILSON, whilst he deprecated the inter-
-13, inhabited by Mr. Biddle, where the first death oc
- ference of the Board of Health, thought that the board
curred, and where two deaths were afterwards regis-
of guardians had not sufficiently done their duty in
tered, the refuse of the house had been allowed to ac- not having appointed district medical men to attend
cumulate in one of the vaults (which is a very large
the poor in their own localities during the present
one), for about two years, and when removed last prevailing epidemic.
week, the stench was almost intolerable, there being Mr. BROUGIITON, the magistrate, at some length
about two feet of wet soil filled with maggots. The deprecated the attack which had been made on the
drains also had burst, overflowed into the tank, and private character of the members of the Board of
impregnated the water with which the houses were Health. He believed that the suggestions of the Board
supplied. On the back ground in the distance, was of Health were excellent, and that the vestry would
an open ditch, into which nearly the whole of the soil be doing their duty to cooperate.
of Clapham runs." As turpentine to flames, so is the Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Lowe, Mr. M'Evil, Captain
exhalation of such cellars, tanks, and sewers to cho- Holland, and other gentlemen addressed the meeting,
lera ; it diffused itself rapidly, attacked many, and some of them contending that the Board of Health
19 inhabitants, after some hours of suffering, sickness had themselves admitted that they had no power to
and spasms, expired. enforce these orders ; but it was contradicted by Mr.
The effects of decomposing refuse and water on Kirby, the magistrate, who said they had the power
health were well known—their fatal subsidies to by the 11 and 12 Vict. , passed during the last session.
cholera had been heard of every day; yet no steps The amendment was carried by a large majority,
had been taken for their removal from Albion- and the meeting separated.
terrace in July, no medical police had interfered to
disturb the contents of Mr. Biddle's cellar; and now
the nineteen masters, servants, parents, children rest
in their graves, it appears to be taken for granted
that blame attaches to nobody—to nothing—to the
householders themselves—to the guardians of the
district—to the institutions of the country ! Such
mean intangible instruments of death can be invested
with no dramatic interest; but fixing our eyes on the
victims, it is well worth considering whether sub-
stantially it is not as much a part of the sound policy
of the country that lives like those in Albion-terrace
should be saved, as that the murderers of the man in
Bermondsey should be banged.
The revelations of the state of their districts in
the registrars' notes of this and last week prove that
it will be no easy task—l say, not to stay the plague
of cholera, for it will subside, but to remove the evils
which make cholera and all epidemics fatal. The vast
task of the physical amelioration of the population
demands the energies of the best men . n her Ma-
jesty's dominions. 'When, in the country from which
Asiatic cholera came, our armies seemed for a moment
worsted, and the empire threatened, the great captain
of the age is reported to have addressed to another
the memorable words, "If you do not go, I must."
That enemy was distant. We have one very near, in
our streets, of which cholera, a servile minister, has
destroyed already 7,470 lives in London, and thou.
sands more in the rest of the kingdom. Who will go
out against this enemy ? Is it too powerful or too
feeble for the arm of the greatest? Will no glory
crown its conquest ? Is the country insensible to its
magnitude ? Will not all the national strength and
resources be put forth to improve the hygyenic condi-
tion of the people, and to rid England of the causes
of the fatality of epidimics ? This may yet be done
by the Government, aided by the force of facts and
of enlightened public opinion.

MORTALITY in the METROPOLIS
NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CAUSES REGISTERED IN
THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, AUG. 18, 1849.
Epidemic, Endemic, and Contagious Diseases ...*1714
Diseases of Uncertain Seat ... 52
Tubercular Diseases ... ••• ••• ••• ••• 182
Diseases of the Brain, Nerves, and Senses... ... 108
Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels ... 32
Diseases of the Lungs, and other Organs of
Respiration ... 93
Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs
of Digestion...
Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. •.• •.•
Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &I. ...
Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles
Diseases of the Skin, &c.
Malformations... ••
Premature Birth ... ••
Atrophy
Old Ago
Sudden ... ••• ••• ••• ••
Violence, Privation, Cold, or Intemperance
Causes not specified ...

.., 0

... 34
... 48

... 39

TESTIMONIAL
TO THE HUNGARIAN REFUGEES.

" THE HUNGARIAN NATION COUNTS ON THE SYMPATHY
OF EVERY NATION WHICH LOVES RIGHT AND Ll-
BERTY."—Kossuth's Protest against Russian Interven-

Subscriptions may be sent to the following bankers:—
Messrs. Coutte and Co.
Messrs. Drummond.
Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Smith ;
or to any one of the members of the committee recently
formed to carry out the Testimonial.
• **All further Post-office orders to be made payable to Murdo
Young, Esq., at the Money Order Office, Strand.

Subscriptions already received ...
Per the Editor oft, Examiner :

...963 10 4*

_ .
Friends at Kelvedon ... 1 0 0
The Compositors at Messrs. Reynell & Weight's 1 10 6
➢lr. Wm. A. Long, jun., Wotton-under -Edge 1 0 0
Second Subscription of Working Jewellers' Work-

men ... ... ... ... .. 3 15 9
A. Few Chartists, per Samuel Boonham ... 0 3 6
Per K. L. J., Limerick, second remittance ... 0 18 0
H. B. P., per ➢lr. Dunford, Notting-hill ... 0 2 6
Penny Subscriptions by the Frequenters of the
Sun Cofee•house, 118, Long-acre .
A. Liberal Englishwoman, Warwickshire

9 0
0 5 0

Total ...

£972 15 ii

REPRESENTATION OF WEST SURREY
NENT OF ONE OF THE CANDIDATES.—GUILDFORD, AUG.
28.—Considerable surprise has been excited throughout
the western division of the county by the sudden retire-
ment of Mr. J. Ivatt Briscoe, the Liberal candidate,
who has recently completed one of the most successful
canvasses ever known here. A meeting of Mr. Briscoe's
friends has been held, and Mr. Briscoe being present,
gave in his formal resignation. lie complained that the
Reform Club, the source from which he had been ltd to
expect the expenses of the election would be provided,
had attempted to exercise an undue dictation over him,
but this charge the Hon. Gentleman's friends distinctly
repudiated. Mr. Briscoe stated that, when he started,
he had been informed that there was great apathy in the
minds of the electors as to the choice of a candidate to
represent them, but he could assure them that such was
not the fact, as he had met with a hearty reception
wherever he had been. Mr. Nicholson assured the meet-
ing that the electors were ready to fight the battle of
civil and religious liberty, and would never let a Pro-
tectionist walk over the course. He proposed that Mr.
R. W. Edgell, a magistrate of the county, should be
solicited to stand for the county. This was seconded by
Mr. G. Best, and carried neni. dis. Mr. Edgell said it
was impossible to give vent to his feelings, the matter
had come upon him so suddenly. In consenting to stand
the contest, he might state that he was for civil and re-
ligious liberty in its most extended form; he was for an
extended suffrage, when the vote would be considered
not as a privilege, but as a right, and men might not be
tempted to buy and sell it. lie was a free trader in all
respects, yet he meant no mischief to the agricultural
interest. Several questions, all of which were satisfac-
torily answered, having been put to Mr. Edgell, a com-
mittee was appointed to take the necessary measures for
securing his return to Parliament for the western divi-
sion of the county of Surrey.
FEES ON PATENTS.—Extract from a return to the
House of Commons, from the Lord Chancellor's office,
of fees on patents, paid over to the Clerk of the Hanaper
(a sinecure office held by the Rev. Mr. Thurlow):-
1838 £3,120 6 8
1839 3,158 13 4
3,386 6 .5
1841 .•• ••• ••• ••• 3,378 13 4
1842 ... 2,859 6 8
1843 .•• •.• • • 3,220 0 0
1844 ..• ••• ••
... 3,447 13 4
1845 .•• ..• ••• 4,273 0 4
1846 ... ... 3,895 13 4
1847 ... ... 3,954 6 8
Total ten years' income (exclusive
of church livings) ...
—Patent Journal.

£34,694 0 4

REFUSAL OF GOVERNMENT TO ABANDON PAT-.
MENT Or THE HOP DUTY.—An answer has been
received from the Lords of the Treasury to the memorial
from a meeting of the hop planters of Sussex, praying
that the collection of the hop duty of 1848, falling due
in October and November, might not be enforced. To
this prayer their Lordships state they cannot accede.
The day fixed for the payment of the first instalment of
the postponed duty is the 15th of October. The second
instalment is payable on the 15th of November.—Maid-
btone Journal.
LIBERAL LANDLORDS.—Lord Harris returned 16
per cent. and the Right Honourable Pemberton Ltgh
20 per cent. at their last rent days.—Maidstone
he Journal.
OrriciAL SUPPLIES OF STATIONERY.--be
madelinto
Cus-
toms Board having caused an inquiry
receipt and deli-
very to
the system of control exercised on the
very of articles of stationery required for the use of the.
Customs department, for
minutes enforcing the
necessity
sneement of the present year
giving
fTegcrteatteerth
economy,
Treasury
appears that since
of
commencement
which
had been whole bound
thhaevgSe
ffiblaou
ctu
en7dteirnYfov.
for the
many descriptions t b
under the direction of the inspector of
thathalf-pbaopuenrdosecondf cloth,
'bpaeunerdnpose, however, used,
in vellum,
the
edbiang at
quhaelrierYbey'ksabbudetiinmiuinution of expenditure, under the head of
books and binding, will be effected. Certain articles
which have been heretofore allowed, but considered not
requisite, have been disallowed, and directions issued
that upon the receipt of demands for stationery, the ex-
aminer of such demands is not only to ascertain that the
allowance is not exceeded, but that the demand is not
made up of articles unnecessary for the conduct of the
public business.

The most brilliant victory is only the light of a
ring
conflagration, which the tears of suffering humanity
slakes into a smoke, the faithful emblemue of its mis-
called glory.—Eliza Cook's Journal.
CHARING•CROSS HOSPITAL—CHOLERA IVAiins.—
Yesterday a meeting of governors and committee of
management of this hospital was held in the board-room
of the institution. The report for the past year stated
that there had been 1,153 in and 14,347 out patients. Of
the latter class a largenumber were poor married women
who had been attended during their confinement attheir
own homes. The total number of patients during the
year was near 16,000 persons, being an increase over
the preceding year of 3,000. During the prevalence of
the present epidemic, two wards have been devoted to
the reception of cholera patients. Half
the noblest passages in poetry are truisms ;
but these truisms are the great truths of humanity; and
he is the true poet who dr.aws them from their fountains
in elemental purity end gives us to drink.—Eliza Cook's
Journal.