Volume 4

Annual report of the Poor Law Commissioners for England and Wales.

  • Great Britain. Poor Law Commissioners.
Date:
1835-1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report of the Poor Law Commissioners for England and Wales. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

    134/394 (page 116)
    Gentlemen, Ratcliffe Highway, Uh May, 1838. In consequence of the illness of Mr. Garrett, the medical officer for the out door poor in this parish, who is only just recovering from typhus fever, I beg to reply to your circular of the 27th ult. In many parts of this parish a total absence of fever is but of rare occurrence, and it is generally more prevalent in spring* and autumn; although, un- doubtedly, much may be attributed to insufficient drainage, a great deal of disease is produced by the careless and dirty habits of the lower order of people dwelling in many parts of this neighbour- hood, who, regardless of all consequences, persist in throwing rubbish and other offensive matters in the streets in front of their houses, which naturally engender much disease, I would particularly mention Dock and Albion-streets, in the upper division; and King-street, in the lower division of this parish ; where fever frequently occurs in great violence: many precautionary measures have been at different times taken by the parish authorities, but they have been in a great measure frustrated by the inhabitants themselves. I am unable to state the number of cases which have become chargeable to the parish, that belonging to the department of Mr. Garrett. I am, &c. To the Poor Law Commissioners (Signed) J. S. Hopke, for England and Wales. Medical Officer for the In-door Poor of St. George {East) Middlesex, Mr. Swainer, of the Peckham district, of the Camberwell Union, states— There are many situations where the poor reside which are in a very dirty, unhealthy state, and which, if legal power was granted to insist upon their being kept otherwise, would very much improve the health and comfort of the working classes; and I would suggest the * idea of the landlords of many of these wretched, filthy tenements being held responsible for their being tenantable, healthy, and cleanly, whe- ther by declaring the tenants not bound to pay their rent, if the reliev- ing officer or medical attendant should report them untenantable, or liable, from improper drainage, &c., to promote disease. 1 beg leave to offer these suggestions, merely conceiving your letter to be seeking for information on so important a subject. VI. Lodgment of filth in large cesspools and privies, in situations where the exhalations are destructive of health, as described in the fol- lowing letter:— 19, White Lion-street, Goodman^s Fields, Gentlemen, 2nd May, 1838. The receipt of your letter of the 27th ultimo afforded me much plea- sure, for by it I perceive that your attention has been directed to the fact that fever has prevailed, and still continues to prevail, to an alarm- ing extent, in several districts in the metropolis ; and further, that you express a desire of adopting some means for its removal. You request, in your letter now before me, to describe the nature of such places where fever has most prevailed; to which I reply, that