The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-25 00:00:00

The Cholera.

The Privy Council have just iss" tied two orders in
pursuance of the Powers given by the "Diseases
Prevention Act," containing directions and regula-
tions to be enforced in the
metropolis and all unions
and parishes in England, and in all parts and arms
of the sea lying within the jurisdiction of the Admi-
ralty. These documents have been sent to the boards
of guardians or vestries of every parish. That with
regard to the metropolis directs the board or vestry
in a parish where cholera or diarrhoea may exist to
meet daily with the view of carrying the regulations
into force, power being given to then:Lb:lr the ap,
pointment of necessary medical officers for various
purposes, including a daily house-to-house visitation
amongst the poorer classes, and giving the necessary
immediate medical assistance to the sick. Such
medical visitors are to report cases of destitution re-
quiring relief to the relieving officer, who is to afford
it at discretion, and in every case of cholera or diarr-
hoea, where the patient is not under medical care
and treatment, the vestry or board shall cause medi-
cal assistance to be rendered with the utmost expe-
dition, and such aid and comfort, nourishment, and
accommodation as the circumstances of the case will
admit, with the object of restoring health. The
vestry or board are also to provide nurses to aid the
medical visitors, and where necessary, hospitals for
patients who have no home, or cannot otherwise be
properly treated. Directions are also given for the
proper separation of the sick and healthy in dwell-
ings where diseases exist, and for the disinfection
or destruction where necessary of bedding, clothing,
and other things. Vestries or boards having power
over waterworks are to cause the reservoirs, cisterns,
pipes, pumps, and other apparatus belonging thereto
to be cleansed and purified. Arrangements are to
be made with undertakers, and with the proper au-
thorities of burial grounds, so that coffins may be
ready to be supplied immediately on demand, and
interments speedily take place in the cases of death
arising from cholera or diarrhoea ; and the vestry or
board shall, when informed of any such death, cause
the corpse to be buried with the earliest possible
despatch. No collection of persons is to be allowed
in such case to assemble in the room where the corpse
is, and no " waking" of the dead is to be allowed.
The immediate removal is ordered from any room
which living persons inhabit of the corpse of every
person dying from cholera or choleraic diarrhoea
until the time of its interment, and such means are
to be adopted for preventing the spread of infection
from the corpse as the medical officer of health of
the district shall recommend. Precautions are to
be taken by boards or vestries as to ships and ves-
sels lying in their parish or district. Statistical re-
turns are to be furnished weekly to the Privy Coun-
cil. Vestries or boards are to distribute such ad-
monitory notices to the owners and occupiers of pro
perty within their parish or district as to the pro-
visions of the acts for the removal of nuisances as
shall appear to be requisite, and all such medical ad-
vice and such directions and instructions as in their
judgment shall be necessary to afford aid to persons
attacked with cholera or diarrhoea, or for the carry-
ing of those regulations into execution, and inform
the public what special arrangements have been
made for affording medical or other assistance in
the parish or district. In conclusion, a general
order and exhortation is given for aid to vestries or
boards in their efforts to prevent or mitigate the
diseases in question.

Some useful hints have just been published as to
what should be done during the epidemic of cholera.
The writer says :—lt is now admitted that cholera
is almost invariably preceded by the premonitory
symptom diarrhoea, and that in this stage the disease
can be most successfully treated. Experience
dearly bought during previous visitations demon-
strates that the very large proportion of those per-
sons who died would not attend to the premonitory
symptom. They were too apathetic or careless to
seek medical relief, and it was found that the only
way to check the epidemic was to seek the disease
out. For this purpose the different parishes were
divided into districts. To each district was ap-
pointed either a medical man or an advanced medi-
cal student, whose duties were to visit every house
daily ; to inquire whether any one was suffering,
from diarrhoea ; and in every case where the symp-
tom showed itself, to treat the patient on the spot,
or else get the usual medical attendant sent for.
These inspectors had each night to make up returns
to the medical officers. Boards of-guardians and
vestries then knew exactly the progress or decline of
the disease. The staff of inspectors of nuisances
was doubled, and in some instances quadrupled.
Their duties were not to remove nuisances in the
shape of decomposing animal and vegetable matter
whilst cholera was epidemic, but to cover them over
with fresh earth and deodorising and disinfectant
chemicals. Dispensaries were opened in various
parts of the districts, and handbills were circulated
informing the public where medicine and advice could
be obtained. Great pressure was put upon the water
companies to compel them to give an increased sup-
ply of as pure water as could be obtained. Cholera
hospitals were formed, so that persons attacked
might at once be removed from their overcrowded
homes. Directions were given and enforcedfor the
general use of the lime brush, and for cleansing
courts, alleys, &c. Government inspectors were
appointed, who divided the metropolis into sections,
and their duty was to put themselves into commu-
nication with the different parochial medical officers
of health, and to instruct boards of guardians as to
what they should do, and urge them to fulfil pro-
perly the important duties they had taken on them-
selves. This system was found to act admirably.
It mattered not how much the epidemic raged. No
sooner was this machinery got into working order
than the disease was checked and gradually de-
clined. The above is no idle theory or vague
dsurc;-
mise. The reports of the late General Bcoarunc.f.
Health and the medical officer of the Privy
_ll
prove that this system was
behoves adapted
thet
o
stay the pestilence. This being
admirabitl
different local authorities throrsuegh;so%
for it is t the kingdom
to at once adopt a:similahrocieorua
will
not break out.
impos-
sible now to say where cholera
to
have appeared in
It seems almost simultaneously
ts I
inland towns and seapor , and therefore all local
authorities are bound to adopt preventive measures.
Englishmen pride themselves upon their courage,
and upon the determination with which they face
and resist an enemy. Let them now bring this into
action, for they have a foe to meet far more insidi-
ous and deadly than any they could encounter in
the battlefield. All wars are costly, and require
great personal and pecuniary sacrifices, but there
are none that require so much immediate energy
and determination as the fight against cholera.
Boards of guardians should recollect that tbev have
to look not only of ter the ratepayers' money, but,
what is of far greater importance, their health
and their lives. It is, therefore, their duty for the
time being to throw parsimony aside altogether,
and for once spend money freely iu saving life.

, F:EIVSP_APER
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House-to-house visitation 1 ~--%-ii,iiiiiiqr-4rf'
pensive remedy, but in a q ean
..-0 ---lik
"r4e
n 4 ,
who ever thinks of money ? -if - . -4'.--. Y.,
however, judging from the -Pas 14', hal:4• ve little
faith in either the humanity or good sense of boards
of guardians ; and, therefore, we trust that, short
as the days of the present session are, the Govern-
ment will press on the Public Health Bill, and in-
troduce as stringent clauses as possible. It is
simply childish now to talk about centralisation or
local self-government. We have a foe amongst us
that must be grappled with at once, else lie will be
too powerful to be overcome until he shall have
carried off some tens of thousands of our fellow-
men. We have one word, however, of caution to
the public as to what individuals should do in this
emergency. Intemperance is one of the surest pre-
disposing causes to the disease. Let, then, the
heavy drinker for a time at least be moderate in his
potations, if he would avoid the pestilence. Care
should be taken as to the quality of the food con-
sumed. Let it be little and good, rather than
abundant and inferior. The public should also
guard themselves against the fatal error of entirely
altering their style of living. A sudden change
weakens the digestive organs and predisposes per-
sons to attacks. What everybody's motto should
be at the present time is, " Temperance, modera-
tion, and cleanliness." Let every one, rich and
poor, employ the lime-brush freely, and where there
are bad smells let them be cured by the use of car-
bolic acid.

Sanitary Condition of the City.

-.4.-

Yesterday at a meeting of the City Commissioners
of Sewers, held at Guildhall, it was stated by Dr
Letheby, the Medical Officer of Health, as a matter
for congratulation, that there had been no death
from cholera, dysentery, or diarrhoea among the
adults of the city during the last week, and
that the, present indications of the state
of .tbe ',health in the. City are satis-
factory. Indeed, he said the number. of cases of
diarrhoea and cholera (of an English type) upon the
books of the medical officers of the city Unions is not
nearly so great at present as in the corresponding
period of last year, and so far the appearances were
satisfactory; but it was proper, he said, to notice
that diarrhoea and cholera were on the increase in
the districts around the city, especially on the eastern
side of it. In all London last week there were 346
deaths from cholera and 221 from diarrhoea., out of
a total mortality of 1,798, whereas in the preceding
week the numbers were but 32 and 150. There were,
however, but 17 that were of an Asiatic character. It
was evident, therefore, he added, that cholera of a
fatal type was prevalent in London, and as far as his
observations of it had gone, especially in the London
Hospital, where many cases had been treated, it was
almost entirely among the poor, and the occupants
of the worst classes of houses, where sanitary regu-
lations had been seriously neglected. Last week
there were 41 births and 33 deaths registered in the
city of London. The mortality returns were much
below the average (49) for the corresponding week
of the last 10 years. More than half of the • deaths
were among children of less than five years of age,
and eight were among persons at 60 and upwards.
Dr. Letheby called attention to the circumstance
that 19 houses in Baker's-buildings, Liverpool-
street, which had been dismantled by the Great
Eastern Railway Company, were now occupied by
240 persons, who were without water supply or closet
accommodation, orany other necessary sanitary pro-
visions. lle had been told that those persons were
occupying the houses without consent of the com-
pany, but it 'vas necessary, he said, that measures
should be immediately taken either to remove the oc-
cupants or to put the houses in apropersanitary con-
dition. The same also was the case with the houses
No. 14 to 19 inclusive, in Union-court, Holborn.
The houses were required for the Holborn-valley
Improvement, and at present were without
water or closet accommodation, and were not fit for
habitation. During the past week 227 houses bad
been inspected in the city, and he submitted a list
of 59 which required sanitary improvement in vari-
ous respects. The markets and slaughter-houses
had been duly inspected, and the officers of the coin-
mission had condemned 17,8981 b. of meat as unfit
for human food, besides 136 fowls, 87 ducks, 39
rabbits, and 13 geese. Most of the meat was in a
putrid condition, but 3,2211 b. :of it were from di-
seased animals, and 8071 b. were from:animals that
had died from accident or disease. Yesterday, at
the meeting of the Commission of Sewers, Mr.
Starkey, a new scavenging contractor for the north-
ern district of the city, was fined £l5, for neglect-
ing to remove dust and to water the streets ; and at
Guildhall Police-court, on Monday, Mr. George
Waller, of Newgate-market, was fined £3 and had
his license suspended for a month, for neglecting to
cleanse his slaughter-house in accordance with the
regulations made by the Commissioners.

The Double Murder in Somers •town.

Yesterday afternoon Dr. Lankester, the coroner
for Central Middlesex, opened an inquest at the
Rising Sun, Euston-road, on the bodies of Emma
Butcher, aged three years and six months, and
Agnes Butcher, aged 12 months, who were, as
alleged, murdered by their mother on Saturday
morning at No. 67, NVilsted-street, Somers-town.
Mr. Superintendent Webb and Mr. Inspector Fraser
attended to watch the case on behalf of the police
authorities. The Coroner said that doubtless the
jury were fully aware of the circumstances of the
case, and as it would be necessary to adjourn the
inquiry for the attendance of the woman, such
evidence would only be taken as was ad-
visable, having that object in view. William
Butcher, the husband, who was deeply affected in
giving his evidence, said he was the father of
the children, who were respectively three and
childrenad
i being
a-half and twelve months old. Heh
children threeb
e
other children. He left his wife and five
home on Friday about 12 o'clock, the
supper his *
\VIf
in bed, and after getting his 0 pre-
pared the bed. He was a baker and worked at
night. He had no idea :how the children came by
their death, and he had no reason to suppose the
mother had made away with them. He could not
say the children were his. Since the birth of the
last child his wife had not been well. For the last
month she hadbeen in a strange way, always speak-
ing of policemen and others being round the win-
dows, and saying " we were going to prison" and
referring to " money we owed." She also spoke of
the children being taken away, and said there would
be more trouble than ever. On the night he went
away she said, " Don't leave me! See ! Look at
them round the window ; they'll take you, and then
I and the children will have to go to the workhouse."
Her sister threw herself out of a window at
r
Guy's Hospital about six meutshtsateag;bb.uotutfive His wife did
not drink, and was very fond of he sister. She had
another sister, who was so queer that they
he thenad
occurred.hadverysad
alegtot her knwifoew hawwasitil a
in a position to send her out of town. 'Witness wont
into the room and saw the children very quiet, and
told Annie to go down and tell her grandmother to
come up. Witness thought he saw them lying with
and said " Dear me, how quiet
they
yir
lfieacie„s
a tiedn and then
up ,
he went to the bed and saw
they were dead. He snatched them out of bed and
carried them about, for he could not think they were
were
dead though theyquite cold. A doctor was
sent for as soon as the
mother was found in the
waterbutt. There was a tub standing near the bed
under the table, but his wife had been washinwashingiu
the day and had used the tub. Mr.
Jackson, sur-
geon, of 65, Euston-road, deposed that he had been
called in, and, having attended to the mother, saw
the children, who were dead. Their night clothes
and hair were saturated, and the bandages round
the head, as being laid out, were also wet. A.
post-mortem examination, with other appear-
ances, showed that death had resulted from
drowning in both cases. Inspector Frazer pro-
duced a slate on which the woman had written,
" May God forgive me for what I have done.
I cannot bear this. Browns and Pita is the cause of
this. lam not what they say, as God is my judge.
Emma, look to my dear children as much as you
can. I cannot bear to—O my God, have mercy."
The Coroner said it would be advisable to adjourn
the inquiry for the presence of the accused Woman,
and the jury would, therefore, attend again on Satur-
day morning, at half-past 10 o'clock, to which time
the inquest would be adjourned.