Report of the Health of London Association on the sanitary condition of the metropolis; : being a digest of the information contained in the replies returned to three thousand lists of queries, which were circulated amongst clergymen, medical men, solicitors, surveyors, architects, engineers, parochial officers, and the public.

  • Health of Towns Association (London, England)
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Health of London Association on the sanitary condition of the metropolis; : being a digest of the information contained in the replies returned to three thousand lists of queries, which were circulated amongst clergymen, medical men, solicitors, surveyors, architects, engineers, parochial officers, and the public. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    vu To these truths, and to the threatened re-invasion of cholera, which fifteen years ago raged with such fatal effect in our country, and especially in our large towns, the origin of this Association is owing. On the 31st day of July last, the following letter ap¬ peared in the Times newspaper:— “Mansion House, July 30, 1840. “ Sir, “ I am directed by the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor to state that, as Chief Magistrate of this City, he has received information that the cholera has made its appearance in some parts of the suburbs of London, and that it is therefore of urgent importance for the safety of the inhabitants that every measure which prudence can suggest should be adopted with the utmost promptitude. Under these cir¬ cumstances the Lord Mayor considers it advisable that you should, with the least possible delay, submit to the Board of Directors of the New River Company the propriety of directing their engineers to let out water during the night, so as thoroughly to flush and clear the several gulleys and drains within their districts, and thereby prevent in a great measure those noxious exhalations in the atmosphere which are constantly emitted from the decayed animal and vegetable matter in the sewers, and which are considered by the highest medical authorities the chief cause of the formidable disease above referred to. “ I have the honour to be, Sir, “ Your obedient servant, “ S. R. GOODMAN, Chief Clerk. “ The Secretary of the New River Water Company.” It would be superfluous to state that the appearance in the Times of the above letter caused great anxiety to the inhabitants of the Metropolis. Mr. Charles Cochrane, the active and benevolent President of the “National Philanthropic Association,” sharing this anxiety, promptly determined to call a public meeting at the London Tavern. At that meeting, which was attended by several of those gentlemen who have since taken such an active part in the