The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-09 00:00:00

CITY COMMISSION OE SEWERS.

Yesterday the court met for the first time since
the holidays for the despatch of public business.
Mr. Deputy CHRISTIE occupied the chair.
As soon as the minutes of the last court had bcen
read and confirmed,
Deputy LOTT suggested that, for the future, dur-
ing the continuance of the holidays, the commission
should adopt the course pursued by the Metropo-
litan Board of Works, that of meeting once a fort-
night for the transaction of ordinary routine busi-
ness. It sometimes happened'that very important
business started up in the vacation which required
to be brought under the consideration of the count.
CHAIRMAN—The Commission had agreed to ad-
journ for six weeks. It happens that this year that
period is rather shorter than usual. During the
interval, however, I have made it my business
during every second or third day to attend here for
the purpose of ascertaining whether any matter of •
emergency had occurred which should justify me in
calling the court together. I found everything
going on very quietly,•and that there was no neces-
sity whatever for our meeting before this day.
(Hear, hear.) I think it my duty to mention that
the chief clerk (Mr. Daw) has been in almost daily
attendance here during the holidays • in point of
fact, with the exception of a single day now and
then, he has not availed himself of the vacation at
all. (Hear, hear.)

SANITARY STATE OF THE CITY.
Dr. LETHEBY, the medical officer of health, read
the following report :

" To the Hon. the Commissioners of Sewers of the
City of London.
"Gentlemen,—The inspector's returns which are be-
fore you relate to 551 houses that have been inspected
during the last six weeks, and I beg to submit a list of
81 places that require your orders for their sanitary im.
provement in various particulars. The mortality tablet'
for the same period indicate an average condition of the
publio health, and show that it has not been disturbed
by any unusual epidemic. The total number of deaths
in the City of London during the last six weeks has been
322, of which 154 were among children of less than five
years of age, and 52 among old persons of 80 and *-
wards. The principal causes of death were the flan 1
summer complaints. Diarrhoea has been fatal in 60
cases, of which 45 were among the infant population.
The mortality, from this disease rose very rapidly up to
the last week of July, when it reached one-fourth of the
total death rate. Since that time it has :gradually de-
clined, and the influences of the heavy thunderstorms in
checking the progress of the disease have been very re-
markable. Among the other causes of death there were
30 from hydrocephalus and the convulsions of infancy,
29 from mesenteric diseases, 26 from phthisis, 13 from
beeping cough, 12 from pneumonia, 13 from typhus, 3
from measles, 6 from bronchitis, 4 fforn scarlet fever, 9
from small-pox, and 1 from cholera. These numbers are
not in excess of those which were registered during
the corresponding period of last year, and they are
much below the comparative death rates for all Lon-
don. Taking the whole of the metropolis, the deaths
from cholera during the last five weeks have been as 1
to 58 of the total mortality, whereas in the city, they
have been but as 1 to 322, and again, while the deaths
from diarrhoea and dysentery have been throughout.
London as 1 to 4.73, in the city they have been
but 1 to 6.31. It must not be supposed, how
ever, that all parts of the City have been relieved to a
like extent from the pressure of disease. In the eastern
division of it the proportion of deaths from diarrhoea has
been as 1 to 3.9 of the total deaths, whereas in the
western districts it has been only as Ito 9 7. These
facts are confirmed by the reports of the medical officers
to the City unions, from which I find that 550 cases of
diarrhoea, 98 of fever, and 21 of cholera, have occurred
among the City poor during the last six weeks. Much
of this sickness has been occasioned by the unusual beat
of the season, the mean temperature of which has not
only been at all times a',ove the average, but it has fre-
qubntly ranged in the course of 24 hours from upwards
of 100 deg. Fahrenheit in the sun, to less than 60 deg.
at night, and even in the shade the range has sometimes
been as much as 30 deg. Since the last meeting of the
commission a complaint has been made to me by some
of the inhabitants of Whitefriars of a very serious annoy'
anco from the offensive effluvium emitted at certain
times from the osier tanks belonging to Mr, Walden,
who is arod merchant and basketmaker, at No. 1, Grand
Junction-street, Whitefairs. I have visited the premises
and find that there is ground for complaint. Mr. Walden
has five large tanks, in which he steeps the willow
rods, until certain portions Of the bark become putriid.
This occasions a very offensive smell, especially when
the foul water is disturbed. I beg, therefore, to recora•
mend that orders be given for the covering in of all the
tanks, with close fitting covers, and that the foul water
be run off from the tanks into the sewer, and the . rods
flushed with fresh water before they are disturbed.
This will have the effect of carrying away the putrid
matters, and will not in any degree affect the trade
operations. _ _ _

• " I have the honour to remain
" Your obedient servant,
(Signed) " HENRY LETREBY, M.B.
" Guildhall, Sept. 8."
The court, after transacting some routine busi-
ness, adjourned.