The Sun.
London, England, 1847-06-26 00:00:00

JUNE 26, 1847.

THE LATE DR. LYNCH.

We gave a prominent place, in our columns of Satur-
day, to a communication from one of the first medical
authorities in this country, on the progress of
epidemic disease in the metropolis. Yesterday we re-
corded the death, at the early age of 38, and after a few
hours' illness, of one of the ablest and most energetic
advocates of sanatory reform, Dr. Lynch, of Farringdon-
street. The cause of death was inflammation of the
throat, which, from the acc,aints we have received, we
conclude to have been of an endemic character, or at
least to have been aggravated by the tendency which at
present exists in the atmosphere to generate affectioss
of that nature. In ordinary years they are not commonly
dangerous, unless to delicate females, or persons of ad-
vanced age. But during the past year the bills of mor-
tality have shown a large increase of deaths from this
class of diseases, amounting to nearly double the ordi
nary proportion. The last quarterly returns of the
Registrar-General state, that "in the summer of 1846
the mortality was greater than it had been in any quar-
ter of the last seven years ; and in the last winter quar-
ter, ending March 31, 1847, no less than 56,105 persons
' died in the districts which make the returns; a number
greater than has been registered in any corresponding quar-
ter, and 6,035 (or nearly 11 per cent.) above the cor-
rected average." In the next paragraph the report pro-
ceeds—" the registrars in their notes ascribe the in
creased mortality generally to inflammation of the lungs
and air tubes, to typhus, and other diseases, and to the
effects of cold upon the aged ;" inflammation of the
lungs and throat being placed foremost among the ag-
gravating causes. We notice this case, not only to tes-
tify our regret tor the untimely loss of an indefatigable
wdr&er iu sue cause of sanatory reform, but likcwi3e
because the most determined effort yet made to awaken
the City authorities to a sense of the awful respon-
sibility they are incurring, by a neglect of the sana-
tory condition of the City, was due to the exertions,
and sustained by the professional testimony of Dr.
Lynch. It is precisely a month (25th May) since the
churchwardens of St. Bride's, St. Dunstan's, and other
parishes in the ward of Farringdon Without, gentlemen
who, as they stated, had personally inspected the
dwellings of the poor, waited on the Lord Mayor, to re-
present the awful condition of that " worst of the thirty-
six metropolitan districts." Dr. Lynch was the spokes-
man on the part of the churchwardens; and we know no
document containing a more powerful and comprehensive
statement of the sanatory condition of the City, and the
dangers resulting from its
present state, than the elo-
quent address which he delivered on that occasion. A
brief abstract of it appeared in our next day's publica-
tion ; but we are not aware that a full report of it has
been published in a separate form—an omission on the
part of those more immediately concerned which is
much to be regretted. Now, not a month has elapsed,
and this eloquent denouncer of City Alth and City negli-
gence is struck down by the invisible enemy whose for-
midable presence he denounced. The cause of his death
might be summed up in one of his own expres-
sive sentences on the occasion referred to, that
amid atmospheric influences such as he described,
"the most simple diseases become malignant."
The petition which these churchwardens of the
parishes comprised in the ward of Farringdon Without
put up to the City authority was lucid enough, and easy
of execution. In the words of Dr. Lynch, " they en-
treated his Lordship to name an early day for the consi-
deration of the public health, included in the memorial
of the ward, urging the Corporation to adopt sanatory
measures for the benefit of the poor." (And just in the
same proportion, we conceive, for the benefit of the
rich; and the latter, we may hint to the worthy church.
wardens, being an argumentum ad hominem, is likely to
be not the least effective with corporators.) Dr. Lynch
continued, " The gentlemen of the inquest"—(an appro-
priate term that; tor what was the scrutiny into the filth
of their neighbourhood, which at such perileto themselves
these gentlemen carried out, but a coroner's inquest on
the wholesale murders, committed, say at the rate of
100,000 per annum, by persons in authority, from Lord
Morpeth down to the Lord .M.ayor, and from the Lord
Mayor down to refractory dustmen, who refuse to
eleanse the out-offices of the poor, unless they treat
them to extra drink—who know their duty, bat will
not do it?)—" suggest to his Lordship the propriety
of calling a Common Council, as soon as possible,
to apply to Parliament for a short Bill, empower-
ing the City authorities to enforce the abolition
of cess-pools, and other nuisances which were of
mortal injury to the community, to compel landlords to
trap and open the drains of every house into the sewer,
and to appoint an inspector to take care that this law
was enforced. They indulge the hope that the Govern-
ment will render every facility in the laudable endeavour
to accomplish such good." After further details of the
peril that was daily incurring, and of the precautions
taken at Liverpool and elsewhere, the appeal continued—
" every precautionary measure which science can sug-
guest ought to be had recourse to, to prevent the spread
of such an appalling calamity amongst us. To delay, in
such a moment of imminent danger, would be criminal in-
difference to the safety of society." Alas lit was easy
for him who uttered these powerful appeals to the
authorities to indulge in hopes ; but it is the reverse of
easy to make any real impression—any impression that
will induce to action—on Lord Mayors or Lords Com-
missioners of her Majesty's Woods and Forests. The
Common Council have taken, so far as we are aware, no
steps like those so impressively urged upon them. They
have asked for no " short Bill." On the contrary, they
and the great majority of their class, intra-mural and
extra mural, in the Mansion-house and in Mar) lebone,
have protested against all sanatory measures, long and
short, that threatened to
" Molest the ancient solitary reign"

of immemorial uncleanliness. Perhaps, however, the City
authorities, though they heeded not the voice of the living,
will pause at the mute appeal which is made by the dead
to their better sympathies as well as their fears. Dr.
Lynch, by virtue of his political activity, as well as his
professional skill, enjoyed considerable popularity, if not
with the immediate authorities of that Corporation whose
abuses, as well as all other social evils, he sought to reform,
at least with great numbers among the most influential
and respectable of his fellow-citizens. It is strange,
however, if anything connected with this subject could
be strange, that Lord Morpeth, in ascertaining what the
wishes of the City were as to the measures which be had
brought forward, did not apparently make any account
of this appeal, publicly addressed to the City authorities
by the churchwardens of a whole group of parishes in
the most crowded part of the City. Surely this one
voice, uttered, and by parish authorities too, in behalf of
the stifled, poisoned poor, had a better right to strengthen
his Lordship's wavering purposes than the minatory
growls of these aldermanic dogs-in-the-manger, who will
neither wash themselves nor let other people wash them,
ought to have had to wring from him concessions which
in his heart he knows to be not only weaknesses on his
part, but actual sins, which, ere the year is over, most
probably thousands of his fellow-subjects will have to
expiate with their lives.—Chronicle.

CHARGE OF FRAUD AGAINST THE MAYOR OF
.LIMERICK.—The Limerick Reporter contains the follow
tug extraordinary statement:—" By order of the Go-
vernment informations were exhibited before the bench
of petty session in this city on Friday, against Thomas
Walnutt, Esq., mayor of this city, as one of the firm of
Stein and Co., for having defrauded the finance commit-
tee by substituting a different description of Indian corn
for that sent to their mill to be ground. The facts are
already before the readers of this journal. They are
briefly these:—Mr. Walnutt is charged with having ab-
stracted a portion of the sound corn, and substituting in
its stead, and mixing with the remainder, unsound and
damaged Indian meal of his own. The informations in.
elude those of the Messrs. Stein, the other two partners
of the firm. Mr. Walnutt had left town on the previous
day, and wo believe has not yet returned. This is a
sad blow, and we trust for the character of Limerick, and
for his own, that the mayor will be able to vindicate
himself at the assizes. It seems strange that be should
be the only member of the firm who knew anything
about the transaction, though so much engaged other-
wise in virtue of his office."

FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE CROYDON RAILWAY.—
An accident of a very distressing nature occurred near
the Anerley station of the above railway, at about a
quarter before six o'clock on:Thursday. The Anerley
'Tavern and Tea Gardens form a picturesque object on
the right of the Croydon Railway. They are tenanted
by Mr. Buckmaster. The son of this gentleman is the
victim of the unfortunate occurrence, and the manner in
which the accident took place may be thus briefly de-
tailed :—lt appears that Mr. Buckmaster holds some land
on the opposite side of the railway to that on which the
tavern is situate. On this land some labourers were em-
ployed yesterday in hay making, the son of Mr. Buck-
master, a remarkably fine young man, aged only nineteen
years, superintending their operations. At the hour above
mentioned the deceased was in the act of crossing the
railway, from the tavern into the field, when a pilot en-
gine on its way to town passed the station at a rapid pace,
and before the unfortunate young man could clear the
line he was struck by the off buffer and thrown a distance
of several yards, falling with great violence on the back
of his head, and fracturing his scull to a frightful extent.
The accident was observed by the driver of the engine,
who immediately brought up, and, assistance having
been procured, the deceased, who still breathed, was
placed on a truck and brought immediately to the
London-bridge terminus, whence he was removed on a
stretcher to Guy's Hospital. Mr. S. Abershaw, the
house-surgeon, on making an examination, at once pro-
nounced the unfortunate man to be quite dead.
MASQUERADE AT VAUXHALL.—Wednesday, after
the most extensive preparations to render the occasion
attractive, the gardens were thrown open, having been
decorated on a very splendid scale. The performances
were commenced by a representation of the scenes in
the circle, where Madame Caroline and other talented
artistes of the troupe exhibited the usual succession of
the menage. The more especial fun of the masquerade
then commenced, and although the weather had been
somewhat unpropitious during the day, the gardens
were thronged by a motley crowd. Three well trained
bands furnished harmony to the various groups of
dancers, and their inspiring strains seemed to furnish
the votaries of St. Vitus with inexhaustible vigour.
Under the able management of Messrs. Ryan and Lewis,
on whom the mantle of the departed Simpson appears
to have fallen, the gaiety of the night was kept up till
morning had long superseded the brief reign of her lunar
majesty.

PRICE SD.

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS.

From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.)
THURSDAY, JUNE 24.

CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY (EXTEN;
SION AT HOLYHEAD) BILL.

Clause A brought up; Motion made, and Question pro-
posed, " That the said Clause be now read the first tine ::

. . -
—Amendment proposed, to leave out from the words " That
the" to the end of the Question, in order to add the words
"further proceeding on the Third Reading of the Bill be
postponed till this day three months," instead thereof:"—
Question put, " Tbat the words proposed to be left out stand
part of the Question." The House divided :
MAJORITY—AYES, 90.
Bailey, Jcseph Gregory W. U. Ogle, S. C.
Baring, Henry Grey, Sir G. Pakington, Sir J.
Barnard, Edward G. Hallyburtou, Lord Parker, John
Bateson, Thomas Hamilton, J. H. Peel, sir Robert
Berkeley, Captain Hamilton, G. A. Pi umridge, Captain
iodkin, William H. Hamner, Sir J. Powell, Colonel
Bowles, Admiral Plastic, Archibald Rice, E R.
Brarnston, T. W. Hatton, Captain Rolleston, Colonel
Brisco, M. 11111, Lord Marcus Russell, Lord John
Broadwood, H. Hodgson, F. Rutherfurd, A.
Buller, Charles Hodgson, Richard Sandon, Lord
Carew, W. P. Houldsworth, T. Shaw, F.
Clay, Sir W. Howard, C. W. Shell, R. L.
Codrington, Sir W. Howard, E. G. Sheppard, T.
Dawson, T. V. Hudson, G. Smith, A.
Deedes, W. Hughes, W. B. Smith, R. V.
Denison, E. B. Jolliffe, Sir W G. H. Staunton, Sir:G.
Dennistoun, J. Labouchere, Henry Strati, Edward
Dick. Q. Lindsay, Colonel Tollemache, John
Dodd, G. Macaulay, T. B. Trelawny, J. S.
Douglas, Sir H. Mackinnon, W. Trevor, J. R.
Duckworth, Sir J. Al"Taggart, Sir J. Trotter, John
Entwine, William Mahon, Viscount Troubridge, Sir E.
Esmonde, Sir T. Masterman, J. Tuftiell, Henry
Evans, Sir De Lacy hiolesworth, Sir W. Turner, Edmund
Ferguson, Sir R. Morpeth, Viscount. Villiers, Charles
French, F. Mostyn, E. M. Vivian, Capt.
Fuller, A. E. Norreys, Sir D. Wood, Sir Charles
Gibson, Thomas M. O'Brien, A. S. VELUM.
Gladstone, J. N. O'Connell, M. J. Stanley, W. 0.
Gower, Leveson O'Conor, Don EbringtOn, Viscount

MINORITY-NOES, 30.
Aglionby, H. A. Egerton, W. T. Pennant, Colonel
Bankes, George Ewart, William Powlett, Lord W.
Brotherton, Joseph Forbes, W. Roebuck, J. A.
Brown, W. Forster, Matthew Sibthoz7, Colonel
Callaghan, D. Hall, Sir Benjamin Spooner, Richard
Collett, John Morris, Captain Thornely, T.
Collins, William Ingestre, Visct. Wakley, Thomas
Duncan, George Lygon, Gen. Wood, Colonel
Duncombe, T. Morris, David TIELLEU.
Duncombe, A. Muntz, G. F. Hume, Joseph
Duncombe, 0. Neald, Joseph Williams, W.