The Bee-Hive. — 1870-12-10 (London, England)

DIRT AND DISEASE.—A considerable outbreak of gastric or typhoid fever has occurred at Stevington, and is, we believe, engaging the attention of the Medical Department of the Privy Council. From a report by Dr. Charles Price, of Bedford, it appears that, of a population of from 600 to 700, at least 110 have already suffered from the disease. Its importation has been traced, and its course from house to house ;. its peculiar and known mode of propagation is illustrated from instances in which families of six and nine have contracted the disease, not from the simultaneous action of a virulent epidemic poison, but successively by the conveyance of the poison from one to another, and its perpetuation in soil and water. The conditions of life at Sievington are favourable for such a eourse. In one house were found six men lodgers sleeping on the floor in a low room twelve feet square; they had to pass through a room where a young woman lay ill,and died of the fever; and one at least of the lodgers (navvies) took the dieeaffe... The whole family of men above mentioned, who all took the disease, slept in a space which gave about 1,150 cubic feet of air. The amended regulations of the Poor Law Board for workhouses would allow them a minimum of about 5,000 feet in health, and of about 9,000 in illness. It is not surprising to learn that "the disease has been most virulent in the most crowded cottages in which they store potatoes, apples and vegetables under the beds," and has affected more particularly the "poorest and dirtiest of the population." The arrangement of the middens is described as a shame to civilization, and altogether the village seems to have been long courting the fate which has overtaken it. The existence of such a shocking state of things is a sad reflection upon a country which professes to have sanitary laws, and boasts of its advanced system of vital statistics. Unfortunately it is pretty clear, from a batch of reports which lie before Us, that it is not very much worse than many other neglected districts. But, as it is suffering acutely from the fatal scourge, it claims more immediate sympathy—and cleansing. The latter the medical officer of the Privy Council is endeavouring to give it; perhaps one day we may fail to hear so frequently of places whose sanitary arrangements have long been "a shame to civilisation,' and " active agents in disseminating disease," but which have been left uncleansed until, as here, the guardians are startled by a fearful sicknees and mortality, adding heavily and permanently to the public burdens.—Pall Mall Gazette.  MYITTERIOVEI AFFAIR AT HORgELTDOWN.-Yesterday evening Mr. Carter, the Surrey coroner, held an inquest at the Henry the Eighth, Churchstreet, Lambeth, touching the death .of James Rudge, aged 45, who was suspected of having, about a month ago, murdered a widow, named Mary Ann Williams, who kept a tobacconist's shop in Ellis-street, Chelsea, whose body was discovered floating in the Thames, off Horselydown. Inspecter Turpin, of the B division, who had had charge of the affair since the discovery of Mrs. William's body, said that facts had come to light. which pretty clearly showed that Rudge was innocent of Mrs. Williams's death. After her disappearance the neighbours and women, especially the women, used to assemble round the door and call . Rudge to come out with expressions as" Who murdered the woman ? " "What have you done with the body," &c., and he believed this so preyed upon his mind that he had committed suicide. He had always lived upon the best terms with Mrs. 'Williams, in whose house he lodged, and it appeared that she had been very low . and dispirited just before her death, having • met some debts of her sons with three bills, which were due in three days afterwards,' and which she could not meet. Hertion had told him. that he did not think Rudge instrumestal jn his mother's disappearance. After hearing -tile evidence, the jury found that Tames Midge dostroyed his life while in a fit of temporary insAiity, brought on by his having been falsely accused of murder.