[Report 1860-1861].

  • Bermondsey (London, England). Parish. Vestry.
Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1860-1861]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/34 (page 18)
    TO THE VESTRY OF BERMONDSEY. June 17th, 1861. Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, —I have pursuant to the order of the Board, inspected the premises of Mr. Mathews, in the Spa road. I regretted to find that the complaints of offensive and sickening smells arising from this yard, appeared to me to be well founded— There was an absence of cleanliness and care about the place, also an accumulation of refuse close by the public thoroughfare. The pits (technically called grainers) are also within a few yards of the road, and so placed that the odour from them cannot pass off freely within the yard, but is necessarily carried towards the street. I am compelled to state, that all necessary precautions are not at present taken to carry on the trade so as to prevent nuisance. The mortality in our Parish in the week ending June 1st, was 28, the corrected average being 23. Whooping cough was fatal in 6 cases. There were 2 deaths of infants uncertified, the cause in each case reported as debility; this is unsatisfactory. In the week ending June 8th, the deaths were but 16, the corrected average being 34. Whooping cough was fatal in only 1 case. I am, Gentlemen, Your faithful Servant, JOHN CHALLICE, M.D. Medical Officer of Health. TO THE VESTRY OF BERMONDSEY. July 15th, 1861. Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen, —In the four weeks elapsed since my last report, it is satisfactory for me to observe that the health of our Parish, notwithstanding some adverse influences has remained good. The Mortality Tables show the following results:—For the week ending June 15th, the deaths were 23, the corrected average being within a fraction of 24. There was 1 fatal cause of scarlatina, and there were 2 of whooping cough.