SEP 2 BOARD OF WORKS for the FULHAM DISTRICT. TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT TO 25TH MARCH, 1876. TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH; ABSTRACTS OF ACCOUNTS, &c., &c. HAMMERSMITH: PRINTED BY JOHN RICHES, 76, KIMG STREET WEST 1876 BOARD OF WORKS for the FULHAM DISTRICT. TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT TO 25TH MARCH, 1876. TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT OF MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH; ABSTRACTS OF ACCOUNTS, &c., &c. HAMMERSMITH: PRINTED BY JOHN RICHES, 76, KING STREET WEST 1876 OFFICERS of the Board of Works for the Fulham District, June, 1876. BOARD. Fulham. GAR, Mr. W. F.. Walham Green. ?RDIN, Mr. J., Sands End. BAILEY, Mr. C. I. C., Fulham. ?RAID, Mr. W. Bridge Street. ?URTIS, Mr. S., Prospect Place. ?ERRICK, Mr. F., Cedar Road. ?OUGHTY. Mr. G., North End. ?AXTON, Mr. W. .F, North End, LAMMIN, Mr. W. H., Shorrolds, Wal- ham Green. MUGFORD, Mr, H., 53, Barclay Road, PARKER, Mr. C. J , Dorcas Terrace. PITTS, Mr. O., Beach House,North End SEYMOUR, Mr. T., Fulham Road. WRIGHT, Mr. B. T., Church Street. TURNER, Mr, D., 7, Jervis Road. hammersmith, ?ALDERSON, Mr W, 30, Devonport Rd !?ERKELEY, CAPT., Victoria Road, ?IRD, Mr. E., Brook Green. ?ROWN, Mr. G., King Street West. ?OGUE, Mr. J., Down Place. EHAMBERLEN, Mr. T., Cornwall Road ?AULKNER, Mr. R. Shepherd's Bush. ?REEN, Mr. J., Augustus Road. ?UNT, Mr. J., Old Oak Villa. ?UDD, Mr A., Belgrave Road. ?EEN, Mr. J., Latymer Road. ?EENE, Mr. R., Mall Road. ?ARTINDILL, Mr. T. 117, King StW, MEACOCK, Mr. G., King Street West, MUSSARED, Mr. W., King Street EastOSMOND, Mr., Elm Grove. PILBEAM, Mr. A., Uxbridge Road, SLATTERY, Mr. T., Keith Terrace. SMITH, Mr. W. C., Broadway. STEVENS, Mr. W., 22, Stowe Road. STOREY, Mr J. A, 78, Shaftesbury Rd SWINSON, Mr. J., 5, King Street West, WADDELL, Mr. J., West Kensington Gardens. WILSON, Mr. C., Bridge Avenue. Representatibe to Metropolitan Board. W. H. LAMMIN, Esq. Medical Officer of Health. Mr. F. J. BURGE, Gold Hawk Road, Shepherds Bush. Surbeyor. MR. A. C. BEAN, Gold Hawk Road. Clerk. Mr. T. E. JONES, Brook Green, Hammersmith, Assistant Clerk. Mr. F. WEBB. Inspectors of Nuisances. Mr. C.W. KEALL, Fulham, Mr. R. CHAMBERLEN, Hammersmith. Board of Works for the Fulham District. TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT. Twentieth Annual Report, presented pursuant to 198th section of the Metropolis Local Management Act, 1855, The Board of Works for the Fulham District present to the Inhabitants of the District the following summary of their proceedings during the past year, and an Abstract of Receipts and Expenditure for the year ending 25th March, 1876. In the Sanitary department, the Board have caused to be re moved Nuisance cases as follows : Privies and Cesspools emptied, repaired, &c. 481 Drains and Gullies cleansed do. 685 Houses do. do. 792 Swine Nuisances removed 461 Miscellaneous 514 Houses benefitted in Fulham 500 Do. do. Hammersmith 639 The Board have carried out Works of Paving, Road Making, and Sewering in the under-mentioned places:— King's Road Extension, Stowe Road, The Grove, (east side) Field Road, Holland Road, Harwood Road, Bridge Avenue, Mall Road, Down Place, and Elm Grove. BOARD OF WORKS, FULHAM DISTRICT. Broadway House, Hammersmith, 24th May, 1876. We, the undersigned, Auditors of the accounts f the above Board for the year ending 25th March, 87G, certify that we have gone through the Books f the Board, and examined their receipts and exenditure, comparing the vouchers with the latter, and we find the Balance at the Bankers 1,147 11 1 ? be correct, and after deducting cheques utstanding a balance of 976 19 11 ? also a balance in the hands of the Clerk to ? Board of 0 7 2 We also find to the credit of the Board on Deposit account 8,057 0 5 We have also examined the Loans Account of the Board and find their indebtedness to be the mount of 71,326 18 8 Signed, W, L. HARVEY, A. TURNER, CHS, WILLCOX, Auditors, Abstract of Contracts entened into by the Board during. the Dear. Mr, C. Manuelle, for the supply of Guernsey Granite, at the rate of 13s. 2d per cube yard. Mr. Tuff, for the supply of Flints, at the rate of 4s. 9d. or 4s. 11d. per cube yard. Messrs. Nowell and Robson for the supply of Narboro or Enderby Granite at 14s. 6d. per cube yard. Mr. Haines, for the removal of dust, ashes. &c , from the several houses, yards, and premises, in the parish of Hammersmith, for twelve months, the Board paying him £1,150 per annum. Mr. Mortimer, for the removal of dust, ashes, &c, from the several houses, yards, and premises, in the parish of Fulham, for twelve mouths, the Board paying him £950 per annum. Mr. Churchman for printiug and stationery, at certain prices set forth in the schedule, and embodied in the contract. Mr. Spittle for the hire of horses with drivers for drawing water vans and slop carts, at 10s. 6d. per day. Mr. F. Bird for Ironwork, Tools, etc., as per schedule. Mr Gay for the hire of horses with drivers for drawing water vans, slop carts, at 10s. per day. Mr. Keeble for Sewer works in Coningham Road, £2257. Messrs. Nowell and Robson for paving works in New King's Road, as per schedule of prices. Mr. Turner for masonry works in Stowe Road and the Grove, as per schedule of prices. Mr. Fredk. Bird for the supply of iron posts, and bar iron, as per schedule of prices. Messrs. Nowell and Robson for sewer works in Mall Road and Mall, £496 10s . 0d. Mr. Turner for masonry work and road making in Elm Grove, as per schedule Mr. Turner for masonry work in Harwood Road, as per schedule. Messrs. Nowell and Robson for road making in Harwood Road, £319 6s .0d. Mr. Welshman for road making in Bridge Avenue, Mall Road, Down Place and Cross Road £220. Messrs. Nowell and Robson for masonry works in same roads, as per schedule. Messrs. Nowell and Robson for sewer works Fulham, New Town Estate £1795. Messrs. Nowell and Robson for masonry works in May Street,as per schedule. Mr. Pilditch for road making, same street, £275 10s. 0d. Mr Thompson for sewer works Walham Grove, £445. Mr. Riches for printing Annual Report, £4 0s. Od. Messrs. Williams for sewer works Blyth Lane, £2,095. Messrs. Nowell and Robson for masonry work and road making Brook Street, £272. Societe Frangaise des Asphalte for paths, £122 10s. 0d. Valde Travera Asphalte Co. for paths, May Street, £401 10s. Mr. Turner for masonry works in Dawes Lane, as per schedule. Messrs. Nowell and Robson masonry works Bramley Road, as per schedule. LIST OF MORTGAGES. Wo. of Mortgage. Date. Amount Borrowed Rate per cent. Kepayable in yearly Instalments. 1 25th November, 1857 £ 6000 5 20 2 8th September, 1858 5000 5 20 3 22nd June, 1859 5000 5 20 4 10th September, 1862 1000 4½ 20 5 3rd June, 1863 1000 4½ 20 6 12th August, 1863 1300 4½ 20 7 29th June, 1864 10,000 5 30 8 19th October, 1864 10,000 5 30 9 12th July, 1865 10,000 5 30 10 29th November, 1865 9000 5 30 11 16th October, 1867 9000 5 30 12 16th October, 1867 4830 5 10 13 10th June, 1868 3100 5 30 14 10th June, 1868 7100 5 30 15 18th December, 1872 6000 31. 17s. 6d. 30 10 18th June, 1873 12,000 31. 17s. 6d. 30 17 16th December, 1874 4500 4½ 7 „ „ „ 4000 4½ 10 „ „ „ 3500 4½ 20 £112,336 LOAN ACCOUNT. From whom Borrowed, &c. Amount Outstanding, 25th March, 1876. £ s. d. Loan Commissioners for Paving Works 600 0 0 Ditto ditto 750 0 0 Ditto ditto 1000 0 0 British Empire Mutual Life Assurance Company 350 0 0 Ditto ditto for Sewers, &c 400 0 0 Ditto ditto for Sewers, & 520 0 0 Royal Exchange Assurance Company 6333 6 8 Ditto ditto 6333 6 8 Ditto ditto 6666 13 4 Ditto ditto 6000 0 0 Imperial Life Assurance Company, for Sewers, &c 6600 0 0 Ditto for Paving Works, 966 0 0 Ditto for Purchase of Wharf 7824 12 0 Ditto for Sewers, Metropolitan Board of Works ,, 5400 0 0 Ditto ,, 10,800 0 0 Provident Clerks Mutual Life Assurance Association, Paving 3858 0 0 Ditto ditto 3600 0 0 Ditto ditto 3,325 0 0 £71,326 18 8 TWENTIETH ANNUAL REPORT of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH. To the Board of Works of the Fulham District. Gentlemen, On the 3rd day of March, 1856, I had the honor of being appointed Medical Officer of Health for the Fulham District, by the then existin Board, and have now, consequently, to present to you my Twentiet Annual Report. It was under the "Metropolis Local Management Act," 1855, that the first grand step was taken to place the Public Health and Seweragty of London under something like a systematic supervision, for although a "Nuisances Removal Act," had for sometime been in operation, was, at best, only an incumbrance attached to the Poor Law system applied alike as it was necessarily both to Urban and Rural Districts equally to small as to large communities. The extraordinary growth of this great city, gradually forced itself into public notice, and the sanitary condition of its Inhabitants naturally shared in its general importance. The City of London "proper" i e: that portion of greater London lying within the City walls had long recognized the necessity for Sanitary regime within its boundary, and the admirable measures taken by its Medical Officer of Health, Mr. Simon, and his luminous reports presented to the Corporation, laid tho foundation for a still greater work to be applied to outer London. The occasion was somewhat novel. Sanitary science had scarcely taken roct among the Medical community, and had no hold upon the public mind. The weekly returns: of the Registrar General compiled with consummate care and labour, had for several years pointed to the existence of uncontrolled disease and the warning of that great functionary gradually told upon the intelligence of the people. Public health became an institution, and Parliament endorsed its importance. The combined passing of the "Metropolis Local Management and Nuisances Removal Acts" of 1855, initiated its application to the largest community in the world. Public medicine, however, had taken comparatively little footing in our Medical Schools, . and there were few men to be found, even in London, specially educated to tho work. Tho task of choosing a responsible Medical adviser was, however, | thrown by the Legislature, on Vestries and District Boards, a labour alike, difficult and hazardous. How far tho judgment of the different authorities was exercised rightly, is evidenced in the fact that of those first appointed, many (myself amongst the number) still retain their appointments, whilst several have resigned for Government Inspectorships, and none have been displaced for incompetence and incapability, 9 But Public Health ! It may yet be asked, What is it ? It is quite within the period of living memory when this term was comparatively little known, and as little understood. The time has not long passed away when Towns and Cities grew, commerce was developed, and wealth amassed, people aggregated and congregated together in masses at their will, and although Corporations and Town Councils assembled to administer Corporate Laws for general purposes, the health of individuals comprising these great communities was neither the subject of special legislation nor special care. At length the value of individual life became apparent, and the first Public Health Act (1848) sprang into existence. How needful was this measure, the then discovered statistics of our large Towns immediately declared. The birth-rate and the death-rate of the people were put side by side. The fatality attending sickness in one Town was placed against the comparative immunity from sickness and mortality in another and the causes tending to one or the other result were studied and proclaimed. It needed but a little fanning of this flame to produce a light throughout the country, still every year increasing in intensity until now when individual freedom is made subservient to the public good. The law which has always made the Englishman feel entitled to do what he likes with his own, is not destroyed but merely ciroumvented with- an equally beneficent proviso, sic utere tuo ut alienum non Iadas. In other words" so use your own that you damage none other in doing so." Public Health ! it means the physical welfare of both large and small communities, and its study suggests the laws which must be followed to secure the aggregate of good to all alike. The law of 1848, however, whilst recognizing as its name implied the importance of Public Health was found as might have been expected lamentably unequal to the task, and its clumsy machinery soon broke down. The true light had not yet shone upon the framers of Public Health Bills, neither does it appear even in the early part of 1855, when sanitary reform was actively engaging the attention of Parliament that the great fulcrum of Sanitary legislation had been in anyway recognized. Medical Science seemed all but ignored. Engineering skill was the rock on which Public Health was made to stand. The disposal of sewage was pre-eminent, the necessity for medical supervision was not recognized. The first Sanitary Reform Bill of Sir B. Hall had the fundamental defect of that it was designed to supplant, and its utter incapability for doing the work it was intended for, soon became apparent. In this also Medical Science held only a very subsidiary position. Well might the Lancet write:— "It will, at some future „time, be referred to as a remarkable example of the little progress „that Sanitary Science had made even amongst the educated portions „of the community that in 1855 a "Bill for the Preservation of the „ Public Health" was introduced into Parliament, which, in designating 10 "the constitution of a Board of Health, not only excluded practitioners "of medicine, but did not so much as contemplate the necessity of "providing moans for securing their advice; nay, that the whole Bill "was constructed on the theory that the care of the Public Health was "a question in which medicine has so little concern, that from beginning "to end the words "Modicine." "Mcdical Profession," "Medical "Practitioner," or "Medical Officer," are not to be found. To perform "the play of "Hamlet", omitting Hamlet, is the exact counterpart of "this."* I may here mention that this defect was remedied by the Select Committee of the House of Commons to which the Bill was referred, and in its amended form received the Royal Assent on the 14th August, 1855, On you, the Fulham District Board of Works, for 20 years has devolved the responsibility and the task of watching over, and locally legislating for the wants of now quite 70,000 people, a population far exceeding that of many towns and cities enjoying municipal charters, and it is with reference to the way in which you have exercised this power that I have to do in this report. In the early part of 1856, when I was honoured with the appointment as your Medical Officer of Health, I found the district beleaguered with disadvantages. The "Highway Act" and the original "Nuisances' Removal Acts" of 1848 and 1849 had been the only statutes applicable to our local wants and how meagre and inefficient these were, experience had taught us. A house to house inspection of the entire district pourtrayed a lamentable deficiency in Sanitary regime, as is most fully shown in the voluminous schedules attached to my first general Report presented to you in May of that year. To assort that at that time all London was undrained is not too much to say; and, if so, what picture would be drawn of our condition westward of it. To the rescue came the "Nuisances Removal Act," 1855, and the "Metropolis Local Management Act," already spoken of. It, was for the genius of a Bazalgette to deliver the City of the World from almost impending decadence. The excrements of nearly three millions of people were being thrown broadcast into the Thames, and some of our legalized Water Companies were drawing their supply from the same polluted source. The outlets of our cwn surface ditches were in close proximity to the intake of our own water supply, and a very moderate amount of filtering appeared to satisfy the public mind. The records of our Cholera Epidemics in this country point many moral lessons on the questions of purity in drinking waters. But to return to the General Sewerage of the Metropolis. Could the present generation draw a map of the site of London free from houses the Seven Hills of Rome would fall into absolute in- * Lancet, March 24th, 1855. 11 ???significance. The undulations of ground from Hampstead and ???Notting Hill, to the Fleet Ditch are not easily conceived as ???they are now covered by bricks and mortar, and the centralization of the ???necessities of each had to be realized in one main scheme. The higher ???nd the middle levels as we know were somewhat quickly dealt with ???though with consummate engineering skill, but the lower levels of the ???London Basin seemed almost to baffle even this, and we were threatened ???with an intolerable nuisance all but in our very teeth, for even about the ???year 1862 so great were the difficulties in the disposal of the sewage of ???the Western District that it was purposed to bring the sewage of Kensington and Chelsea with that of Hammersmith and Fulham to some so ???called "Deodorizing Works" at Sand's End, Fulham. It will be remembered how successfully we resisted this inroad on our safety. It has required nearly 20 years and millions of money to consummate the scheme of Bazalgette, for only during 1875 has the permanent pumping station at Grosvenor Road been opened whereby the whole of the Western low level sewage is now lifted and carried hence to Barking Creek. In the first General Report of your Board, presented May 13th, 1857, you state that you "found many nuisances abounding; some of a fearfully complex character." Open sewers and filthy ditches were abounding in many places, and notwithstanding the heavy debt charged by the late Commissioners of Sewers, they found the district in a most unsatisfactory condition. In the Parish of Fulham but little Sewerage work had been done, and the many open ditches and sewers existing therein, prove that, without ???a large additional outlay, the full benefit of the Metropolis Local Management Act " could not be realized; And in respect to Hammersmith, not only were open sewers and ditches found in a most fearful ???state of nuisance, but also a morass of several acres in extent, having no outlet, situate between the West London Railway and Blythe Lane, which receives the sewerage from a large area, the noxious exhalations from which must be regarded as highly detrimental to health. The state of the open Brandenburgh and Stamford Brook ???wers was also exceedingly unsatisfactory." The condition of the water supply to the Fulham District at that period may be gathered by the following extract from my own Report of same ???date. "In many parts of the District, the supply of water to the poor "is very deficient. In the parish of Fulham, I have found on an "examination of 1009 houses that 758 were supplied by pumps or "wells; that of this latter number 508 were supplied by 108 pumps "only, that the water was laid on to 147, and that 104 were wholly "without this necessary article." "Of 1810 houses examined in the parish of Hammersmith, 405 "were supplied by 81 pumps, 428 had water laid on, 218 were "entirely without, and in 26 cases the water was found to bo unfit 12 "for drinking. The remainder were supplied by pumps attached to??? "each house. Many of the shallow well waters of the District??? "have submitted to further investigation, and find them abounding??? "with impurities." In the autumn of 1857 a serious outbreak of fever occured at Starch Green, attributable to the exhalations from large collections of ashes and domestic refuse brought into the adjoining brickfields, and the poisonous vapours from the kilns. The unsanitary and wretched condition of the footpaths of both parishes engaged the early attention of your Board, and during this year (1857) nearly 5 miles of paving works had been provided for and carried out. In 1858, the first grand step was taken by your Board to effect the more perfect Sanitary condition of your District by instructing your Surveyor to prepare a report on the more important Sewer requirements therein, and in the latter part of the year 1859, Mr. Bean presented his admirable scheme for our Local Drainage, accompanied with elaborate plans and sections, involving works estimated to cost £39,401 15s. 0d. In your third Report, you wisely expressed "your firm belief that a systematic plan of Sewerage is absolutely required, and that the District will not rise in importance as compared with others in the Metropolitan area, unless such plan be carried out, have therefore referred the Surveyor's Report and plans to the Chief Engineer to the Metropolitan Board of Works, to ascertain if such a mode of drainage can be adopted in connection with the great Metropolitan Main Drainage and Intercepting Scheme, with a view to the further consideration of the matter so soon as Mr. Bazalgette's opinion shall have been obtained." In estimating the difficulty of the task imposed upon your Surveyor, it must be remembered that not only had Mr. Bean to provide for the then present requirements of the District, but to anticipate the probable rapid developement of building operations then looming in the distance, nay, more, he had the delicate problem to solve how to dovetail, almost as joiners work, his own scheme with that of the Metropolitan Board of Works as proposed by Mr. Bazalgette. How far success attended his efforts ia evidenced by the fact that with a few minor alterations, his plan was highly approved, both by the Metropolitan and your own Board, and has long since been completed. During the year 1858, the country and the Metropolis was visited with an epidemic of Diptheria, the mortality from which was very great. Fortunately the Fulham District escaped its ravages, and in my third Annual Report I was enabled to write: "An Epidemic, named Diptheria, has cut off large numbers of the people in London and various other parts of the kingdom during the last few months, but it will be satisfactory to you to know that whilst Paddington, Kensington, Belgravia, and other richer parishes have suffered, we have enjoyed comparative immunity from its attacks. Very few cases have been brought under my notice and only three deaths have actually occurred 13 from this malady within our limits; it has, however, shown itself among us, and throat affections have been more than usually prevalent." In the autumn of that year, an outbreak of Typhoid Fever, which localized itself at Palace Place, Fulham, occurred amongst the occupants of the Cottages on the banks of the Bishop's Moat, but it was not of a serious nature or of long duration. The condition of the Moat appeared to have been the exciting cause. In this year, I was requested by your Board to investigate the question of the Ventilation of Sewers, and, in conjunction with Mr. Bean, I carried on a series of experiments with a view to ascertain, first, the most efficient deodorizer of sewer gases, and, secondly, the best mode of applying them. My reports upon the subject were printed in the third Annual Statement of your Board. In the course of 1859, the first portion of the Main Drainage scheme for Hammersmith, was commenced by the construction of the deep sewer in the Uxbridge Road, whereby the northern part of the parish was greatly benefitted, whilst it contributed materially with some local works to the drying of that once horrible morass, "the Dismal Swamp." In this year a mild epidemic of small-pox occurred, and scarlet fever was still prevalent, In 1860, your Board continued your efforts to improve the local drainage, and Bradmore, where, previously many nuisances existed, was provided with a deep sewer, as was also Warple Way and Beavor Lane. In this year also small-pox and fever lingered amongst us. In 1861 the more perfect drainage of the Dismal Swamp was effected by the reversal of the house drains previously flowing into it, and that fearful nuisance was then entirely removed. In this year, London was visited by a serious amount of Epidemic Disease, and Diptheria was prevalent and fatal. The improvement in our Sanitary condition was beginning to tell, for though our mortality was slightly increased, no localization of disease occurred. Small-pox had entirely disappeared. On the 8th day of April in this year, the Census was taken, and it was found that the population of the Fulham District had increased from 29,646 in 1851 to 40,058. Hammersmith contained then 24,519, and Fulham 15,539 inhabitants. In 1811 the total population of the two parishes was only 13,296 (Hammersmith 7,393, Fulham 5,903.) In 1862, a further addition was made to our local drainage by the construction of a deep sewer in the New Road, Hammersmith, from Stamford Brook to Albion Road. It was in this year that your Board so vigorously and successfuly resisted the scheme of the Metropolitan Board for dealing with the sewage of the Western District by Deodorizing Works at Sands End, Fulham, whereby a most horrible nuisance was averted. The commencement of the Main Drainage Works in Fulham 14 took place in this year, and the Act for Licensing of Cow Houses came into operation. In 1863 from representations that had been made to the Secretary of State as to the crowded condition of Fulham Churchyard, an order in Council, dated March 20th, 1863, was issued for the discontinuance of burials in certain portions of it named therein. During this year our local drainage was improved by the construction of the King Street sewer from the Bridge Road to the Creek. As regards the Public Health, a general Epidemic condition prevailed through 1863, not only affecting the Metropolis, but the country at large, equally affecting villages and watering-places as town localities. Still our district held its own. Our mortality throughout the year was only increased by seven deaths, and this, taking into account the increase of population, was practically "Nil." The "Bakehouse Regulation Act," was passed in 1863, and has been productive of much good to the journeyman baker. We come, now, in our local history, to 1864, when another and a great onslaught was made by your Board on our Sewerage difficulties by the construction of deep sewers; and the Brook Green Sewer, the King Street East Sewer, the Walham Green Sewer from North End to Walham Green, the Sun Street Sewer, and the Parsons Green Lane Sewer were completed. The general mortality of London in 1864 was high, and the Fulham district somewhat shared in it. The meteorological conditions were unfavourable to health. The mean temperature of the air was low, its horizontal movement unusually small, and the amount of rain much below the average. The number of deaths registered this year in our district was 1137. Fever of an Epidemic character occurred at Willow Place, and Munden Street, North End, but was not of long duration. Small-pox prevailed to a very considerable extent at Chiswick in the latter part of the year, and eventually spread to the western part of Hammersmith, three deaths occurring from it in December. In 1865 the Metropolitan Board, under strong Dressure from your Board, commenced a further portion of the Main Drainage Scheme, by carrying out the Stamford Brook Diversion Sewer. Great and active, however, as your own exertions had been, and large as had been tho amount of money borrowed and spent by your Board in the construction of sewers, still, in my Tenth Annual Report, I was constrained to write: "Knowing that your Board have seriously resolved "further to extend the Sewerage of the district, it is almost needless "to refer to it here, but it is impossible to overrate the importance in a "Sanitary point of view, of the prompt accomplishment of the intended "works. In pointing out some places within the district requiring "further drainage, my remarks apply to their sanitary necessities, and "must be received with proper deference to the Surveyor's views; 15 "whilst it is not within ray province to enter upon the financial "difficulties which may attend the prosecution of the suggested Sewers." "In Hammersmith, then, Bradmore, the seat of Cholera in its former "visitations, may not inappropriately be mentioned first. Here, many "houses yet depend on the cesspool system. The western side of St. "Peter's Square, Beavor Lane, and Hog Lane, have no efficient sewerage "and the houses in Bridge Street, ranging on the Creek, still pour their "filthy sewerage into that open receptacle, carrying the risk of "pestilence in its wake." "Waterloo Street and South Street, with their contiguous thorough"fares, demand attention also on the score of Drainage, for, although "not absolutely without, the present means are very inefficient, and the "principal outlets still gape upon the Eastern bank of the pestiferous "Creek. Shortlands, again, has strong sanitary grounds for an "improvement of its drainage. Nothing but cesspools at present exist, "or the most inefficient pipe drainage into the old ditch drain in King "Street East, though, probably, this may now be connected with the "new sewer; the pipes, however, from the houses where they exist, "must still be on nearly a dead level. This locality is always a fruitful "one in sickness, as the books of the Union officers will show. From "the Wooden Bridge eastward, along the Mall to the Chancellor's "Estate, the sewage of the houses south of the intercepting sewer con"tinue to pour their contents into the river. The sewers and drains here, "both public and private, require to be reversed and connected with "the intercepting line. The Fulham Road Sewer, though, I believe "ordered, has not been begun. Brook Green Place, alias "the Rookery," "a frequent source of sickness, has very inefficient sewerage, which "requires to bo deepened." "The open ditch in Wood Lane is generally in a most offensive "condition, and should be promptly deepened and covered in. The "cesspools of some of the new houses in Farm Lane are already over"flowing; a deep public sewer, here, between the Gold Hawk and "Albion Roads, is becoming absolutely necessary. In Fulham, much "more extensive areas are as yet entirely unprovided for. The lines "of Sewers already executed run only through the leading thorough"fares, leaving many thickly populated localities to cesspool drainage; "and many of the parish Roads in a state of swamp in heavy rains.'" "From Walham Green to Fulham Town by Percy Cross, no main "sewer exists. Between Crown Road and Dawes Lane, and immediately "in the neighbourhood of St. Thomas's Church, a very large number of "houses must still remain undrained, unless a public sewer of ample "size be built between these points, forming a junction with the "intercepting line in Dawes Lane. The Bishops Road from the Mitre "Tavern southward, is almost always in a state of nuisance for want "of drainage. "The construction of a deep pipe sewer in this road, from the Mitre "Tavern to Wheatsheaf Alley, would prove a public benefit, and at the 16 "same time give facility for enforcing an improvement in the property "there, which has so long been a centre of abominations." "Farm Lane, at Walham Green, is lined with property on either "side still unprovided for, and the public road is constantly in a "state of nuisance, injurious to health in such a crowded neighbourhood. "The construction of a sewer here is a great and increasing "public necessity." "The public thoroughfare, Star Lane, is also a public approbrium "for want of proper drainage, and immediate measures are required to "drain it into the North End Sewer. "The drainage in the rear of Vale Place, North End, both in the "thoroughfares and in the houses is superficial and inefficient, and "demands attention, whilst that of Vernon Street, Munden Street, &c., "requires to be reversed and entirely shut off from the Black Bull ditch." "The Greyhound Ditch, though last to be referred to, is a nuisance at "present of the greatest magnitude, so glaring indeed, and so pernicious "to the public health, that at almost any sacrifice, it should at once "be obliterated from our map." The Epidemic of small-pox, which commenced in the latter part of the previous year, lingered for some time through 1865, but no concentration of the disease in any special spot occurred. Thirteen deaths were registered from this disease during the year. In 1866 your Boaard gave further evidence of your desire to further the work before you and completed the Parr's Bridge Sewer, the Beavor Lane, and Waterloo Street Sewers, the Greyhound Lane Sewer, together with outlets into the Parsons Green sower and the Dawes Lane sewer, providing for the drainage of Crown Street and Wheatsheaf Alley, Fulham. It was in the autumn of 1866 that the fearful outbreak of Cholera which once more ravaged London and the country, occurred. The measures of prevention, however, so promptly recognized by your Board, were equal to the occasion, and my special Report thereon testified the value of what was done under your orders for the preservation of the health of our district. To the Medical Staff and additional Inspectors, appointed by your Board, I was indebted for very energetic aid in carrying out your instructions, whereby much valuable life was saved. The total cost of these proceedings was £746 2s. 2d. In this year was passed the Amended Law relating to public health, which remains in force. Excepting Cholera, nothing injuriously affecting our District occurred. In 1867, Waterford Road, Munden Street, and Devonshire Street, in Fulham were sewered, together with Bridge-Street, Great George Street, Chapel Street, South Street, and Little George Street, Shortlands, Cornwall Road, and Chancellor's in Hammersmith; thereby effectually relieving some of the most densely populated portions of the district. There was nothing unfavourable to our public health this year. 17 In 1868, the following sewers were added to our local drainage, viz.: ???London Road, Crown Road, Wellington Road, St. Thomas's Road and ???New Grove Road, in Fulham; and Farm Lane, and Denmark Road in ???Hammersmith. Up to this time, nearly 20 miles of sewerage works ???had been constructed within the District fully one half of which had ???been carried out by your Board, and a very considerable number of ???rivate sewers in connection with building enterprizes had been ???onnected with them. Many thousand feet of open ditches had also been abandoned and ???filled in whilst up to the 26th March of this year (1868) no less than ???l3,514 nuisances of various descriptions had been investigated and ???removed by your Sanitary Committee. The benefits of the Main Drainage Scheme, now in full operation, were becoming sensibly felt, and the local drainage as devised by Mr. Bean admirably harmonized with it. The absolute diversion of the low ???evel sewage from the Thames had not been actually accomplished, but the temporary works at Cremorne for this purpose were in a ???forward state. The sickness and mortality of the year was not characterized by any great excess, but Scarlet Fever had prevailed considerably, both in London and in the Country. In 1869 still further sewerage works had been completed by your Board, and St, Peter's Square, Ravenscourt Park, the Black Bull ???ditch, and other minor localities had been attended to. No Epidemic ???sickness requiring special comment, though the general mortality from ???all causes was high, In 1870 our then sewer necessities had almost been satisfied, and ???only a few works of local character remained to engage your attention. Farm Lane, Cornwall Street, and Stanley Park Road, in Fulham; and Mansion House Street, Hammersmith, were laid with pipe sewers. Nothing remarkable affecting the public health occurred this year, though scarlet fever continued to prevail, and small-pox, which had for sometime been slumbering, showed evidence of revival. In 1871 no sewerage works were carried out, but Blythe Lane and Jits locality were still crying for improved drainage, and Lillie Road, in Fulham, was reported in an unsatisfactory state. This year the Census was again taken, and the marvellous increase in the population of the Fulham District was made a matter of fact. "The total population of the district was 66,064 against 39,591 in 1861, shewing an increase in the two parishes of 26,113, or nearly double the number of the latter Census; the number of schedules distributed to persons liable to make returns were, in Hammersmith, 9,404; the number of occupied houses, 6,717; empty houses, 876; houses building, 313; male inhabitants, 19,292; female inhabitants, 23,400; total inhabitants in Hammersmith alone, 42,692; or 2,741 more than the united population of Fulham and Hammersmith ten years previously. In Fulham, the number of schedules issued were 5,246; occupied houses, 3,460; empty houses, 546; houses building, 66; male 18 tants, 10,970; female inhabitants, 12,402; total inhabitants, 23,372. In Hammersmith the number of inhabitants had increased 18,279, and in Fulham 7,834, during the list decennial period. Compared with the previous Census of 18.51, the population of the former parish had increased 24,932, and Fulham 11.486; during the intervening twenty years." The Epidemic of small-pox, which commenced in the latter part of 1870, came down upon us with much virulence in 1871. Here again the prompt measures adopted by your Board had their full effect. The power of immediately removing infected patients whore practicable to the small-pox Hospitals entrusted to mo by you, and the equally prompt destruction of infected clothes and bedding at the cost of your Board, together with the free distribution of disinfectants, in almost every instance checked the spread of the disease. I had the honor to present to you several reports upon it during the prevalence of the Epidemic. In other respects, the sickness and mortality of the district in this year were slight. In 1872 a further instalment of our local drainage was accomplished by the construction of a deep sewer in Blythe Lane, and from the High Road to Masboro' Road, a locality much in need of it. During the greater part of this year, small-pox still lingered amongst us but the cases were not severe, neither was the mortality serious, the prompt removal to Hospital accommodation still being persevered in. The general sickness and mortality of the district was comparatively slight. in 1873 the gradually decreasing remnants of our sewage requirements were supplied by the important addition of the Star Road, Greyhound Road, Munster Road, Union Road, Church Road, Farm Lane, and Lillie Road Sewers, In this year also our Public Health maintained its favourable features. Neither Epidemics nor undue sickness or mortality occurred. During 1874 some further minor sewerage works were carried out in various parts of Hammersmith. An Epidemic of measles this year prevailed of a rather serious character, the mortality being somewhat heavy, and towards the latter part of it scarlet fever followed in its wake and of a severe typo. On the 7th of August the now Slaughter houses and Noxious Business Act, became the law, and the slaughterhouses of our district were placed by it under more immediate supervision and control of the Metropolitan Board, whilst certain noxious trades wore prohibited from being established anew within the Metropolitan area, and others were placed under salutary restrictions. And now we come to 1875, the twentieth year of your administration, and with no moan pride may you look back upon the proceedings of your Board, with reference to the sanitary condition of the Fulham district for the preservation of the health of its inhabitants. During the greater part of this year, the unsanitary condition of Fulham Now Town had anxiously occupied the attention of your Board, and 19 many proceedings were taken in reference to it. For several years this spot has been an opprobrium to us. The deep sewer which has been constructed in Field Road, and the accessory works now progressing in connection with it, will all but complete I believe the scheme of your Surveyor. The prevalence of scarlet fever during the latter part of 1874, proved the forecast of a serious Epidemic. For some time previously the disease prevailed in some adjoining parishes. Rose Gardens, in our district, was its centre of attack, and the outbreak here I attribute to the proximity of a dust heap brought from infected places. Some few other localities were visited by the disease but the usual preventive measures sufficed to check its spread. In other respects our district was healthy throughout the year. Thus then, Gentlemen, for the information of your constituents, I have endeavoured, truthfully, to lead you through the two decades of sanitary work. This resume of your labours cannot fail to be satisfactory to all concerned, since it shows how assiduously you Lave kept in view the one great object, the general improvement of the district committed to your charge. It may now, indeed, be said that for salubrity of air, perfection of sewerage, and advantage of position, the Fulham district slands unrivalled within the Metropolitan area. With reference to the general influence of sanitary measures upon the health of the people, the Registrar-General in his recent nummary, remarks "that by a general law under existing sanitary "conditions of England the mortality increases with the density of "the population, and in such a way as to make the increased rate of "mortality equivalent to nearly the eighth root of the increase of "density. "Now there were 25 persons to an acre in London, in 1841, and "42 persons to an acre in 1871, the mortality in the years 184C-4 "was 24.4, and by the increase of density it should have been 26.0 "in 1871; but it was on an average 235 in the five years of which "1871 is the middle. So it is a fair inference that the health of "London, instead of getting worse by reason of increased density, has "grown better by countervailing sanitary measures." The number of deaths registered in the Fulham district during the year 1875 was 1862 and of these 514 were of children under 1 year of age, and 386 of persons of 60 years of age and upwards. Of the total deaths, small-pox caused 1; measles 50; scarlet fever 137; diphtheria 9; whooping cough 76; typhus fever 6; enteric fever 21; simple fever 5; diarrhœa 95, and cholera 7. The deaths from violence were 54; 138 persons died in public Institutions, and there were 126 inquests held in the district. 20 The number of births were 3035, showing an excess of births over deaths of 1173. My apology for the length of this report must rest upon ray desire to show what 20 years of sanitary legislation has accomplished amongst us, for although both in your own and in my reports from year to year, all necessary information has been given, they have, I believe, been read by few, and it is only by a summary such as this that the great bulk of the present parishioners can in way estimate the amount of labour bestowed upon the work. The face enumerated have been gleaned from the records of your Board's proceedings, and, I believe, are correct. I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, Your faithful servant, FREDERICK JOHN BURGE, Medical Officer of Health Hammersmith, May 21th, 1876. BOARD OF WORKS FOR THE FULHAM DISTRICT. Abstract of Accounts for the Year ending 25th March, 1876. Dr general cash account. Cr. March 25th, 1876. £ s. d. £ s. d. March 25th, 1876 £ s. d. £ s. d. To Balance—Cash 4188 19 9 By Disbursements on General Rate: Receipts on General Rate- Works, Wages, and Materials 18345 11 0 Overseers on Precepts 25369 8 8 Establishment Charges 2646 19 7 Contributions and New Streets 10360 8 11 Repayment of Loan and Interest... 3229 4 6 Amount transferred from Deposit 15442 19 7 London School Board 3924 16 2 51172 17 2 Deposit Account 14500 0 0 New Street Works 10505 3 5 53151 15 6 To Receipts on Sewers' Rate:- Disbursements on Sowers' Rate:— Overseers on Precepts 16986 18 4 Metropolitan Board's Precepts 6837 19 2 Contributions 130 1 0 Works, Wages, and Material 1234 12 2 17116 19 4 Permanent Works 2245 15 4 Establishment Charges 1323 9 7 To Receipts on Lighting Rates:— Overssers on Precepts 4450 7 9 Repayment of Loan and Interest 5674 4 1 17316 0 4 Amount Deposited at Bankers 23500 0 0 Disbursements on Lighting Rate:— Erecting, Lighting, Cleansing, and Maintaining Public Lamps 5484 1 1 By Amount transferred from Deposit Account 15442 19 7 £91394 16 6 Balance at Bankers 1147 11 1 Do. Wages 0 7 2 1147 18 3 Less Cheques out, 170 11 2 977 7 1 Balance on Deposit and Sewers Account 4057 0 5 Ditto Current Account 4000 0 0 Signed, 8057 0 5 W. L. HARVEY, 9034 7 6 A.TURNER, Auditors. £100,420 4 0 C. WILCOX. £100,429 4 0 establishment account. Dr. Cr. March 25th, 1876. £ s. d. Salaries, Advertisements. Printing. Rent and Repairs. Law Costs. Sundries. To General Purposes Account, being 2/3 of £3970 9s 2d., and paid out of General Rate. 2646 19 7 £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d £ s. d. Medical Officer Surveyor Clerk Assistant Clerk „ Surveyor Wharf keeper Superannuations Clerk of Works Inspectors „ Dust Superintendts Office Keeper Sluice Advertisements Printing Rent & repairs etc Law & Paly. Costs Sundries 150 0 0 15 0 0 300 0 0 300 0 0 Sewers Account, being of 1/3 £3970 9s. 2d., and paid out of Sewers Rate. 1323 9 7 240 0 0 240 0 0 78 15 0 78 15 0 135 16 8 135 16 8 39 0 0 39 0 0 70 19 0 70 19 0 • 182 14 0 182 14 0 200 4 0 200 4 0 70 15 0 70 15 0 239 0 8 239 0 8 20 0 0 20 0 0 5 8 0 77 13 2 5 8 0 230 4 8 77 13 2 885 14 8 230 4 8 513 7 9 885 14 8 530 16 7 513 7 9 530 16 7 £3970 9 2 1732 12 4 77 13 2 230 4 8 885 14 8 513 7 9 530 16 7 £3970 9 2 GENERAL PURPOSES ACCOUNT. Dr. Cr, March 25th, 1876. March 25th, 1876. £ s. d. £ s. d. By Works in Masonry 1403 9 2 To Balance 1204 13 7 New Tools and Repairs 467 2 0 Cash from Overseers 25369 8 8 Cartage 970 19 11 Contributions 566 9 7 Watering, Slopping, and Dusting 5016 7 0 Amount from Deposit 15442 19 7 Wages—Roadmen 3935 5 5 Balance 63 0 8 Materials—Core and Gravel 329 5 4 Do. Granite 2918 14 1 Miscellaneous Works 789 4 10 Establishment Charges 2646 19 7 Repayment of Loans and Interest 3229 4 6 London School Board 3924 16 2 Deposit account 14500 0 0 Works at Broom House 1000 0 0 Amount transferred to No. 2. 1310 12 3 Return of Surplus Money New road 204 11 10 £42,646 12 1 £42,646 12 1 LIGHTING ACCOUNT. Dr. Cr. March 25th, 1876. £ s. .d March 25th, 1876. £ s. d 2642 10 0 By Brentford, London, and Western Gas Companies, Lighting, &o. 5484 1 1 Cash from Overseers 4450 7 9 Balance 1608 16 8 £7092 17 9 £7092 17 9 SEWERS ACCOUNT. Dr. Cr. March 25th, 1876. £ s. d. March 25th, 1876. £ s. d. To Balance brought forward 341 16 2 By Metropolitan Board's Precepts 6837 19 2 Cash from Overseers 16,986 18 4 Works, Wages, and Materials 1234 12 2 Contributions 130 1 0 Permanent Works 2245 15 4 Establishment Charges 1323 9 7 Repayment of Loans and Interest 5674 4 1 Balance 142 15 2 £17,458 15 6 £17458 15 6 DE[PSOT ACCOUNT. Dr Cr. March 25th, 1876. £ s. d. March'25th, 1876. £ s. d. To Amount forward 9000 0 0 By Amount transferred to Current Account 15,442 19 7 „ Deposited 14,500 0 0 Balance Sewers Account 4057 O 5 Current 4000 0 0 8057 0 5 £23.500 0 0 £23,500 0 0 NEW STREETS ACCOUNT. Dr. Cr. March 25th, 1876 March 25th. 1876 £ s. d. To Contributions £ s. d. Paid for Works, &c. 10505 3 5 11,016 10 8 Balance 511 7 3 £11016 10 8 £11,016 10 8