The Sun.
London, England, 1847-12-13 00:00:00

of the week ; and last week the increase amounted to
1,400, being double the average mortality. The
scent report of the Metropolitan Sanitary
,Commis-
lion proved that during the years 1845, 1846, and
1847, our pet pestilence, typhus fever, bad gone on
increasing week by week and year by year.—(Hear,
hear.) He had thus proved, if figures could prove
anything, the second clause of the resolution.—
(Hear,hear.) On the subject of cholera he was
extremely anxious not to create any unnecessary
alarm ; but it was right to state that it was reported
that cases of cholera had actually occurred in this
metropolis.—(Hear, hear.) He would wish to put
the most favourable construction on those cases, and
to ats3ume that there was a mistake. What then?
The whole history of the present epidemic went to
prove that the cholera was likely to follow in its
train.—(Hear.) The question, then, was—" How
are we prepared to meet it ?" It appeared that they
were altogether unprepared to meet this fearful epi-
demic.—(Hear, hear.) The report of the commis-
sion to which he had alluded pointed out, among
other facts, one of a consolatory nature, that
the cholera was not a contagious disease—(Hear)—
and that, therefore, no one need fear attending on
relatives and friends. But they must not forget
that the cholera track was the fever track and the
filth track—(Hear, hear)—that these diseases were
found calling at the same houses and the same spots,
and visiting the same persons.—(Hear, hear.) At a
preliminary meeting held on the previous day to talk
over these matters, he might state that the gentle-
men from Sheffield and N ottingbam stated exactly
the same fact with regard to fever and cholera visit-
ing the same houses and spots. The prevailing
epidemic (influenza) was found to visit the most un-
healthy districts. Indeed, the most unhealthy spots
were those that uniformly produced the greatest
mortality. Take the population of East London and
that of Wandsworth, the latter a healthy locality ;
Wandsworth lost 19 out of a population of 40,000,
and East London, out of the same population, lost
75.—(Hear, hear.) Poplar lost 36, while Camber-
well loit 52. West London lost 64 out of the same
population as Poplar. 'Hackney, with a population
of 42,000, lost 37, while St. George's-in-the-East,
a mast unhealthy district, lost 82.—(Hear, hear.)
He -had called fever a pet pestilence.—(Hear,
hear.) If :we loved it we could not take more pains
than we had done to keep it among us and to nourish
and cherish it.—(Hear, hear.) We had been taught
over and over again, that where there was filth there
was danger of fever, and yet we took no more pains
to remove the filth of our towns than if we thought
fever a natural blessing.—(Hear, hear.) Dr. Guy
then referred to the efforts of the benevolent Howard
for the removal of filth and infection from prisons,
and remarked, that the houses of labouring men were
now what the prisons were three-quarters of a cen-
tury ago, while prisoners received every comfort and
convenience that was denied to our working men.—
(Cheers.) It was a crying shame that three-fourths
of a century ago we begfm- to do that for prisons
which we now refused to da for -the labouring man.
—(Hear.)' He rejoiced, however, that there was
some prospect of improvement in this respect ; and
he especially rejoiced that men possessed of good
sound sense had united the commercial principle with
benevolence, and begun to erect such houses as they
knew the poor wanted, so as to enable a few of them at
least to enjoy the same comforts in their own dwell-
ings that prisoners alone could at present obtain. It
might be said he had been using the language ofexagge-
ration ; but when men heard without feeling such
facts, they seemed to labour under an exaggeration of
indifference.—(Cheers.) The people were beginning
to discover the interest they had in the question.
The necessity of sanitary reform had found a voice in
the fashionable novel of Disraeli, in the popular
work of Charles Dickens, who had shown his sym-
pathy in the cause by transmitting a contribution
of 101.

Mr. BOUVERIE, M.P., stood forward amidst some
cries of "Cochrane;" but the interruption ceased on
a remonstrance from the Chairman. Mr. Bouverie
moved the second resolution, as follows :
" That this meeting regards with lively satisfaction
the earnest recommendation contained in the Speech
from the Throne ; the expressed determination of her
Majesty's advisers to renew the efforts made by Lord
Lincoln and Lord Morpeth in. former sessions of
Parliament ; and the practical step taken by the Lord
Chancellor in remodelling the Metropolitan Sewers
Commissions."
When public opinion was definitively expressed, the
obstacles to the attainment of the object in view
disappeared. The Government had done what
they ought to have done ; they had acted promptly
and firmly, though there were " vested interests" in
filth which had endeavoured to thwart their efforts.
They had removed the Commissioners of Sewers,
who were a great impediment in the way of sanitary
improvement.—(Hear, hear.) In the midst of the
great cou:ourse of people in large towns, in Lon-
don, Liverpool, Glasgow, Leeds, Hull, and other
places, it might be said that there was a manufactory
of poison—a manufactory which never worked short
time—(Cheers)—and the result was, that thousands
were carried to a premature grave, and that many
more thousands of women and children were plunged
into destitution. Sanitary measures would tend to
lessen the numbers who required relief from the
public, and were, therefore, to be desired, even in a
pecuniary point of view. There was something
strangely illogical in bestowing immense sums on the
maintenance of their army and navy to protect them
from a foreign enemy, while they had a domestic foe
to encounter which destroyed more life than the
other would, which spared none, and which never
slept or rested.—(Cheers.)
Mr. CARDWELL, M.P., seconded the resolution.
There was one fact which, he thought, showed the
progress made by this country. Within the last few
years, by the multiplication of facilities and the
cheapening of comforts, many of the advantages pre-
viously confined to the rich had become extended to
those of comparatively humbler means. Comfort,
cleanliness, domestic affections, were great practical
enjoyments. Of these the man of competent means
had his share as well as the rich man. But why
should they not extend to the working man ?
(Cheers.) He had not those enjoyments in their
towns; and why ? Not because he had not the means
of paying for them, a larger amount of wages being
distributed in the large towns than within an equal
space anywhere on the surface of the earth. Then
why had not the working man those enjoyments ?
From the manner in which the smaller buildings
were collected together, individual cleanliness could
not be secured without universal cleanliness. A
family settled in a crowded neighbourhood with in-
dustrious cleanly habits they maintained an unsuc-
cessful struggle, till at last they subsided hopelessly
into a state of discomfort.—(hear, hear.) The
disposition to live cleanly would be general if
the power were general. He knew not why he should
be called on to second the resolution, unless it was
that he had the happiness to be connected with a town
which was not behind others in intelligence and en-
terprise, but which was unfortunately situated in re-
gard to public health. But they were striving to
effect a salutary change. They were bringing water
from the hills of Lancashire, which they hoped would
afford an ample supply. There would he no cisterns
in the place ; and all a person would have do would
be to go to the spout and turn It. Neither would
there be a fire-engine in Liverpool. It would only
be necessary to open a plug and attach the hose, when
the water would flow forth to save their merchandise.
—(Cheers.) If the means of procuring comfort and
cleanliness, with economy, were afforded, what fol-
lowed ? The means of cultivating domestic attach-
ments. Could they expect men to stay at home when
they had scarcely a home to stay in ? It was idle to
expect real religious training for youth when they
were immersed in sin at home, which set at nought
the lessons of the clergyman. And that which was
offered as the result of the measures advocated by
such meetings as the present was, in truth, economy,
safety, opportunities of cultivating domestic attach-
ments, and the means of encouraging religious
affections.
Mr. SHAFT() ADAIR, M.P., moved the third reso-
lution, as follows :
" That all past experience, and the nature of the
case, enforce the necessity of combining in any sani-
tary measure an efficient local administration respon-
sible to the ratepayers, with the superintendence of a
Government department duly represented in Parlia-
ment."

Mr. HEYWOOD, M.P., seconded the resolution.
Re stated that in Manchester, where there was a
Health of Towns Association, they had derived the
greatest benefit from the report of the Government
Commissioners, just published, particularly that part
of it which related to sewerage. The formation of
proper sewers and the opening up of streets were
matters of the greatest importance to large towns.
There was no place about which cholera loved to
nestle so much as the mouth of a sewer.—(l-lear.)
He had the greatest pleasure in seconding the
resolution.

Cochrane from
Mr.
ivirth loud cries lio'f
Here there were again calls fo
aicollfusion.
a portion of the audience, metrra
" No, no,". from others, and' goenneobt
,tzeith a
The Noble CHAIRMAN,
all
been
1.
stated that the proceedings had a hearing,
4 committee, as was the custom in such cases,
ty,
view to give the greatest possible effect to
de-
monstration. He therefore thought it would be for
the convenience of the meeting that the arrangement
which had been made regarding speakers should be
followed out; but at the conclusion, if Mr. Cochrane
or any otheuentlemen wished to explain their views,
1141 Mit hbiain and hear him with patience.
Is 1.14,
o ion was then put, and carried unani-
,/---..,,,-----: ......11,4". .• N
i S rilOkleVq.k ,-_: / '
;i
11.4-Gri-EijtA TON, M.P., said he and several other
gentleing4,:ictik there not merely as members of
' Tarliams;nt,-11 as representatives in that meeting of
' their various:3i' oughs.—(Hear.) At a meeting held
et Plymouth consider the necessity of sanitary re-

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