Ac 432(9) WHITECHAPEL WH115 BOARD OF WORKS, WHITECHAPEL DISTRICT. REPORT ON The Sanitary Condition OF THE WHITECHAPEL DISTRICT FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 30th MARCH, 1867, B Y JOHN LIDDLE. Medical Officer of Health. PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, 15 m APRIL, 1867 LONDON.— E.J. BATH, PRINTER, 26, HIGH STREET, WHITECHAPEL 1867. Wellcome Library for the history and Understanding of Medicine REPORT, FOR THE QUARTER ENDING THE 30th MARCH, 1867. To the Board of Works, Whitechapel District. Gentlemen, In the thirteen weeks ending on Saturday, 30th March, there were registered in the Whitechapel District, 744 births, viz.; 397 of hoys and 347 of girls. The deaths registered during the same period were 629, of these there were 321 of males and 308 of females. In the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the births were 738, and the deaths, including those which occurred in the London Hospital, were 673. The number of births, therefore, is greater by 6, and that of deaths is less by 44, than in the corresponding quarter of 1866. During this quarter, the births have exceeded the deaths (deducting those of non-residents), by 166. The deaths in the London Hospital have been 98 : of these, 51 were of nonresidents, 13 of residents within the district, and 34 of persons who died from the result of accident and from sudden death. The greatest weekly mortality (75), occurred in the week ending 26th January, and the smallest (37) in that terminating on the 16th February. The deaths from Epidemic Diseases have been 63, viz. : 16 from Small-pox, 3 from Measles, 5 from Scarlet-fever, 1 from Diphtheria, 22 from Hooping-cough, 8 from Diarrhoea, and 8 from Fever. To this return, however, must be added the 9 deaths in the Fever and Small-pox Hospitals, of persons belonging to this district, who died in these institutions. Of these deaths, 6 occurred in the Fever Hospital and 3 in the Small-pox Hospital. In the corresponding quarter of last year, the deaths from Epidemic Diseases were 113, viz.: 15 from Small-pox, 13 from Measles, 14 from Scarlet-fever, 1 from Diphthiria, 39 from Hooping-cough, 2 from Diarrhœa, and 29 from Fever. 3 The total deaths from Zymotic Diseases have been 79, viz. : 63 from Epidemic Diseases, 8 from Croup, 2 from Dysentery, 2 from Puerperal Fever, 1 from Erysipelas, 1 from Rheumatic Fever, 1 from Pyæmia, and 1 from Cholera. From the weekly returns of the Registrar General, it appears that 4 deaths from Cholera have occurred in London during the quarter, viz.: 1 at Greenwich, 1 in Mile End New Town, 1 in Westminster, and 1 in Hackney. It may be observed that the deaths from Diarrhœa, as compared with those in the corresponding quarter of last year, have increased from 2 to 8. The deaths from diseases of the respiratory organs have been 152, which is 24.1 per cent. of the total mortality. Bronchitis was fatal to 81 persons, Pneumonia to 48, and Asthma and other diseases of the lungs to 23. The deaths from Consumption were 73, and from Heart Disease 28. The great number of deaths from the above causes may perhaps be accounted for by the excessive cold which prevailed in January and February. The mean temperature of the air, as registered during the nights in the quarter was 30.3°, which is about 3° less than in the corresponding quarter of 1S66. The lowest temperature occurred during the night of Friday, the 4th January, when the thermometer registered 5.2° or 26.8° below the freezing point. During the two preceding nights it was also extremely cold, the thermometer on the 2nd indicating 6.4°, and on the 3rd 6.0°. The rain-fall in the Metropolis during the quarter has been 6.29 inches. During the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the rain-fall was 8.05 inches. The rainfall during the year ending 31st December, 1866, was 30.1 inches, and for the year 1865, it was 29.0 inches. The mortality of children under 5 years of age, has been 226. This is 35.9 per cent. of the total mortality. The deaths of persons above 80 years of age, have been 22. Of these, one occurred at the age of 87, and another at the advanced age of 90 years. The uncertified deaths are 4. The number of inquests has been 67, of which 35 were held on the bodies of persons who died in the London Hospital. Among the records of the Coroner's Court, are 10 deaths caused by burns and scalds, 6 of children who were suffocated in bed, 22 deaths from violence (of these, 2 were the result of injuries caused by vehicles in the public streets), 1 (of a child aged 4 years) from Hydrophobia, caused by the bite of a dog, 1 of a woman aged 29 years, from suffocation whilst drunk, and 1 of a person aged 68, who died from syncope from over-eating. In the corresponding quarter of the year 1866, the number of inquests was 93. The deaths in the Workhouse have been 101 : of these, 2 were caused by Smallpox, 1 by Hooping-cough, 2 by Diarrhcea, and 1 by Fever. The Medical Officers of the Union have attended 4,902 new cases of disease, including 77 of Small-pox, 9 of Measles, 24 of Scarlet-fever, 109 of Hooping-cough, 160 of Diarrhcea, and 54 of Fever. In the corresponding quarter of last year, the total number of new cases attended by the Medical Officers of the Union was 4,174, including 81 of Small-pox, 31 of Measles, 46 of Scarlet-fever, 87 of Hooping-cough, 128 of Diarrhcea, and 102 of Fever. An increase of 32 has taken place in the number of cases of Diarrhcea, while there has been a diminution of 48 in those of Fever, and of 4 in those of Small-pox, as compared with the returns of the corresponding quarter of 1866. 4 The number of cases of illness among the poor attended by the Medical Officers of the Union is annually increasing ; although from the large number of houses, chiefly occupied by the poor, which has been taken down for improvements during the last few years, it is probable that a decrease in the population has taken place. The number of cases of illness among the poor attended by the Medical Officers of the Union, in 1860, was 11,392; in 1861, 13,724; in 1862, 14,270; in 1863, 14,564; in 1864, 14,932; in 1865, 15,594 ; and in 1866, 16,502. Since my last Quarterly Report another Water-waste Preventer has been erected. There are now 23 in operation in the district. The following return shows the amount of work done by the Sanitary Inspectors during the quarter :— Houses systematically visited and rooms measured to ascertain the cubic capacity 1,007 Number of rooms found to be overcrowded, the space being less than 300 cubic 67 feet for each person, reckoning two children for one adult Number of cases of indecent occupation discovered 44 Preliminary Notices served 645 Compulsory Orders issued for 95 premises 26 Summonses heard at Police Courts 4 Houses in which the rooms or passages have been whitewashed 286 Dust-bins provided 67 Privies cleansed or repaired 198 Water-butts or Cisterns supplied 95 Drains in Houses improved 131 Cesspools abolished 1 Accumulations of Dung and other Offensive Matter removed 91 Area Gratings, Cellar Flaps, &c., repaired 20 Trades' Nuisances abated* 4 Cellars used as Dwellings discontinued for such use 2 Houses closed, the same being unfit for human habitation 31 Instances where corpses were kept for periods varying from 9 to 21 days in 3 inhabited rooms Animals so kept as to be a nuisance, removed 4 Yards of Houses paved or the paving repaired 187 In addition to this return, the Inspectors report that they have forwarded to the Police Authorities several notices of dangerous structures, and have also given intimation to them of all the rooms which they have found, on a house to house visitation, to be occupied by more than one family. In all such cases, the Police may take proceedings to compel the landlords to register the houses as common lodging-houses. By the Inspectors' returns, it appears that three cases of a prolonged retention of a body in the room occupied by a family as a living and sleeping apartment, have come under their notice during the last quarter. One of these occurred at No. 1, Black Lion Yard, where the corpse of a man was kept for 9 days ; another, at No. 2, Parliament Court, where the corpse of a youth who had died from fever was kept for 10 days. In this room two other children of the same family were suffering at the same time from fever. The third case was that of a man who died at No. 2, Princes-street, whose corpse was kept for 21 days. * Note—1 Steam issuing from the Animal Charcoal Works in Back Chureh Lane. 2 The Malleable Iron Works in Back Church Lane 3 The Oil Refinery Works in Queen Street. Mile End New Town, complaints, however, are still made respecting the nuisance from these Works. 4 The Bone-Boiling Premises in Buck's Row. 5 Similar cases to the above have repeatedly occurred in this district during the last ten years, and several of them have been brought under the notice of your Board; but, until the passing of the Sanitary Act of 1866, the Board had not the power to compel the removal of a dead body ; and, even now, the Board is powerless in this matter, until they have put in force the 27th section of that Act. By this section, it is enacted, that any nuisance-authority may provide a proper place for the reception of dead bodies. When proper places have been provided for this purpose, then the clausa further enacts, that if " any dead body of one who has died of any infectious disease is retained in a room in which persons live or sleep, or any dead body which is in such a state as to endanger the health of the inmates of the same house or room, is retained in such house or room, any justice may, on a certificate signed by a legally qualified medical practitioner, order the body to be removed to such proper place of reception, at the cost of the nuisance-authority, and direct the same to be buried within a time to be limited in such order." I have, therefore, to urge upon the Board the necessity of their erecting suitable places for the reception of dead bodies. The sites which I suggest for these mortuary houses, are the church-yards of Whitechapel and of Spitalfields. In these places, such buildings might bo erected without inconvenience to any person. My attention has repeatedly been directed to the want of privy accommodation in some of the courts in this district. Owing to the defects in the several Building Acts, landlords, in order to economise space, have built houses without having provided them with back yards, in which a privy for the use of the inhabitants of each house ought to have been placed. In those courts where the houses have been so built, the privies are erected in the open space in front of the houses, and as these privies are accessible to the public, they are a constant source of nuisance. But even if the public generally had not access to them, they would be a nuisance to the inhabitants of the locality, for the following reasons : 1st, they are not properly constructed. 2ndly, they are not in sufficient number for the use of the tenants. 3rdly, they are not provided with seats for children, so that they cannot be used by them ; the consequence is, either that the floor of the privies is covered with filth, or the court itself is more or less covered with human excrement to the annoyance of the inhabitants, and the disgust of the persons engaged in visiting the abodes of the poor ; and lastly, there is no arrangement made for setting apart distinct privies for the use of males and for females, but they are used indiscriminately by both sexes. How far we shall be able to lessen the evils arising from these public privies, when the new rules and regulations relating to lodging houses come into operation, remains to be seen. It will, in the first place, be necessary for the Board to cause the houses in all those courts in which public privies exist, to be registered, We shall then be able to effect such alterations in the construction and arrangement of these conveniences that the nuisance now complained of may be abated. It is provided in the rules and regulations, a copy of which is appended to this Report, that there shall be one privy to every twenty-five inhabitants, and that it shall be kept clean and in a proper state of repair. Complaints having again been made to your Board of the nuisance of the Refinery Premises of Sir Anthony Rothschild, in Royal Mint-street, it was resolved to appoint a Committee to inquire into the matter, and report the result of their inquiry to the Board. 6 The Committee thus appointed, inspected the premises, in company with Mr. Wilson, the Surveyor to the said Premises, and they also made inquiry in the neighbourhood respecting the alleged nuisance. The result of the inspection and inquiry by the Committee was a report to the Board, in which it was stated that the complaints respecting the nuisance were well founded. Mr. Wilson informed the Committee that Sir Anthony Rothschild was enlarging the premises, and when the works were completed, there would be no further cause of complaint. The means, however, that were proposed to be adopted to abate the nuisance were not pointed out to the Committee. In my opinion, unless a proper apparatus is provided to collect and condense the vapours in that department, where the boiling sulphuric acid is drawn off into open troughs, the mere enlargement of the premises will be of little or no avail in abating the nuisance. The mode in which the business is conducted permits large volumes of sulphuric acid vapour to escape into the neighbourhood, both from the skylights and from the high chimney-shaft. Such a contamination of the atmosphere is, in my opinion, highly injurious to the health of all persons who live within the influence of the irritating vapours which escape from these premises. Proceedings against Mr. Quaintrall, who carries on the business of a Bone-Boiler and Bone-Crusher in Buck's-row, have again been taken, in order to compel the abatement of the nuisance, caused by the prolonged retention of bones on his premises. After the hearing of the case, the Magistrates made an order upon Mr. Quaintrall to remove, within fourteen days, all the bones which were then on his premises; and the Magistrate further ordered, that after the expiration of the fourteen days, the said premises were not to be used for storing or keeping bones thereon for a longer period, at any one time, than the period of seven days. These premises are now regularly visited by the Inspector every Monday morning the day fixed by Mr. Quaintrall for the removal of all the bones), in order to ascertain that there are no bones thereon, and that the order of the Magistrate is strictly attended to. The bone-house, when visited by the Inspector, although it was empty, was in a most offensive condition, and an order was consequently served upon Mr. Quaintrall to thoroughly lime-wash this building. If this bone-house be kept clean, and the bones regularly removed once a week, the neighbourhood will, most probably, be relieved from this disgusting and health-destroying nuisance. The entire Eastern District of the Metropolis having recently suffered most severely from the effects of Cholera—a disease which finds its greatest number of victims living in those places where the laws of health are disregarded, it is to be hoped that the Local Boards will thoroughly carry out all the sanitary provisions contained in the several Acts of Parliament relating to the public health, and if the existing laws are not sufficient for the purpose of protecting the public health, they will seek for additional powers during the present session of Parliament. The Act which specially calls for amendment, is the Building Act, for upon the healthy lodgment of the people the success of sanitary measures mainly depends. In any new Building Act, it should be enacted : 1st—That no house in any new street in London should be occupied as a dwellinghouse until a sewer had been constructed along the street, and a communication made from the house to the sewer. 7 2nd—That before any house is permitted to be occupied, the road and footways should be paved, and the surface drainage properly provided for. 3rd—That before any house is built, plans of the drainage and of all the sanitary arrangements of such house should be submitted for approval to the Local Board. 4th—That during the progress of the building of any house, the Surveyor to the Local Board should be required to inspect the foundation thereof, and if the Surveyor be of opinion that the materials which are being used for such foundation are not proper for the purpose, he should report the same to the Board, who should have power to prevent the use of such improper materials. 5th—That the walls and foundation of every house should be so constructed as to prevent the rise of damp. 6th—That every house should have at the rear an open space of sufficient size for the thorough ventilation of the staircase and passages. 7th—That the back-yards of all houses, let out in tenements, now in existence, should not be built upon, unless with the sanction of the Local Board. 8th—That old buildings, such as warehouses, stables, &c., should not be converted into dwelling-houses, unless the plans of the proposed alterations have been submitted to the Local Board and approved of. Lastly—In order that every street should have an adequate supply of sun-light, which is so essential to health, the buildings on either side of the street, should not be permitted to exceed in height the width of the street. Unless some stringent measures are enforced to prevent the erection of unhealthy houses, the ratepayers of London will not only be called upon for an extra rate for the improvement of the Metropolis, and for the relief of the distress consequent upon the ill-health engendered by persons living in such unhealthy houses, but they will have to pay an additional rate for the purchase of them to pull them down, in consequence of their being totally unfit for human habitation. It certainly would be more economical to the ratepayers, and unquestionably more advantageous to the health of the people, if more foresight were exercised in preventing mischief, than in ameliorating the consequence of it, after the evil has taken place. The science of preventive medicine is not yet understood by the public. Fever and other Epidemic Diseases are always amongst us, and large sums of money are annually expended to mitigate the sufferings of those attacked, but not sufficient interest is felt in the prevention of such diseases. I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, JOHN LIDDLE. 15, Great Alie Street. 8 The following Rules and Regulations respecting Lodging Houses, have been adopted by the Board, and have been submitted to the Secretary of State for approval. Board of Works, Whitechapel District. REGULATIONS for Houses let in Lodgings or Occupied by Members of more than one Family (under the 20th and 30th Victoria, cap. 90), situate within the Whitechapel District, defined by the Metropolis Local Management Acts. 1. For the registration of houses let in lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family, hereinafter denominated " lodging-houses." 1—The Board of Works for the Whitechapel District may at any time hereafter give to the keeper of any house within the Whitechapel District, which is let in lodgings, or occupied by members of more than one family, notice in writing of these regulations, under the hand of their Clerk, or other authorized officer, and shall give such notice by leaving the same for such keeper at the house; and shall, by such notice, require the keeper to register the house as by these regulations provided; and such notice may be in the form A in the schedule to these regulations annexed, or to the like effect. 2—Within six weeks after the giving of such notice to register, as aforesaid, the keeper of any such lodging-house, or any other person, shall not allow such house to be occupied by members of more than one family, unless the same has been registered for the purpose, as by these regulations provided. 3—A Register Book, or Books, shall be kept at the Office of the Board of Works, Great Alie-street, Whitechapel, wherein shall be entered the names and residences of the keeper of any lodging-house, to be registered under these regulations, and the situation of every such house, and the cubical capacity of every room occupied or let, and also the number of inmates by which such house may be legally occupied. 4—The keeper of any lodging-house, registered under these regulations, shall, upon selling, assigning, or otherwise parting with his or her interest in the premises, to any other person, give immediate notice in writing to the Board of Works of the fact. 9 2—For fixing the number of persons who may occupy a house, or part of a house, which is let in lodgings, or occupied by members of more than one family. 5—No keeper of a lodging-house, under these regulations, shall admit or suffer to remain in such house, or in any room thereof, more than one lodger or other person to each and every 300 cubic feet of air contained in such house or room. 6—Two children, under ten years of age, to be counted as one lodger. 7—All persons above ten years of age to be considered as adults. 8—Adults of different sexes shall not occupy the same sleeping-room, except married couples. 9—Rooms in the basement, or below the level of the ground, shall not be used as sleeping-rooms, unless specially approved of for that purpose by the Board of Works, or their authorized officer. Such approval, when given, shall state the number of persons or lodgers to be allowed (according to the circumstances of each case) to sleep in each room. 10—The keeper of such lodging-house shall, as soon as he is aware that any person in such house is ill of Fever, Small-pox, Cholera, or any infectious or contagious disease, give immediate notice in writing to the Board of Works, which notice shall be left at the office of the Board, No. 15, Great Alie-street, Whitechapel. 11—A certificate, according to the form B in the schedule to these regulations, signed by the Clerk of the Board of Works, stating the entire number of lodgers allowed to sleep in each such lodging-house, and each room of such house, and which number such house is registered to accommodate, will be supplied to the keeper of every house registered under these regulations. 3—For the inspection of such houses, and the keeping the same in a cleanly and wholesome state. 12—The keeper of any lodging-house, and every other person having or acting in the care or management thereof, and all occupiers thereof, or of any part thereof, shall, at all reasonable times, when required by any authorized officer of the Board of Works, give him free access to such house, or any part thereof, so far as his or their control extends, for the purpose of inspecting the same, and ascertaining that it is kept in a cleanly and wholesome state, and that the regulations relating to the same are duly observed. 4—For enforcing therein the provisions of privy accommodation and other appliances, and means of cleanliness in proportion to the number of lodgers and occupiers, and the cleansing and ventilation of the common passages and stair-cases. 13—A water-closet or privy, properly trapped and panned to the satisfaction of the Board of Works, or their authorized officer, and communicating with the sewer, shall be provided for every such lodging-house, and if the number of lodgers or occupiers shall exceed twenty-five, an additional water-closet or privy of similar kind shall be provided, and all privies are to be enclosed with a sufficient door. 10 14—The water-closet or privy, pan, seat, floor, and walls, shall be kept free from filth, and clean in all other respects. 15—The roof, walls, and flooring of every such lodging-house, shall be kept in tenantable repair. 16—Every such lodging-house shall be provided with a dust-bin, of sufficient size, with a proper cover. 17—The courts, yards, and areas of every such lodging-house shall be sufficiently paved with proper and suitable materials, and sufficiently drained so as to run dry and effectually take of all waste or surface water. 18—All drains shall communicate with the common sewer, where such sewer is within one hundred yards of the premises. 19—All drains and sinks shall be properly trapped so as effectually to prevent effluvia arising therefrom. 20—The keeper of such lodging-house shall provide a sufficient supply of water and proper receptacles for the storage thereof, for the use of the lodgers. 21—The keeper of such lodging-house shall cause all the walls and ceilings of every room, and the stair-cases and passages of such house, to be thoroughly cleansed and well and sufficiently limewashed, as often as occasion shall require. 22—The keeper of such lodging-house shall cause provision to be made, that every room, and the passages, and stair-cases, in such house, or appurtenant thereto, may be ventilated to the satisfaction of the Board of Works, or their authorized officer. 23—Any person wilfully and knowingly omitting to observe any of the foregoing regulations, or wilfully and knowingly acting contrary thereto, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings for any one offence, with the additional penalty not exceeding twenty shillings for every day during which a default in obeying such regulations may continue. 24—The penalties recovered under these regulations may be recovered in a summary manner, as directed by the Sanitary Act, 1866, and when recovered, shall go to the Board of Works for the Whitechapel District, and shall be applicable towards the general expenses of such Board. SCHEDULE A. FORM OF NOTICE. Take notice, that certain regulations have been duly made by the Board of Works for the Whitechapel District, under the provisions of the Sanitary Act, 1866, and approved by one of Her Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, for the registration management and occupation of houses let in lodgings, or occupied by members of more than one family, situate within the Whitechapel District, defined by the Metropolis Local Management Acts ; and you being the keeper of the premises, No. Street, in the Parish of within the said Whitechapel District, so, as aforesaid, let or occupied, are hereby required, within six weeks from this notice, to register such premises, at the office of the said Board of Works, No. 15, Great Alie-street, Whitechapel, aforesaid, and if you do not have your premises so registered, you will be liable to a penalty of forty shillings, with an additional penalty of twenty shillings for every day during which such default shall continue. On your applying to the Clerk to the said Whitechapel Board of W orks, at the office aforesaid, your premises will be registered free of all charge to you. Dated this day one thousand eight hundred and l1 SCHEDULE B. Certificate No. House Let in Lodgings, or Occupied by more than One Family. Street or Place. Registered to Accommodate Persons, as specified below. In Room In Room In Room In Room In Room TOTAL No. 1. No. 2. No. 3. No. 4. No. 5. In Room In Room In Room In Room In Room No. 6. No. 7. No. 8. No. 9. No. 10 Dated this day of 18 Office of the Board, 15, Great Alie-street, Whitechapel. Clerk to the Board of Works for the Whitechapel District. APPENDIX. TABLE I.—Cases of Sickness of the Zymotic and Acute classes, which are recorded in the Books of the Medical Officers of the Union, for the three months ending on the 30th March, 1867. Names of Medical Officers. Small-Pox. Measles. Scarlatina. Hooping-Cough. Diarrhoea. Continued Fever, Typhus & Typhoid. Carbuncle. Erysipelas. Puerperal Fever. Croup. Acute Pulmonary Inflammation. Cholera. Rheumatic Fever. Ague. Dysentery. Delirium Tremens. Diphtheria. All other Diseases. 1 Total. Bronchitis and Catarrh. Pleuritis and Pneumonia. Dr. Swyer 42 1 10 50 51 8 2 5 0 0 44 54 0 12 1 2 1 0 1131 1414 Mr. Champneys 10 0 0 0 34 16 0 3 0 1 49 1 0 19 0 2 0 0 597 732 Dr. Richardson 6 6 5 11 24 11 0 3 0 0 95 2 0 11 0 1 0 0 731 906 Mr. Sequiera 19 2 9 48 51 19 0 5 0 0 97 7 0 24 2 0 0 0 1567 1850 Total 77 9 24 109 160 54 2 16 0 1 285 64 0 66 3 5 1 0 4026 4902 Corresponding Quarter of previous year. 81 31 46 87 128 102 2 19 0 0 246 67 0 18 2 5 3 0 3347 4178 TABLE II.—Showing the Deaths from Epidemic Diseases for the Three Months ending 30th March, 1867. District. Small-Pox Measles Scarlet Fever Diphtheria HoopingCough Diarrhoea Fever Total Eemarks. Artillery 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 3 Spitalfields 6 1 4 0 4 1 1 17 Mile End N. Twn. 5 1 0 0 2 2 2 12 Workhouse Whitechapel, N 3 1 0 0 5 3 2 14 Whitechapel Ch 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 5 Hospital Goodman's Fields 2 0 0 0 3 1 1 7 Aldgate 0 0 1 0 2 1 1 5 Total 16 3 5 1 22 8 8 63 Deaths from Epidemics for the corresponding quarter, 1866. 15 13 14 1 39 2 29 113 There were six deaths in the Fever Hospital, of persons who were sent by the Guardians to that Institution, and three deaths from Small Pox of those sent to the Small Pox Hospital. The total number of deaths therefore from Fever, has been fourteen; and of Small Pox nineteen. The deaths in the Fever Hospital of persons belonging to this district, in the quarter ending 30th June, 1866, were ten, and in the Small Pox Hospital three. In the quarter ending 30th December, the deaths in the Fever Hospital were six. In the Small Pox Hospital there was only one death. TABLE III.—Showing the Ages at Death in the Workhouse, and in the London Hospital, for the Quarter ending 30th March, 1867. 0 and under 1 1 and under5 5 and under20 20 and under40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and upwards Total Males 52 Femls 49 Corresponding Quarter of 1866. Workhouse 8 6 3 18 25 37 4 101 119 L. Hospital 1 11 12 33 30 10 1 Males 63 Femls 35 98 123 TABLE IV.—Ages at Death in each Registration District, for the Three Months ending 30th March, 1867. Districts. 0 and under 1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and upwards Total Remarks. Artillery 13 8 0 2 3 7 0 33 Spitalfields 27 22 5 11 10 9 2 86 Mile E. N. Town 32 18 4 30 45 45 9 183 Workhouse Whitechapel, N. 21 18 4 6 8 17 5 79 Whitechapel Ch. 8 15 14 41 44 16 3 141 Hospital Goodman's Fields 13 17 1 5 10 12 3 61 Aldgate 7 7 3 6 14 9 0 46 Totals 121 105 31 101 134 115 22 629 TABLE V.—The Births and Deaths in each Registration District, for the Three Months ending on the 30th March, 1867. Districts. Births. Total. Deaths. Total. Excess of Births over Deaths. Excess of Deaths over Births. Remarks. M. F. M. F. Artillery 32 26 58 16 17 33 25 0 Spitalfields 77 69 146 46 40 86 60 0 Mile End N. Town. 86 83 169 95 88 183 0 14 Workhouse. Whitechapel, N. 66 49 115 38 41 79 36 0 Whitechapl. Church 41 39 80 79 62 141 0 61 London Hospital. Goodman's Fields 53 52 105 26 35 61 44 0 Aldgate 42 29 71 21 25 46 25 0 51 non-residents died in L. Hos. Totals 397 347 744 321 308 629 195 75 Exccss of births over deaths, deducting the 51 non-residents 166 Population in 1861, 78,970. TABLE VI.— Causes of Death at Seven Periods of Life, registered in the Whitechapel District, for the Three Months ending 30th March, 1867. Causes of Death. 0 and under1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and above Total. Causes of Death. 0 and under 1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and above. Total. I.—ZYMOTIC. Order 1—Miasmatic Small-Pox 5 9 1 1 ... ... ... 16 Brought forward Order 4.—Digestive ORGANS. 84 94 23 79 109 77 6 472 Measles ... 2 1 ... ... ... ... 3 Cancrum Oris ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Scarlatina ... 5 ... ... ... ... ... 5 Gastritis 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Diphtheria ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... I Enteritis Quinsy Peritonitis ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Croup 3 5 ... ... ... ... ... 8 Ascites ... ... ... ... 3 ... ... 3 Hooping-Cough 4 17 ... 1 ... ... ... 22 Ulceratn of Intestns ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Typhus Fever ... 4 2 2 ... ... ... 8 Hernia(Rupture) ... ... ... ... 2 ... ... 2 Erysipelas ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Ileus ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 Puerperal Fever ... ... ... 1 1 ... ... 2 Intussusception Carbuncle Fistula Influenza Stomach Disease, &c ... ... ... ... 1 1 ... 2 Dysentery ... ... ... 1 ... 1 ... 2 Pancreas Disease, &c Diarrhoea 1 3 ... 1 2 1 ... 8 Hepatitis Ague Liver Disease, &c ... 1 ... 2 1 1 ... 5 Remittent Fever Disease of Rectum ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 Rheumatism ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 Order 5—Urinary Organs. Pyæmia ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Cholera ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 Order 2—Enthetic. Syphilis 6 ... ... 1 ... ... ... 7 Nephritis Disease of Bladder ... ... ... ... 2 1 ... 3 Stricture of Urethra. Hydrophobia ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Nephria(Bright's disease) ... ... ... 2 5 2 ... 9 Diabetes ... ... ... 1 1 ... ... 2 Order 3- Dietic. Privation 1 ... 1 ... ... 1 ... 3 Stone Prostrate Disease Kidney Disease, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 Want of Breast Milk. Purpura and Scurvy ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 Alcoholism—Delirm. Tremens Order 6—Organs of Generation. ,, Intemperance Uterus Disease, &c. ... ... ... ... 2 1 ... 3 Lead Poisoning Ovarian Dropsy Order 4—Parasitic. Thrush 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Ovariotomy Order 7—Organs of Locomotion. Joint Disease ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Worms, &c 11—CONSTITUTNL Bones, &c. ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 Order 1—Diathetic. Dropsy ... ... ... 2 3 ... ... 5 Spinal Disease. &c Order 8—integumentary System. Skin Disease ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 Cancer ... ... ... 1 7 4 l 13 Mortification ... 1 ... ... 1 1 ... 3 Abscess or Tumour. Noma 1 1 ... 3 ... ... ... 5 IV.—DEVELOPMENTAL. Order 2— Tubrculr. Scrofula Order 1—Disease of Children. Premature Birth 6 ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 Tabes Mesenterica 15 5 ... ... ... ... ... 20 Phthisis (Consmptn) 2 1 3 33 25 8 1 73 Cyanosis ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Hydrocephalus 3 4 ... ... ... ... ... 7 Spina Bifida III.—LOCAL. Order 1 —Nervous svstem. Ceohalitis 1 1 3 ... ... ... ... 5 Other Malformations Teething 6 3 ... ... ... ... ... 9 Order 2—Diseases of Adults. Childbirth ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Apoplexy ... ... ... ... 4 3 ... 7 Palsy (Paralysis) ... ... ... ... 4 10 1 15 Order 3—Diseases OF OLD PEOPLE Insanitvy Tetanus Old Age ... ... ... ... ... 21 14 35 Epilepsy ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Premature Decay ... ... ... ... ... 6 ... 6 Convulsions 25 8 1 ... ... ... ... 34 Order 4—Diseases of Nutrition. Atrophy & Debility 17 ... ... 1 ... ... ... 18 Chorea ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 Brain Disease, &c ... 3 ... 1 1 2 ... 7 Order 2—Organs of Circulation. ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 V.—VIOLENT DEATHS. Order 1—Accidents or Negligence. Pericarditis Aneurism ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 Burns and Scalds ... 5 4 ... ... ... ... 10 Heart Disease, &c. 1 ... 4 6 12 5 ... 28 Poison Phlebitis ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 Suffocation 6 ... ... 1 ... ... ... 7 Syncope ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 Violence ... ... 3 10 6 2 1 22 Phlegmasia Dolens Drowning Order 3-Respiratory Organs. Laryngismus ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Order 3—Homicide. Murder & Manslgter. 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Order 4—Suicide. Wounds Laryngitis ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 Bronchitis 2 6 ... 10 32 28 3 81 Poison Pleurisy ... ... ... 2 ... 1 ... 3 Hanging Pneumonia 13 15 4 6 8 2 ... 48 Drowning ... ... ... 1 l ... ... 2 Lung Disease, &c ... ... ... 4 6 8 ... 18 Not Specified Carried forward 84 94 23 70 109 77 6 472 Grand Total 121 105 31 101 134 115 23 629 BOARD OF WORKS, WHITECHAPEL DISTRICT. REPORT ON The Sanitary Condition OF THE WHITECHAPEL DISTRICT, FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 29th JUNE, 1867, BY JOHN LIDDLE, Hrdiral Officer of Healh. PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, 8th JULY, 1867. LONDON,—E. J. BATH, PRINTER, 26, HIGH STREET, WHITECHAPEL. 1867. REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 29th OF JUNE, 1867. To the Board of Works, Whitechapel District. Gentlemen, During the quarter ending on Saturday, 29th June, there were registered in the "Whitechapel District 669 Births, viz.: 333 males, and 336 females, and during the same period, the deaths registered were 533; of these, there were 309 of males and 224 of females. In the corresponding quarter of last year, the births were 630 and the deaths 681. In each of these quarterly returns of deaths, those in the London Hospital are included. On comparing the returns of births and deaths for the Quarters ending in June 1866 and 1867, it will be observed that the deaths in the former period exceeded the births by 51, while in the latter, the births have exceeded the deaths by 136. The deaths in the London Hospital have been 104, viz.: 78 males and 26 females. Of the total deaths, 7 were of residents within this district, 60 of non-residents, and 57 of persons who died from the result of accident and from sudden death. The deaths from Epidemic Diseases have been 76, viz. : 15 from Small-pox, 8 from Measles, 8 from Scarlet-fever, 1 from Diphtheria, 22 from Hooping Cough, 5 from Diarrhœa, and 17 from Fever. This return contrasts most favorably with that for the corresponding quarter of the previous year, when the deaths from Epidemic Diseases were 105, the same being 90 in excess of the present return. There has been, however, a slight increase in the number of deaths from Small-pox, 15 against 12. There must certainly be some defect either in the provisions of the Vaccination Act, or in the mode of carrying them into effect, to account for the large number of cases and deaths from Small pox in this district. The total deaths from Zymotic Diseases have been 88, viz. : 76 from Epidemic Diseases, 4 from Croup, 5 from Erysipelas, 1 from Eheumatic Fever, 1 from Puerperal Fever, and 1 from Carbuncle. No death from Cholera, or from Pyaemia, has been recorded during this quarter. The public health has been in a much more satisfactory state, both as regards the actual mortality, and the deaths from Epidemic Diseases. But as 11* deaths from * for the week ending 13th July 12 deaths from Cholera and Choleraic Diarrhoea were registered in London. 4 Cholera and Choleraic Diarrhœa have occurred within the Metropolitan District during the last two months, it behoves all persons in authority not to relax their exertions in endeavouring to improve the public health. Although the deaths from Diarrhoea have decreased from 11 in the corresponding quarter of last year to 5 in this quarter, yet, the cases of this disease, as shown in the returns of the Medical Officers of the Union, have increased from 215 to 264. The deaths caused by diseases of the respiratory organs, exclusive of Consumption, have been 88. Consumption was fatal to 94, which is in the proportion of 17.6 per cent. of the total deaths, and if we exclude the 53 deaths from Violence from the total deaths, the proportion of deaths from Consumption is 19.1 per cent., or nearly one-fifth. Bad air, overcrowding, insufficient food and clothing are the chief agents in producing this disease. During the corresponding quarter of last year, the deaths from Consumption were 89, which is at the rate of 12.6 per cent. of the total deaths. The deaths from Consumption have consequently increased in the proportion of 5.0 per cent. of the total mortality. The deaths from the other Tubercular Diseases have been 29, viz. : 4 from Hydrocephalus, or Water on the Brain, and 25 from Mesenteric Disease, or Scrofulous Enlargement of the Glands of the Abdomen. The mortality of children under 5 years of age has been 201. This is 37.7 per cent. of the total mortality. In the sub-district of Aldgate, the proportion of deaths of children under 5, is 51.0 per cent.; and in the Spitalfields sub-district it is 54.3 per cent. The high rate of mortality among children is, cceteris paribus, usually considered to be a test of the insalubrity of a district. The number of uncertified deaths has been 3. The deaths of persons above 80 years of age, have beep 10. Of these, 1 occurred at the age of 85, another at 89, and another at the very advanced age of 97. Of the 10 deaths of persons above 80, 5 occurred in the Workhouse. The number of Inquests has been 70, of which 41 were held on the bodies of persons who died in the London Hospital. The deaths from burns and scalds were 4; from suffocation in bed, 5 (all children); from mechanical violence, 27; of these, 13 were caused by vehicles in the public streets, and 2 by railway engines. An inquest was held on the body of a child 18 months old, who died of Small-pox. A batcher residing in Buck's Row, died in the Hospital from glanders. The death of a child 3 years old, was caused by its attempting to swallow boiling water. A death from an overdose of opium is recorded. Three deaths were caused by drowning. 5 ' The returns of the Registrar General show that the rain-fall in the Metropolis during the quarter has been 6.27 inches. During the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the rain-fall was 8.00 inches. The three hottest days in the quarter were Thursday, 27th June, Wednesday, 12th May, and Thursday, 7th May, when the thermometer indicated respectively 80.2, 82. and 83.6 degrees. The deaths in the Workhouse have been 90, viz. : 50 males and 40 females. Of these, 3 were from Small-pox, 1 from Measles, 1 from Diarrhoea, and 4 from Fever. In the corresponding quarter of 1866, the deaths in the Workhouse were 89. The Medical Officers of the Union have attended 4,054 new cases of illness, including 110 of Small-pox, 46 of Measles, 11 of Scarlet Fever, 63 of Hooping Cough, 264 of Diarrhœa, 2 of Cholera, and 63 of Fever. In the corresponding quarter of the previous year the total number of cases was 4,209 including 105 Small-pox, 359 of Measles, 38 of Scarletfever, 78 of Hooping Cough, 215 of Diarrhoea, and 61 of Fever. A severe outbreak of Cattle Plague occurred in one of the licensed cow-houses in the district. Those cows which were diseased were killed and their carcases taken to the knacker's yard. All the other cows were killed and sold to butchers. The shed was ordered to be purified, and no fresh cows were allowed to be received therein until after the lapse of thirty days. Some of the cow-keepers in the district have kept in their sheds a greater number of cows than their premises were licensed for. Thus, Mr. Hurley, in Crispin Street, has increased his number from 9 to 12, and Mr. Forster, in Pelham Street, has increased his from 12 to 18, Mr. Marcus Poole, from 21 to 26, Mr. Isaac Sole, from 28 to 40, Mr. Frederick Brown, from 6 to 10, Mr. Baynor, late Griffiths, from 10 to 16, Mr. John Davis, from 12 to 20, and Mr. John Webb, from 5 to 6. In consequence of the above-named cow-keepers having transgressed the terms of their license by keeping a larger number of cows on their premises than they had been licensed to contain, a letter has been sent to each of them, intimating that, at the next licensing day, I should recommend the Board to oppose the renewal of the licenses in each case. It is manifest that, unless the terms of the license are strictly adhered to, the licensing system is of no practical utility. Since my last Quarterly Report, two additional waste-water preventers have been erected. There are now 25 in operation in the district. Every house in the district should be supplied with water direct from the main, and when cisterns are in use for the supply of water-closets, the water for drinking and culinary purposes should not be drawn from them, but each house should have a separate pipe, from which water can be drawn before 6 it arrives at the cistern. Where the waste-pipe from the cistern is passed into the drain of the water-closet, the water in the cistern will, at times. become contaminated. This contamination occasionally occurs in high rented houses. The following return shows the amount of work done by the Sanitary Inspectors during the quarter :— Number of houses visited, as shown in the official returns 7,733 Houses systematically visited and rooms measured to ascertain the cubic capacity 715 Number of rooms found to be over-crowded, the space being less than 300 cubic feet for each person, reckoning two children for one adult 16 Number of cases of indecent occupation discovered 32 Preliminary Notices served 621 Compulsory Orders issued for 172 premises 67 Summonses heard at Police Courts 10 Houses in which the rooms or passages have been whitewashed 320 Dust-bins provided 58 Privies cleansed or repaired 211 Water-butts or Cisterns provided 65 Drains in Houses improved 129 Cesspools abolished 19 Accumulations of Dung and other Offensive Matter removed 112 Area Gratings, Cellar Flaps, &c., repaired 18 Trades' nuisances abated. The most noxious part of the businesses being discontinued. (The Boneboiling premises in Buck's Row, and a Fellmongers' premises in Buxton Street) 2 Cellars used as Dwellings discontinued for such use 1 Houses closed, the same being unfit for human habitation 24 Animals (Dogs) so kept as to be a nuisance, removed 3 Yards of Houses paved or the pavement repaired 152 In addition to this return, the Inspectors report that they have forwarded to the Police authorities several notices of dangerous structures, and have also given intimation to them of all the rooms which they have found, on a house to house visitation, to be occupied by more than one family. The Act requires that, all rooms so let, be registered under the Common Lodging House Act. 7 A case of the prolonged retention of a dead body occurred in a room of one of the houses in Inkhorn Court. The room was occupied by a family of 7 persons as a living and sleeping apartment, and had a cubic space of only 1536 feet, affording an average space to each person of 219 cubic feet. The court is very narrow, and has houses on each side, which are inhabited by 118 persons. The Inspector, on visiting this case, strongly urged upon the friends of the deceased to get the body removed immediately; but as an inquest was to be held, they said that they could not do so, and the result was that the burial did not take place for two days after, when the body became a disgusting nuisance. This room was ordered by the Inspector to be purified, which order the landlord obeyed by limewhiting the entire house, and he gave immediate notice to the tenants to quit the premises. On bringing this case under the notice of the Board, and pointing out to them that, as the 27th section of the Sanitary Act of 1866 had not been carried out, the officers had no power to compel the removal of a dead body, the Board unanimously passed a resolution to the effect, that it was expedient to have a Mortuary House erected in the district, and that the • Medical Officer and Surveyor be instructed to look out for a proper site whereon to erect a suitable building for that purpose. As the prejudices of the people must be considered in inducing them to conform to the necessity of having their dead removed to a mortuary house, care must be taken not to erect a building of such a repulsive character as will deter them from making use of it, although the building need not be of such an ornamental and expensive nature as will too deeply trench upon the rates of the district. The few existing dead houses in the district are all too small for the purposes intended by the Act, and are so inconveniently situated, that not one of them can be made available for the purposes of a Mortuary House. The evils arising from a long retention of a dead body in the living and sleeping room of a family have been so repeatedly pointed out, that I need not here recapitulate them, but many of them might be considerably mitigated if a similar custom prevailed in the large towns in England, as regards the period of retaining the dead among the living, as is found to prevail in some parts of the United Kingdom, viz.: a period varying from two to three days. Here, unfortunately, the custom is to retain a corpse for a period of seven or eight days. Owing to the facilities now afforded by railways of gathering together the friends of the deceased to attend the funeral, it is no longer necessary among the wealthy classes of society to retain a corpse, so long as might have been necessary before the invention of those rapid modes of conveyance. If therefore, the upper classes, seeing that there is now no necessity for delaying interment beyond two or three days, would set the example of early burial, their 8 influence on the ranks below them would soon be felt, and the pernicious practice of retaining the dead amongst the living for a week and upwards would cease. In order, however, to induce the poor to adopt a more speedy interment of their dead, an encouragement might be held out to them, by the parochial authorities offering to contribute a certain amount of the expenses in every case where the body was buried within three or four days. This offer would, no doubt, in many instances, be readily accepted, and it would probably be found, that after the custom of more early burial had prevailed among the people, it might be advantageously enacted that any person or persons retaining a dead body in any room of a dwellinghouse beyond the period prescribed by Act of Parliament, should incur a penalty of a certain amount for every twenty-four hours after the expiration of the time permitted by the Act. The subject of interments, both as regards its economic arrangements and sanitary importance has not received that consideration from the public which it demands. The great desideratum is to change the habits and taste of the people in their desire to have expensive funerals; for the delay of interment among the poor is principally caused by the difficulty they experience in raising a sufficient sum of money to pay the * undertaker. Trades' Nuisances. A memorial, very numerously signed by the inhabitants of Back Church Lane and its vicinity, was presented to the Board, complaining of the nuisance from the premises of Mr. Bringes, who carries on the business of re-burning animal charcoal. Upon the receipt of this memorial, the Board instructed me to inspect the premises complained of and report the result of my inspection to them at their next meeting. In accordance with my instructions, I visited the premises of Mr. Bringes, on the 14th May, and I reported that the complaints of the inhabitants were, in my opinion, well founded, for the smell from the factory was very offensive, and pervaded the neighbourhood to a considerable extent. The business appeared to me to be conducted in a very careless manner, a portion of the noxious gases escaping from the cylinders into the building and from thence through the open windows into the neighbourhood. Upon inquiry into the mode of conducting the business, I learnt that no proper provision was made for burning or otherwise destroying the gases given off from the process of re-burning the animal charcoal, but the greater portion of them was conveyed from the cylinders into the chimney-shaft and diffused over the neighbourhood to a considerable distance from the factory. Upon my report being submitted to the Board, J an order was signed by the Chairman to enable the Inspector to take legal 9 proceedings against Mr. Bringes, to compel an abatement of the nuisance. As the nuisance was not abated a summons was taken out, when Mr. Bringes attended the Police Court, and promised to make such alterations in the mode of conducting his business as would effectually destroy the noxious vapours, and so relieve the neighbourhood from the nuisance. I may, however, here observe that, unless the gases which are given off from the process of manufacture are entirely burnt, the neighbourhood will be subjected to their deleterious effects. As the premises in which this business is carried on are situated in a very confined locality, and are closely surrounded by inhabited houses, the utmost possible care is required in the process of re-burning the animal charcoal, to prevent the escape of the noxious effluvia. The process of throwing water upon the heated charcoal ought to be abandoned, as the smell from this operation is very offensive, and is altogether unnecessary. The plan adopted by some of the sugar refiners in the district in the re-burning of their animal charcoal is such that all the gases are burnt so soon as they are formed, It is, therefore, obvious, that Mr. Bringes has not adopted the best practicable means of carrying on his business so as to prevent nuisance. A complaint has again been made of the nuisance of the refinery. Premises of Sir Anthony Rothschild in Royal Mint Street, and the Board referred the matter to the same Committee that was appointed three months ago, when complaints of the nuisance were brought before the Board. The recent inquiry into the alleged nuisance was made by two members of the Committee, who had a long interview with several officers of the Royal Mint. These gentlemen convinced the Committee that efficient means were not adopted by Sir Anthony Rothschild to abate the nuisance. The nuisance was said to be most intolerable, and at times it was so bad that a dense vapour from the refinery premises was seen to hang over the open spaces in the Royal Mint. This vapour produced among the residents such great annoyance as to render it impossible for them to breathe without occasioning a violent cough. This testimony was confirmed by two police officers employed in the Mint. As the law at present stands, the Board, I believe, can only proceed against Sir Anthony Rothschild by indictment, but it is expected that, in the course of the next Session of Parliament, ths Nuisances' Removal Act will be so amended that nuisances of this description may be dealt with in a more summary manner. Ever since the Board has been constituted, complaints have, from time to time, been made of the nuisance from the premises, and very little abatement of the evil has, as yet been effected. I have no doubt that the nuisance can be suppressed, and it certainly is incumbent upon Sir Anthony Rothschild to relieve the neighbourhood from the injurious effects of the vapours which are now allowed to escape from his premises. It is admitted that a certain 10 portion of the sulphuric acid vapour does escape from the shaft, and if that portion produces the annoyance complained of it ought to be conveyed away and condensed. A complaint against a waste cotton factory in Sheppy Yard has been preferred, and an order has been served upon the proprietor, Mr. Schleman, to abate the nuisance. It appeared upon inquiry, that a large quantity of cotton in small particles is driven up a shaft which then fall about the neighbourhood, and make their way into the houses, yards, and cisterns of the inhabitants. The owner of these premises seemed to be perfectly aware of the nuisance, and he promised to adopt such means as would prevent its continuance. The nuisance is now partially abated. The Malt-roasting Premises of Messrs. French & Jupp, in Bell Lane, and of Mr. Walmsley, in Booth Street, have formed the subject of frequent complaints from the inhabitants residing in the neighbourhood of those factories. The irritating smoke and vapour which escape from these premises produce head-ache, smarting of the eyes, and cough; and I have no hesitation in stating my belief, that the inhaling of this smoke and vapour is not only a great nuisance, but is injurious to health. Unless these manufacturers adopt efficient means to destroy, within their premises, the noxious products of the roasting of Malt, it will be incumbent on the Board to take legal proceedings, to compel the abatement of the nuisance. The means hitherto adopted, either by Messrs. French & Jupp, or by Mr. Walmsley, have not proved sufficient to relieve the inhabitants from the deleterious effects of these nuisances. A complaint from some of the inhabitants of the Road-side was made to the Board, of a similar nuisance, from the Malt-roasting factory in the New Road, As this factory is not within the Whitechapel District, the Board directed Mr. Turner to write to the local authority of Mile End Old Town upon the subject. Unwholesome Food. Proceedings were taken against William Francis Smith, a butcher, residing at 76, Cable Street, for having on his premises a pig which was unfit for human food. The pig was seized by one of the Inspectors, and was conveyed to the Police Court. The Magistrate, on viewing the pig, condemned it as being unfit for food, and gave instructions that it should be [seen by the Medical Officer of Health. On seeing the pig, I felt satisfied that it was not fit for human food, and I directed the Inspector to have it conveyed to the Horse Slaughterer's premises, in Buck's Row, and see that it was destroyed. Mr. Smith was afterwards summoned for the offence, and fined £4, and £1 13s. 6d, costs. 11 A "Dame School" overcrowded. One of your Inspectors, on visiting No. 12, Butler Street, Spitalfields, found that the front room on the ground floor was used as a School-room for young children. The cubic capacity of the room was 1008 feet, and at the time of the Inspector's visit it contained 32 Children, besides the School-Mistress. The cubic space for each person in this room was only about 30 feet. The School hours were from 9 a.m. till 12 noon, and from 2 p.m. till 4 p.m. This room has since been discontinued to be used as a School-room, the School-Mistress, Mrs. Coombe, having taken the upper rooms, which are much larger, and she has reduced the number of her pupils to 22. Public Sewers and Gullies. The offensive emanations from the Sewers and Gullies have formed a subject of frequent complaint from many of the inhabitants of the District. Every person who has occasion to pass by some of the ventilating openings in the centre of the street, must have been conscious of the foul state of the Sewers. Some of the Sewers are entirely under the control of the Metropolitan Board, and consequently, with such, the local authority has no power to interfere; but with those Sewers which are under the management of the Board, it would be most desirable to have them frequently flushed, or otherwise cleansed. It was found that, during the prevalence of the Cholera, last year, the nuisance from this source was somewhat mitigated by suspending bags filled with Carbolate of Lime, immediately under the ventilating openings. The Sewers which have been mostly complained of are situated in Church Lane, Back Church Lane, Rosemary Lane, Pelham Street, Preston Street, Baker's Row, and High Street, Whitechapel. If the nuisance arising from any Sewer cannot be prevented, either by frequent flushing and cleansing, or by any other practicable means, then such Sewer should be entirely reconstructed, so that it may have such an inclination that deposits therein cannot take place. The offensive state of several of the gullies is also a matter of complaint. To remedy the nuisance from this source, I would suggest that the gullies be regularly cleansed, at stated intervals, whether they are stopped or otherwise, and the offensive material which is removed from them should be disinfected, and carted away with the least possible delay. It would be most desirable, during the warm weather, to have all the paved courts well flushed two or three times every week. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, JOHN LIDDLE. APPENDIX. TABLE I.—Cases of Sickness of the Zymotic and Acute classes, which are recorded in the Books of the Medical Officers of the Union, for the three months ending on the 29th June, 1867. Names of Medical Officers, Small-Pox. Measles. Scarlatina. Hooping-Cough. Diarrhœa. Continued Fever, Typhus & Typhoid. Cholera. Erysipelas. Puerperal Fever. Croup. Acute Pulmonary Inflammation. Carbuncle. Rheumatic Fever. Ague. Dysentery. Delirium Tremens. Diphtheria. All other Diseases. Total. Bronchitis and Catarrh. Pleuritis and Pneumonia. Dr. Swyer 48 i 5 26 82 19 1 7 0 0 15 31 2 17 0 4 3 0 841 1102 Mr. Champneys 31 1 6 69 13 1 4 0 0 29 1 0 4 0 6 1 0 476 642 Dr. Richardson 7 42 2 4 47 2 0 2 0 0 32 6 0 4 2 2 0 0 631 783 Mr. Sequiera 24 2 4 27 66 29 0 3 0 0 10 3 0 29 1 0 0 0 1329 1527 Total 110 46 11 63 264 63 2 16 0 0 86 41 2 54 3 12 4 0 3277 4054 Corresponding Quarter of previous year. 105 359 38 78 215 61 0 14 0 1 89 52 0 12 5 2 4 0 3173 4209 13 TABLE II.—Showing the Deaths from Epidemic Diseases for the Three Months ending 29th June, 1867. District. Small-Fox Measles Scarlet Fever Diphtheria HoopingCough Diarrhœa Fever Total Remarks. Artillery 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 Workhouse Spitalfields 1 0 2 0 6 2 4 15 Mile End N. Twn. 10 2 2 1 1 1 4 21 Whitechapel, N 8 3 0 0 5 1 5 17 Whitechapel Ch 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 4 Hospital Goodman's Fields 0 2 0 0 2 0 3 7 Aldgate 1 1 3 0 5 0 1 11 Total 15 8 8 1 22 5 17 76 Deaths from Epidemics for the corresponding quarter, 1866. 12 71 21 1 22 11 27 165 TABLE III.—Showing the Ages at Death in the Workhouse, and in the London Hospital, for the Quarter ending 29th June, 1867. 0 and under l 1 and under5 5 and undr20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and upwards Total Males 50 Femls 40 Corresponding Quarter of 1866. Workhouse 10 8 1 30 20 16 5 80 89 L. Hospital 0 12 14 30 39 9 0 Males 78 Femls 26 104 98 14 TABLE IV.—Age at Death in each Registration District, for the Three Months ending 29th June, 1867. Districts. 0 and under 1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and upwards Total Remarks. Artillery 8 3 2 1 7 4 0 25 Workhouse Spitalfields 23 21 7 8 10 9 3 81 Mile E. N. Town 29 26 5 34 34 21 5 154 "Whitechapel, N. 9 16 9 4 9 7 1 55 "Whitechapel Ch. 9 18 16 34 43 16 0 136 -Hospital Goodman's Fields 10 5 1 7 9 2 1 35 Aldgate 11 13 2 9 7 5 0 47 Totals 99 102 42 97 119 64 10 533 TABLE V.—The Births and Deaths in each Registration District, for the Three Months ending' on the 29th June, 1867. Districts. Births. Total. Deaths. Total Excess of Births over Deaths. Excess of Deaths over Births. Remarks. M. F. M. F. Artillery 27 22 49 11 14 25 24 0 Workhouse Spitalfields 77 56 133 46 35 81 52 0 Mile End N. Town. 83 92 175 84 70 154 21 0 Whitechapel, N. 46 62 108 29 26 55 53 0 Whitechapl. Church 29 29 58 97 39 136 0 78 London Hospital. Goodman's Fields 37 48 85 21 14 35 50 0 Aldgate 34 27 61 21 26 47 14 0 60 non-residents died in L. Hos. Totals 333 336 669 309 224 533 214 78 Excess of births over deaths, deducting the 60 non-residents 196 Population in 1861, 78,970. TABLE VI,—Causes of Death at Seven Periods of Life, registered in the Whitechapel District, for the Three Months ending 29th June, 1867. Causes of Death. 0 and under 1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and above Total. Causes of Death. 0 and under 1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and above. Total. I.—ZYMOTIC. Order 1—Miasmatic Brought forward 73 81 28 81 92 48 4 407 Order 4.—Digestive Organs. Small-Pox ... 12 1 1 1 ... ... 15 Measles 3 5 ... ... ... ... ... 8 Cancrum Oris ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Scarlatina ... 6 1 1 ... ... ... 8 Gastritis Diphtheria ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Enteritis Quinsy Peritonitis ... ... 1 1 ... 1 ... 3 Croup ... 4 ... ... ... ... ... 4 Ascites 1 ... ... ... 2 1 ... 4 Hoopmg-Cough 5 15 2 ... ... ... ... 22 Ulceratn. of Intestns Typhus Fever ... 3 3 4 4 2 1 17 Hernia (Rupture) 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Erysipelas 1 1 ... ... 1 2 ... 5 Ileus ... ... ... 1 1 ... ... 2 Puerperal Fever ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Intussusception 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Carbuncle ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 Fistula Influenza Stomach Disease, &c. ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 Dysentery Pancreas Disease, &c. Diarrhoea 2 2 ... ... ... 1 ... 5 Hepatitis ... ... ... 1 1 ... ... 2 Ague Liver Disease, &c. ... ... ... 1 4 1 ... 6 Remittent Fever Disease of Rectum Rheumatism ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 Order 5—Urinary Organs. Pyæmia Cholera Nephritis Order 2—Enthetic. Disease of Bladder ... ... ... 1 2 ... ... 3 Syphilis 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... 2 Nephria. (Bright's disease) ... ... ... ... 6 1 ... 7 Stricture of Urethra. Glanders ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Diabetes ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 Order 3—Dietic. Prostrate Disease Privation Kidney Disease, &c. ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 Want of Breast Milk. Retention ... ... ... ... 1 1 ... 2 Purpura and Scurvy 1 ... ... ... ... 2 ... 3 Order 6—Organs of Generation. Alcoholism—Delirm. Tremens ... ... ... 1 ... 1 ... 2 ,, Intemperance. Uterus Disease, &c. Ovariotomy Dropsy ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 Lead Poisoning Ovariotomy Order 4—Parasitic Order 7- Organs of Locomotion. Thrush Worms, &c. Joint Disease II—CONSTITUTNL Order 1—Diathetic. Bones, &c. ... ... 2 1 ... ... ... 3 Spinal Disease, &c. ... ... ... 1 1 ... ... 2 Dropsy ... ... ... ... 3 1 1 5 Order mentary System. Cancer ... ... 1 ... 3 ... ... 4 Mortification 1 1 ... 1 1 1 ... 5 Skin Disease Abscess or Tumour 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 IV.—DEVELOPMENTAL. Noma Order 2—Tubrculr. Scrofula Order 1—Disease of Children. Tabes Mesenterica 15 10 ... ... ... ... ... 25 Premature Birth 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Phthisis (Consmptn) ... 2 7 45 32 8 ... 94 Cyanosis 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Hydrocephalus 3 ... 1 ... ... ... ... 4 Spina Bifida 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 III.—LOCAL. Order 1—Nervous System. Other Malformations Teething 3 7 ... ... ... ... ... 10 Cephalitis 5 1 ... 1 ... ... ... 7 Ordre 2- Diseases of Adult Apoplexy ... ... ... 5 6 7 ... 18 Childbirth ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 Palsy (Paralysis) ... 1 ... 1 1 2 1 6 Order 3—Diseases of Old People. Insanity Tetanus 1 ... 1 1 ... ... ... 1 Old Age ... ... ... ... ... 7 6 13 Epilepsy ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 Premature Decay Convulsions 16 4 ... ... ... ... ... 20 Order 4—Diseases of Nutrition. Brain Disease, &c 2 ... 1 1 2 ... ... 6 Spinal Meningitis ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 Atrophy & Debility 9 3 ... ... ... ... ... 12 Order 2—Organs of Circulation. V.—VIOLENT DEATHS. Anæmia ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 Order 1—Accidents or Negligence Pericarditis Aneurism ... ... ... 1 ... 1 ... 2 Burns and Scalds ... 3 ... 1 ... ... ... 4 Heart Disease, &c. ... 1 2 4 12 1 ... 20 Poison ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Phlebitis Suffocation 6 ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 Syncope Violence ... 7 7 3 7 3 ... 27 Phlegmasia Dolens Drowning ... ... 2 1 ... ... ... 3 Order 3—Respiratory Organs. Order 3—Homicide. Murder & Manslgter. ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Laryngismus Order 4—Suicide. Laryngitis Wounds Bronchitis 5 2 2 4 11 11 1 36 Poison Pleurisy ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Hanging ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Pneumonia 11 10 4 4 6 2 ... 37 Drowning Lung Disease, &c. ... ... 1 2 6 5 ... 14 Not Specified ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Carried forward 73 81 28 81 02 48 4 407 Grand Total 99 102 42 97 119 64 10 533 BOARD OF WORKS, WHITECHAPEL DISTRICT. REPORT on The Sanitary Condition of THE WHITECHAPEL DISTRICT, For the Quarter ending 28th September, 1867, BY JOHN LIDIDLE, medical officer of health. Presented to the Hoard, 28th Oct., 1867. LONDON: printed by t. penny, 121, leman street, whitechapel. 1867. REPORT of the MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH, for the Quarter ending 28th September, 1867. To the Board of Works, Whitechapel District. Gentlemen, In the Quarter that ended on Saturday, September 28th, there were registered in the Whitechapel Bistrict 630 births, viz., 321 males and 309 females. The deaths during the same period were 570; of these there were 338 of males and 232 of females. In the corresponding Quarter of last year, the births were 582 and the deaths 1479. The deaths in the London Hospital have been 117, viz., 80 males and 37 females. Of the deaths in this Institution, there have been 18 of residents, 63 of non-residents, and 36 of persons who died from the result of accident and from sudden death. Epidemic diseases have been fatal to 138, which is nearly one-fourth of the total mortality. There have been 4 deaths from small-pox, 8 from measles, 3 from scarlet fever, 1 from diphtheria, 14 from hooping cough, 77 from diarrhoea, 22 from fever, 4 from cholera, and 5 from choleraic diarrhoea. In the corresponding Quarter of the previous year, the deaths from epidemic diseases were 1026, including 809 from cholera and 98 from diarrhoea. The deaths caused by diseases of the respiratory organs, exclusive of consumption, are 56; of these, 21 are attributed to bronchitis, 28 to pneumonia, 2 to laryngitis, and 5 to other diseases of the lungs. The tubercular class of diseases proved fatal to 116; of these 56 died from consumption, 50 from mesenteric disease, 9 from hydrocephalus and 1 from scrofula. The deaths from violence were 32; from burns and scalds 6 ; from poison (viz., raw spirits in great excess) 1; from suffocation in bed (infants) 2 ; from drowning 4 ; and from wounds self inflicted 2. 4 The mortality of children under 5 years of age has been 269. This is 47.1 per cent. of the total mortality. The rate varies in each of the subdistricts from 27.7 to 73.8 per cent. The deaths of persons above 80 years of age have been 10; of these one is recorded to have occurred at the age of 94, and another at the very advanced age of 110 years. The number of inquests has been 62, of which 40 were held on bodies of persons who died in the London Hospital. In the corresponding Quarter of last year, the number of inquests was 70. Five persons died from injuries caused by vehicles in the public streets. The reckless driving, now so common in the public streets, ought to be prohibited, and all persons so driving should be severely punished. The returns of the Registrar General show that the rain-fall in the metropolis during the Quarter has been 11.40 inches. During the corresponding quarter of last year the rain-fall was 6.27. The mean temperature of the ah was 59.8°. The hottest day during the Quarter was on "Wednesday, August 14th, when the thermometer in the shade indicated 89.0°. The following table, taken from the returns of the Registrar General, shows the comparative results during the Quarter :— LONDON. July 6th. July 13th. July 20th. July 27th. Aug. 3rd-. Aug. 10th. Aug. 17th. Aug. 24th. Aug. 31st. Sept. 7th. Sept. 14th. Sept. 21st. Sept. 28th. Deaths from Diarrhœa 54 115 170 196 217 189 200 196 226 198 203 114 108 Deaths from Cholera 6 12 11 15 19 13 15 18 22 20 25 12 15 Mean Temperature of the Air 61.9° 60.0° 59.2° 59.2° 55.0° 60.1° 66.1° 63.7° 61.7° 63.2° 60.1° 54.8° 53.0° Rain-fall in inches 0.31 0.05 1.75 3.73 00.0 1.09 0.77 0.59 0.20 0.46 1.18 0.16 0.13 Deaths in London 1130 1262 1230 1347 1291 1274 1391 1247 1288 1283 1262 1138 1194 Deaths in Whitechapel District 45 34 58 40 44 36 46 45 38 45 50 43 46 The deaths in the Workhouse have been 71; viz., 44 males and 27 females. Of these 1 was from diarrhoea, 1 from choleraic diarrhoea, and 2 from fever. In the corresponding Quarter of last year, the deaths in the Workhouse were 129, including 2 from diarrhoea, 1 from fever and 60 from cholera. The Medical Officers of the Union have attended 3958 new cases of illness, including 41 of small pox, 44 of measles, 13 of scarlet-fever, 18 of hooping cough, 836 of diarrhoea, 2 of choleraic diarrhoea, 1 of cholera and 61 of fever. In the corresponding Quarter of last year, the total number of cases was 4547 ; including 34 of small-pox, 244 of measles, 55 of scarletfever, 41 of hooping-cough, 1021 of diarrhoea, 50 of cholera, 26 of choleraic diarrhoea, and 80 of fever. 5 Water Supply Since my last Quarterly Report eight additional water waste preventers have been erected There are now thirty-three in the District The following are the localities in which a water waste preventer has been fixed: Osborn Court, Garden Place, Pool's Place, Swan Court, Well's Yard, New Court, George Yd Neatsby Court, Dinah's Buildings, Crown Ct , Wentwth St Pratt's Alley, Hobson's Court, Hobson's Place, New Ct , Little Pearl St , Trumpet Court, Johns'Place, Norwich Court, New Square, Montague Court, Jones Buildings, Inkhorn Court, Angel Alley, Providence Court, Caroline Place, Tewksbury Buildings, Marlborough Court, White Bear Court, Green Dragon Yard, Queen's Place, Haye's Court, Miller's Court, Jacob's Court, Vine Yard, Horn's Buildings Thirty of the above Courts are supplied by the East London Water Company, and three by the New River Company The East London Company is willing to supply all the Courts with water direct from the main, but the New River Company make so many objections to the use of the water waste preventers, that landlords cannot make similar arrangements with that Company as with the East London If the two Companies were to act in a similarly liberal spirit, as regards the supplying of water on high pressure to the poor localities, the constant supply would soon be general throughout the District, and the butts and cisterns, which, for the most part, are unfitted for the purpose of storing water for the poor, would no longer be used I have been in frequent communication with the New River Company upon the subject of substituting water waste preventers for the receptacles now in use, and I was in hopes that the objections against the erection of these machines had been overcome; but, from the fact of there being only three of them in this District which are supplied by the New River Company against thirty supplied by the East London, it would appear that the former Company is determined to oppose the general use of these machines It is true, that if four-fifths of the landlords or tenants of those houses supplied by the same main were to memorialize the Company they could compel them to provide a constant supply; but the owners of property in poor neighbourhoods are, for the most part, unwilling to incur expense or trouble in such a matter; and unless the Company will facilitate the adoption of water waste preventers, it will be difficult for the local Boards to get them erected It is certainly very discouraging to the Sanitary Officers of your Board to find that their efforts to obtain for the poor a better mode of supply of water are frustrated by the New River Company Some of the landlords are willing to erect water waste preventers, but the Company refuse to supply them with water except under certain absurd restrictions which cannot be complied with 6 The conduct of the New River Company is tantamount to saying that they will not allow water waste preventers to be used in the District supplied by them At present, owing to the want of responsibility of the water companies to any authority, public opinion is disregarded; and although they are invested with arbitrary powers, those powers are not exercised for the benefit of the inhabitants either as regards their health or comfort It therefore now is incumbent upon the public to petition the legislature to so amend the Water Act, as shall compel the companies to behave in a more liberal manner, so that the sanitary condition of the people may be promoted The question of the health and lives of the people is involved in this matter, and consequently it admits of no delay The companies need be under no fear of persons using water without paying for it, for every exertion has been made, and will continue to be made, by the Sanitary Officers of this Board, to compel the landlord of each house to supply it with water If a house let out in tenements is not supplied with water, such house is, in my opinion, unfit for habitation, and may be closed until water is laid on to it It is expected that the Royal Commission on the Water Supply of London will recommend that it shall be made compulsory on the companies to adopt the system of constant supply COURTS SUPPLIED WITH WATER BY MEANS OF A STAND-TAP ONLY The following Courts are now the only ones in this District which have only the old fashioned stand-tap, from which water flows daily (Sundays excepted) for a period of about half an hour: Bond's Buildings, Earthing Alley, Gower's Place, Keate Court, Hunt Court, Eele Place, Garden Court, New Court in Quaker Street, Wilk Court, Half Wilk Court, Union Court in Wheeler Street, Coburg Court, and Queen Court in King Street, Spitalfields I have advised the Board to cause all the houses in these Courts to be registered The result of which recommendation I expect will be that all these Courts will shortly be provided with water by means of water waste preventers Sanitary Wore The following return shows the amount of work done by the Sanitary Inspectors during the quarter:— Number of houses visited, as shown in the official returns 8335 Houses systematically visited and rooms measured to ascertain their cubic capacity 729 Number of rooms found to be overcrowded, the space being less than 300 cubic feet for each person, reckoning two children for one adult 11 Number of cases of indecent occupation discovered 37 Preliminary Notices served 839 7 Compulsory Orders issued for 120 premises 40 Summonses heard at Police Courts 5 Houses in which the rooms or passages have been whitewashed 312 Dust-bins provided 67 Privies cleansed or repaired 251 Water-butts or Cisterns provided 106 Drains in houses improved 158 Cesspools abolished 18 Accumulations of dung and other offensive matter removed 134 Area gratings, cellar flaps, &c , repaired 36 Trades' nuisances abated 3 Houses closed, the same being unfit for human habitation 4 Animals (dogs) so kept as to be a nuisance, removed 4 Yards of houses paved or the pavement repaired 208 In addition to this return, the Inspectors report that they have forwarded to the police authorities several notices of dangerous structures, and have also given intimation to them of all the rooms which they have found on a house to house visitation, or on private information, to be occupied by more than one family These cases are about fifteen in number The Act requires that all rooms, so let, be registered under the Common Lodging House Act Prom the above return it is seen that, out of 729 houses, containing' about 2551 rooms, only 11 of them were found to be overcrowded The total number of houses which have been systematically visited since January last has been 2431, which (allowing on an average 3½ rooms to a house) contain 8578 rooms Of these rooms, only 94 were found to be overcrowded, which is about 1 1 per cent , or 11 in 1000 These returns have been made from information received from the occupants on a visit made in the day time by the Inspectors If the returns are correct, there will be very few poor people inconvenienced by the putting in force of the regulations as to overcrowding If, however, the returns were to be made as the result of night visits, the number in each room might be different It also appears, from the above return, that 839 notices have been served within the last three months upon the owners of property in consequence of certain sanitary defects which were discovered on inspection I am, however, sorry to have to report that some of the large owners of property have, to a great extent, disregarded the notices, as is shown by the subjoined table, which shows the localities in which notices have been served upon the owners to effect sanitary improvements, but which have been totally disregarded or only partially complied with 8 Names of Places No of Houses No of Notices No of House where work is partially done No of Houses where work has not been begun  Hunt Court 8 2 None 8 Keate Court 7 1 None 7 Pelham Street 8 2 1 7 Eele Place 9 2 None 9 Love Court 9 9 9 None Little Pearl Street 3 3 None 3 Jones' Buildings 11 11 3 8 Wagener's Buildings 30 26 10 None Gowers' Place 18 15 9 6 Rupert Street 6 6 6 None Cartwright Street 25 25 None 23 Cartwright Square 17 17 8 9 Crown Court 31 31 8 23 Peter's Court 7 7 1 None Peter's Court (Little) 4 4 4 None Turner Street 7 7 7 None Darby Street 14 14 13 None Grigg's Court 10 10 10 None Enoch's Court 6 6 6 None Gross Total 240 198 101 103 Since the 28th September, 16 additional notices have been served for sanitary defects in Jones' Buildings, none of which have been attended to (Nov 9,1867 ) I have great cause to complain of this neglect on the part of the owners of property, not only on account of the waste of the Inspectors' time, which might be more usefully employed in extending the area of their inspections, but on account of the injury to the health of the tenants by the continuance of the nuisances In many instances, it is only after the serving of repeated notices, personal interviews, writing letters, taking out compulsory orders, and perhaps summonses, that the necessary works are completed An alteration, therefore, in our mode of proceeding, is absolutely necessary, in order to compel the owners of certain house property to execute the required sanitary works without unnecessary delay To bring about a more speedy compliance on the part of the owners of property let out in tenements, I advise the Board either to cause all those houses in this district that are let out in tenements, which are not kept in a proper sanitary condition, to be registered under its regulations, or to take proceedings under the Metropolis Local Management Act, and execute the work themselves, and charge the owners with the expense; or to proceed against them for the recovery of penalties for neglecting to comply with the orders of the Board The good effect of either of such proceedings would soon be apparent It is manifest, from a perusal of the above table showing the neglect of certain owners of property, that our present mode of proceeding in endeavouring to improve the sanitary condition of the district must be abandoned, and a more summary method adopted in its stead It is stated by some of the tenants living in certain of the localities complained of, that their rooms have not been limewashed for periods varying from five to thirteen years The excuse made by an owner, when pressed to do the whitewashing of the rooms after 9 some months had elapsed since the orders were given, was, that the first week in November is too late for doing such work, although notices for the cleansing of his houses had been served in the summer months, and, having neglected to do the work at the proper time, now refuses to do it at all As a rule, it would be desirable, as I suggested in the Code of Regulations submitted for approval to the Board, that the rooms of the houses let out in tenements should be limewhited three times in every year; and I am glad to find, from the Regulations of the Vestry of Shoreditch, which have recently received the sanction of the Secretary of State, that it is required of landlords to thoroughly cleanse and limewash twice at least in every year the walls and ceiling of every room, staircase, passage, yard and privy of every lodging-house Trades' Nuisances Complaints still continue to be made of the nuisance from Sir Anthony Rothschild's premises The various remonstrances made by this Board to Sir Anthony Rothschild respecting the baneful influence of vapours from his factory, have not caused much abatement of the nuisance; and unless the business carried on by Sir A Rothschild be included in the category of offensive trades, so that proceedings can be taken under the Nuisances' Removal Act, this nuisance will probably remain unabated The re-burning of animal charcoal in some factories is not conducted in a satisfactory manner, inasmuch as the offensive vapours which are given off during the process, are felt at some distance from the factories The two factories which have been complained of, are situate within a short distance of each other, the one being in Back Church Lane, the other in Rupert Street Before my next Quarterly Report is presented to the Board, I hope to be able to report that not only has the nuisance from both those premises been abated, but also that from the malt-roasting premises of Mr Walmsley in Booth Street, and of Messrs French and Jupp in Bell Lane Cow Houses There are 23 cow-houses in this district, which, as estimated by their cubic contents (allowing 1000 cubic feet to each cow) are adapted to contain 252 cows All of these premises have been recently visited by the Sanitary Officers, and wherever the drainage and cleanliness of the premises were found to be in an unsatisfactory condition, notices were served upon the respective owners to remedy the defects At the Petty Sessions held in this district in October, 1866, the magistrates acted upon the recommendation of your Board to limit the number of cows in each shed according to its cubic dimensions, and the bench granted the license to each applicant upon the condition that 1000 cubic feet should be given to each cow After the applicant had obtained his license, the following notice was sent to him by the Clerk to your Board 10 I am directed by the Board to inform you that your premises in have been licensed as a cow-house by the magistrates upon evidence which was submitted to them, as a place fit for the reception of cows and no more; and I have been directed by the Board to give you notice that if a larger number of cows than that numbered are kept by you at any one time, any future application on your part for a license for those premises will be opposed by the Board To Mr (Signed) ALFRED TURNER, Clerk Upon the receipt of the above notice, the cow-keepers had no excuse for not knowing the number of cows that their premises were licensed to contain; yet, upon inspection it was found that eight of the cow-keepers had disregarded the terms of their license, as regarded the number of cows they were allowed to keep Upon my Report to the Board, the Clerk was instructed to mention the fact to the magistrates on the next licensing day, which was to be held on the 14th October, 1867, but on that occasion the bench ruled that they had no power to limit the number of cows in any shed licensed by them, as being fit for the purpose of keeping cows It was said that the place was licensed and not the proprietor The wholesome rule, therefore, that was adopted last year limiting the number of cows, was not carried out on the recent occasion This is much to be lamented, for the probability of the license being withheld, in case of the proprietor not observing proper sanitary regulations, both as regards the number of cows in reference to the size of the premises, and the general mode of conducting the business, would induce each proprietor to attend to the directions of the Sanitary Officers, and thus prevent the necessity of their adopting legal proceedings, under the Nuisances' Removal Act The local authority in St Pancras, has been well supported by the licensing magistrates for that district, for they have adopted the recommendation of that Board by licensing only those places as cow-houses, in which the owners promised not to keep more cows than will allow of each animal having 1000 cubic feet Moreover, the number for which he is licensed is marked on the license It is for the health of the neighbourhood as well as for the health of the cows that this rule has been laid down If the correct reading of the Act be that the magistrates have no power to limit the number of cows in any premises sought to be licensed, then the sooner the Act is amended the better it will be for the health of the district On visiting some of these overcrowded cow-houses, I have found them to be very great nuisances, not only to the immediate neighbourhood, but to a considerable distance from the premises It will, therefore, now be necessary in case of nuisance from any cow-house where the number of cows is excessive, and where the business is otherwise improperly conducted, to take proceedings under the 8th Section of the Nuisances' Removal Act, and again to urge upon the magistrates at the next licensing day, the propriety of their not granting a renewal of the licence; for it is obvious that if a cow house, which may be suitable for holding six cows only, is occupied by twelve, the place is at 11 once rendered unfit, and is a nuisance Since the granting of the licenses, a notice has been sent to each cow-keeper, informing him that he must not keep more than a fixed number of cows on his premises, and if that number is exceeded, the Board will oppose the granting of a license at the next licensing day; and if, in the mean time, an excessive number of cows arc kept on his premises, the Board will institute such proceedings against him as they may be advised Slaughter Houses At the last licensing day, 44 persons applied for a license for slaughtering cattle, to all of whom the license was granted, the several premises having been inspected by the Sanitary Officers, who reported that they were clean, well drained and ventilated A new application for a slaughter house was granted, notwithstanding the enactment of the 55th clause of the Building Act, 1846, which expressly prohibits the newly carrying on such a business as the slaughtering of cattle The object of this valuable enactment was to entirely prevent the slaughtering of cattle in London after a definite period In the year, 1857, the magistrates, in Quarter Sessions held in Clerkenwell, refused to license a slaughter house in "Whitechapel High Street, although it was better suited for such purpose than many others, upon the ground that it Avas a new application, and as such it was not in the power of the magistrates to grant the application The magistrates for the St James's district refused to grant a license for a slaughter house on the ground that it was a new application, and that they had, therefore, no power to do so; the 55th clause of the Building Act, 7 & 8 Vict , c 84, being unrepealed So long, however, as there is a different mode of action by the magistrates in the several districts -of the metropolis, as regards the enactment respecting new slaughter-houses, it is a matter of chance whether or not the applicant obtains a license The question of granting licenses either for cow-houses or for slaughterhouses, should in each case be decided by the magistrates upon evidence adduced before them The magistrates are alone responsible for the granting, or otherwise, of the license; and even if the local Boards decline to offer opposition to a renewal of any licence, the magistrates are not thereby relieved of their responsibility Neither the local Boards nor the magistrates appear to act with uniformity in these matters Public Mortuary House The question of erecting a public mortuary house has been brought under the notice of the Board; and although a resolution has been passed by the Board that a mortuary house ought to bo erected, yet no site for that purpose has been selected I have pointed out four sites which, in my opinion, would be suitable, viz : 1st, the burial ground of Spitalfields; 2nd, the burial ground of Whitechapel; 3rd, a piece of ground embracing a portion of the Stone Yard in the Whitechapel Boad, together with Bell Court and 12 Bell Place, where there are several small houses unfit for human habitation, and which belong to the Trustees of the Parish Estates; and 4th, the burial ground of the old Whitechapel Workhouse A complaint has again been made of the prolonged retention of the dead body of a child in a room in Lambeth Street, occupied by a family of four persons as a living and sleeping room When the complaint was made the body of the child had remained nine days in the room, and it was uncertain how much longer it would be kept unburied Removal of Manure The regular and periodical removal of manure from stables, cow-houses, and laystalls has been repeatedly brought under the notice of your Board; and although your Board has power, under the 53rd section of the Sanitary Act, to issue notices for the periodical removal of manure and other offensive matter, yet no steps have hitherto been taken to carry this clause into effect All manure heaps should be removed at least three times every week The 95th clause of the Amended Metropolis Act gives you power to contract for the periodical removal of manure, where the owner will give his consent; but this clause has not been put in operation Disinfection of Clothing, &c The 23rd section of the Sanitary Act gives power to the Vestries and District Boards to provide a proper place, with all necessary apparatus and attendance, for the disinfection of clothing and bedding Although this important clause has been more than once brought under the notice of the Board, no steps have been taken to provide such a place When a suitable disinfecting room has been provided, and furnished with a proper washing and drying apparatus, and means of applying heat above 260 degrees, it will be necessary to obtain a suitable covered vehicle to convey such articles as may have been infected by small-pox, fever, cholera, and other contagious diseases to the disinfecting room This is a most important clause, and it ought to be carried into effect with as little delay as possible Public Complaint Book It is gratifying to me to be able to report that, during this quarter, not a single entry of the existence of a nuisance has been entered in the Public Complaint Book Registration of Houses The registration of houses let out in tenements is one of the most valuable enactments in the last Sanitary Act, but unfortunately it was made permissive and not compulsory; so that the several Yestries and district Boards in London have used their discretion in either giving effect to it or otherwise Your Board, after considerable discussion and several adjournments, prepared a code of rules to be observed by the owners of such houses, and these rules received the sanction of the Secretary of State on the 4th of May last After these rules were printed, I brought under the notice of 13 your Board several houses in different parts of the district which, in my opinion, from the sanitary defects in them, ought to have been placed upon the register, so that a more speedy method of compelling the respective owners to remedy such defects might be adopted The Board having reserved to itself the power of determining as to the propriety of causing any house to be placed upon the register, this enactment, which was framed, not only for the improvement of the moral and physical condition of the poor, but for the benefit of the whole community, has been carried into effect in only one instance I do however, most1 sincerely hope that all those houses in which there is not sufficient privy accommodation for the inmates, where the water supply is deficient, and where the rooms are overcrowded or indecently occupied, will be placed upon the register My duty, as your Medical Officer of Health, regarding the regulation of lodging houses is clear, viz , to bring under your notice at every meeting of the Committee of "Works, a list of all houses let out in tenements, in which the owners have suffered sanitary defects to remain unattended to The placing of these houses upon the register will compel a more speedy removal of all nuisances therefrom, and thereby prevent any extraneous interference either on the part of the Secretary of State or of the police, with the management of this district The "Workshop Regulation Act, 30 & 31 V , C cxlvi In conclusion, I wish to bring under the notice of the Board, certain very important provisions in the above recited Act This Act which will come into operation on the 1st of January next, provides for regulating the hours of labour for children, young persons and women employed in workshops, and for other purposes relating thereto The Act applies to the whole of the United Kingdon, and gives power to officers appointed by local authority, to enter workshops to see whether the provisions of this Act, or of the Sanitary Act, 1866, are contravened It is provided amongst other things that children employed in workshops shall attend school for at least ten hours every week, and the parent of every child employed in a workshop shall cause that child to attend school; and every parent who wilfully fails to act in conformity with this section, (15) shall be liable to a penalty of not more than twenty shillings for each offence The provisions of this Act render it compulsory upon parents to cause their children employed in workshops to be educated Its provisions are also framed to preserve the health of all persons employed in any workshop where grinding, glazing, or polishing on a wheel, or any other process is carried on, by which dust is generated and inhaled by workmen to an injurious extent I am, Gentlemen, Tour obedient servant, 15, Great Alie Street JOHN LIDDLE APPENDIX TABLE I — Cases of Sickness of the Zymotic and Acute Classes, which are recorded in the Books of the Medical Officers of the Union, for the Three Months ending on the 28th September, 1867 Names of Medical Officers Small-Pox Measles Scarlatina Hooping-Cough Diarrhœa Continued Fever, Typhus & Typhoid Cholera Choleraic Diarrhoea Erysipelas Puerperal Fever Carbuncle Acute Pulmonary Inflammation Croup Rheumatic Fever Ague Dysentery Delirium Tremens All other Diseases Total Bronchitis and Catarrh Pleuritis and Pneumonia Dr Swyer 26 17 4 6 248 13 0 1 9 1 0 21 26 1 11 0 5 2 657 1048 Mr Champneys 7 0 0 0 209 18 0 1 1 0 0 14 3 0 1 0 1 0 465 720 Dr Richardson 4 3 8 2 165 15 1 0 2 0 1 23 1 0 5 0 0 0 569 799 Mr Sequiera 4 24 1 10 214 15 0 0 2 0 0 11 3 2 6 0 1 J 1 1107 1401 Total 41 44 13 18 836 61 1 2 14 1 1 69 33 3 23 0 7 3 2798 3968 Corresponding Quarter of previous Year 34 244 55 41 1021 80 50 26 13 0 3 51 37 6 3 1 6 4 2882 4547 TABLE III—The Births and Deaths in each Registration District, for the Three Months ending on the 23th September, 1867 . Districts. Births. Total. Deaths. Total. Excess of Births over Deaths. Excess of Deaths over Births . Remarks M F M F Workhouse Artillery 30 20 50 17 11 28 22 0 Spitalfields 57 43 100 44 25 69 31 0 Mile End N Town 65 69 134 77 62 139 0 5 Whitechapel, N 57 60 117 40 28 68 49 0 London Hospital WhitechplChurch 41 45 86 110 65 175 0 89 Goodman's Fields 44 47 91 22 20 42 49 0 63 Non-residents died in the London Hospital Aldgate 27 25 52 28 21 49 3 0 Totals 321 309 630 338 232 570 154 94 Excess of Births over Deaths, deducting the 63 non-residents, 123 Population in 1861, 78,970 TABLE IT - -Showing the Deaths from Epidemic Diseases, for the Three Months ending 28th September, 1867 Districts Small-Pox Measles Scarlet-Fever Diphtheria HoopingCough Diarrhoea Fever Cholera and Choleraic Diarrhœa Total Remarks Artillery 0 3 0 0 1 2 2 0 8 Workhouse. Spitalfields 0 3 0 0 2 6 1 1 43 Mile End New Town 2 0 0 0 3 17 6 2 30 Whitechapel, North 1 1 1 0 2 15 4 0 24 Whitechapel Church 0 0 1 1 2 14 7 5 30 Hospital. Goodman's Fields 1 0 1 0 2 11 1 0 16 Aldgate 0 1 0 0 2 12 1 1 17 Total 4 8 3 1 14 77 22 9 138 Deaths from Epidemics for the corresponding Quarter, 1866. 8 49 19 1 17 98 25 809 1026 TABLE IV —Ages at Death in each Registration District, for the Three Months ending 28th September, 1867 Districts 0 and under 1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and upwards Total Remarks Artillery 14 7 4 1 2 0 0 28 Workhouse. Spitalfields 29 18 3 3 9 6 1 69 Mile E. N. Town 36 13 5 24 26 33 2 139 Whitechapel, N 20 22 4 4 9 7 2 68 Whitechapel Ch 25 24 19 38 41 24 4 175 Hospital. Goodman's Fields 20 11 0 5 4 1 1 42 Aldgate 16 14 3 5 7 4 0 49 Totals 160 109 38 80 98 75 10 570 From the above Table it will be seen that the rate of mortality of children under 5 years of age is very high in most of the Sub-districts Thus, in the Artillery Sub-district, the mortality of young children in relation to the total deaths is 75.0 per cent.; in the Goodman's Fields it is 73.8 per cent.; and in the Spitalfield's it is 68.1 per cent. 4 TABLE V —Showing the Ages at Death in the Workhouse, and in the London Hospital for the Quarter ending 28th September, 1867 0 and under 1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 j 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 end upwards Total Males, 44 Females, 27 Corresponding Quarter of 1866 Workhouse 7 1 1 15 20 25 2 71 129 London Hospital 2 7 17 36 28 24 3 Males, 80. 393 Females, 37. 117 A widow, aged 110 years, sustained a fracture of the leg from being rim over, and died in the London Hospital, TABLE VI —Causes of Death at Seven Periods of Life, registered in the Whitechapel District, for the Three Months ending 28th September, 1867 Causes op Death 0 and under 1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and above Total Causes of Death 0 and under 1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and above Total  1 —ZYMOTIC I —Miasmatic Brought Forward IV — Digestive Organs 128 98 23 61 75 44 2 431 Small-pox 1 3 ... ... ... ... ... 4 Measles 2 5 1 8 Cancrum Oris ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Scarlatina ... 3 ... ... ... ... ... 3 Gastritis ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Diphtheria ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Enteritis 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Quinsy ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 Peritonitis ... ... 2 1 ... ... ... 3 Croup ... 6 1 ... ... ... ... 7 Ascites ... ... ... ... 2 ... ... 2 Hooping Cough 5 9 ... ... ... ... 14 Ulc. of Intestines ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 Typhus Fever ... 3 6 ... 6 ... ... 22 Hernia (Rupture) ... ... ... ... 2 2 1 5 Erysipelas ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 Ileus 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Puerperal Fever ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Intussusception Carbuncle Fistula Influenza Stomach Disease, &c ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Dysentery 1 ... ... 1 ... ... ... 2 Pancreas Disease, &c Diarrhoea 46 24 2 ... 1 3 1 77 Hepatitis ... ... ... 1 1 ... ... 2 Cholera 4 1 ... 3 1 ... ... 9 Liver Disease, &c ... ... ... 3 1 ... ... 4 Ague Esophagus Disease ... ... ... ... 2 ... ... 2 Remittent Fever . V —Urinary Organs Rheumatism ... ... 1 1 ... ... ... 2 Pyaemia ... ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Nephritis II —Enthetic Disease of Bladder ... ... 1 1 Syphilis 1 1 ... 1 ... ... ... 3 Nephria (Bright's Disease ... ... ... 1 2 ... ... 3 Stricture of Urethra Hydrophobia Diabetes III —Dietic Stone Privation Prostate Disease ... ... ... ... ... 1 ... 1 Want of Breast Milk Purpura 2 ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Kidney Disease, &c ... 1 ... 2 ... 1 ... 4 Retention ... ... ... ... 2 2 ... 4 Alcholism—D Trem ... ... ... 2 2 1 ... 5 VI — Organs 01 Generation ,, —Intemp Lead Poisoning Ovarian Dropsy ... ... ... ... 2 ... ... 2 IV —Parasitic Uterus Disease, &c Thrush VII —Organs or Locomotion "Worms, &c 2 — CONSTI TUTIONAL Joint Disease, &c ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 Bones, &c 1 1 2 Spinal Disease 1 1 2 I —Diathetic VIII — Integumentary System Gout Dropsy ... ... ... ... 2 2 ... 4 Phlegmon Cancer ... ... ... 6 8 4 ... 18 Skin Disease, &c Mortification Ulcer Abscess or Tumour Noma Xaevus 4 —DEVELOPMENTAL II —Tubercular Scrofula ... 1 ... ... ... ... ... 1 I —Diseases of Children Tabes Mesenterica 32 1 5 2 ... 1 ... ... 50 Phthisis (Consumtn ) ... 2 4 31 14 5 ... 50 Premature Birth 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Hydrocephalus 2 7 ... ... ... ... 9 Cyanosis 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Spina Bifida 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 3 —LOCAL Other Malformations 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 I —Nervous System Teething 2 3 ... ... ... ... ... 5 II —Diseases of Adults Cephalitis 4 4 ... ... ... ... ... 8 Apoplexy ... ... ... ... 2 4 ... 6 Paramenia Palsy (Paralysis) ... ... ... ... 2 8 1 11 Childbirth Insanity III —Diseases of Old People Tetanus Epilepsy Old Age ... ... ... ... ... 10 4 14 Convulsions 15 1 ... ... ... ... ... 16 Premature Decay ... ... ... ... ... 7 ... 1 Chorea ... ... 1 ... ... ... ... 1 IV —Diseases of Nutrition Brain Disease, &c ... ... 1 2 1 ... ... 4 II — Organs or Circulation Atrophy & Debility 17 ... ... ... ... ... ... 17 5 —VIOLENT DEATHS . Ancemia 1 ... ... ... 1 ... ... 2 Pericarditis I —Accidents or Negligence Aneurism ... ... ... 2 ... 1 ... 3 Heart Disease, &c ... ... 2 5 13 4 22 Burns and Scalds 1 3 1 1 6 Phlebitis poison ... ... 1 ... ... ... 1 Disease of Arteries Suffocation 9 ' l 3 Disease af Veins ... ... ... ... 1 ... ... 1 Violence 2 4 '*8 6 5 5 2 32 Phlegmasia Dolens Drowning 2 2 4 III —Respiratory Organs Sun Stroke III.—Homicide Murder and Manslaughter Spasm of Glottis Laryngismus Laryngitis ... ... ... 1 ... 1 ... 2 IV.—Suicide Bronchitis 3 ... ... ... 12 5 ... 21 Wounds ... ... ... ... 2 ... ... 2 Pleurisy ... ... 1 ... ... 1 roison Pneumonia 9 10 1 ... 6 2 ... 28 Drowning Lung Disease, &c ... ... ... 1 1 2 ... 4 Hanging Otherwise Not Specified 1 ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Grand Total 160 109 38 80 98 75 10 570 Carried Forward 128 98 23 61 75 44 2 431 TABLE VII Return of Cow-Houses in the Whitechapel District Licensed October, 1867 NAMES ADDRESSES Dimensions of Cow Houses Number of Cows allowed Length Breadth Height Cubic Spaces Anderton, J. 2, Old Montague St Feet 46 Feet 14 Feet 8 5152 6 Ayres, George Gower's Walk 46 14 10 6440 7 Brown, Frederick Old Montague Street 35 13 12 5460 6 Barker, Daniel No 1 shed Saw Yard 30 17 11 5610 6 8 „ 2 shed 12 8 12 1152 2 Barker, D Wentworth Street 29 18 12 6264 7 Beynon, E No 1 shed Bell Lane 17 14 10 2380 3 14 ,, 2 shed 5 40 17 16 10880 11 Brown, W No 1 shed 29, Church Street 38 9 9 3078 4 6 „ 2 shed 17 9 8 1224 2 Davis, E Royal Mint Street 42 20 17 14280 15 Davis, J No 1 shed Black Lion Yard j 88 17 10 14960 1 24 „ 2 shed 31 20 10 6200 7 „ 3 shed 9 20 10 1800 2 Foster E No 1 shed 27, Pelham Street 27 26 16 11232 12 14 „ 2 shed 19 12 8 1824 2 Green, William Shorter's Rents 13 12 12 1872 2 James, Ann 3, Spital Street 49 15 9 G615 7 Lee, Charles 58, Goulston Street 54 16 25 21600 22 Le Beau, W G 127, Royal Mint St 28 144 11 4466 5 McAvoy, Robert 8, Colchester Street 35 22 18 13860 14 Moore, J No lshed Darby Street 23 16 15 5520 6 9 „ 2 shed 18 15 11 2970 3 May, Robert 29, White Lion St 34 15 15 7650 8 Neill, Thomas 36, Brown's Lane 13 13 8 1352 2 Pool M No 1 shed White's Row 46 14 9 5796 6 18 „ 2 shed 26 12 12 3744 4 „ 3 shed 60 11 12 7920 8 Sole, Isaac No 1 shed 1 Weaver's Arms Yd 66 18 15 17820 18 32 „ 2 shed 50 18 13 11700 12 ,, 3 shed 12 11 10 1320 2 Webb, John 16, Grey Eagle Street 31 14 11 4774 5 Williams, Elizabeth 19, Brown's Lane 54 20 14 15120 16 Williams, Thomas White's Row 40 121 Si 4250 5 TABLE VIII —List of Slaughter-houses within the District for October, 1867 WHITECHAPEL Name Premises where situated Attwell, R H v32, Buck's Row Barber, W C Little North Street Barber, W C Thomas Street Bonner, Edwin 47, Charlotte Street Bowyer, William 38, ditto Dixon, J T 64, High Street Ellis, Ceorge 135, Whitechapel Road Hatton, Richard 19, Cable Street Hickinbotham, J—4, High Street James, George 3, ditto Kefford, Richard 27, ditto Lankester, R L 2, ditto Mead, C 5, ditto Monkton, George 296, Whitechapel Road Name Premises where situated Mull, George 62, High Street Miiller, G P 15, Brick Lane Nathan, Joseph 52, High Street Pettitt, Mary 23, Cable Street Retzbach, John 8, ditto Rogers, James 11, Brick Lane Smith, Alfred 2, Well Street Spencer, J H 6, High Street Sulan, J T 13, ditto Taylor, G H J 157, Whitechapel Road Vick, James 151, ditto Whiffen, George 7, High Street Wincott, Emily 133, Whitechapel Road SPITALFIELDS Forsbury, Thomas 12, Vine Court Lowen, Charles 26, Union Street Piper, R 22, White's Row Vaughan, Geo 17, Lamb Street White, L A 5, Middlesex Street Woollvern, Henry 12, Lamb Street ALDGATE Hartley, B H British and Foreign Steam Wharf, Lower East Smithfield SAINT KATHARINE Pratt, Martin Saint Katharine Steam Wharf, Lower East Smithfield MILE END NEW TOWN Cock, Sarah 69 & 70, Church Street Garton, J A 8 & 9, Ditto Lester, S J 11, Buxton Street NORTON EOLGATE Piper, Robert 22, High Street Rodrigues, R J 29, Ditto HORSE SLAUGHTERERS Barber, William Little North Street NEW APPLICATION Sulan, J T 13, High Street BOARD OF WORKS, WHITECHAPEL DISTRICT REPORT ON The Sanitary Condition OF THE WHITECHAPEL DISTRICT, TOR THE YEAR ENDING 28th DECEMBER, 1867, BY JOHN LIDDLE, Medical Officer of Heath. PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, 20th JANUARY, 1868 LONDON: E, J BATH, PRINTEK, 26, HIGH STREET, WHITECHAPEL 1 8 6 8 LONDON: PRINTED BY E. J. BATH, 26, HIGH STREET, WHITECHAPEL. REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 28th DECEMBER, 1867 To the Board of Works, Whitechapel District Gentlemen, The deaths in the Whitechapel District during the Quarter ending on Saturday, December 28th, 1867, have been 599, viz , 341 males and 258 females In the corresponding Quarter of the previous year, the deaths were 657 The births have been 643, viz , 342 males and 301 females The births in the corresponding Quarter of last year were 611 There has been, therefore, a diminution in the number of deaths during this Quarter by 58, and an increase in the number of births by 32 The total deaths in the London Hospital have been 126; of these, 41 were the result of accident and of sudden death; 64 were of non-residents, and 21 of persons who, previous to their removal to the hospital, had resided within the district One death from fever, of a non-resident, occurred in this institution The previous residences of persons dying from accidents are not recorded in the Returns made to the Registrar General The deaths from epidemic diseases have been 84, viz, 5 from smallpox, 14 from measles, 5 from scarlet-fever, 1 from diphtheria, 14 from hooping cough, 10 from diarrhoea, and 35 from fever In the corresponding Quarter of last year, the deaths from epidemic diseases were 172; of these, 95 were caused by cholera The deaths from fever have increased from 19 to 35, and measles from 6 to 14 Diseases of the tubercular class have been fatal to 102 persons, of whom 67 died of consumption, 37 of tabes mesenterica, and 8 of hydrocephalus The violent deaths, including those from accidents, negligence, and from suicide, have been 41; of these, 6 were of children who were suffocated in bed, 8 of persons who were scalded or burnt, and 5 of persons who committed suicide The deaths from diseases of the urinary organs were 20; of these, 12 were oaused by nephria, or Bright's disease The diseases of the respiratory organs, exclusive of consumption, were fatal to 121 4 The deaths in the Workhouse have been 69, viz, 43 males and 26 females In the corresponding Quarter of last year, the deaths in this institution were 81 The deaths from epidemic diseases in the Workhouse have been 10; of these, 1 was from measles, 1 from diarrhoea, and 8 from fever The persons who died from fever in the Workhouse were brought from the following places, viz, Mill Yard, Thrawl Street, Thomas Street, Wentworth Street, Ely Place, Lambeth Street, Sailors' Asylum Frostic Place, and Crown Court One inmate of the Workhouse died from fever The Medical Officers of the Union have attended 4,257 new cases of disease among the pauper population There are included in this number 26 of small-pox, 56 of measles, 22 of scarlet-fever, 29 of hooping cough, 181 of diarrhœa, and 130 of fever In the corresponding Quarter of the previous year the total number of cases of illness among the poor was 3,568, including 41 of small-pox, 45 of measles, 58 of scarlet-fever, 11 of hooping cough, 261 of diarrhoea, and 100 of fever Not a single case of cholera has been returned by the Medical Officers during the Quarter In the corresponding Quarter of last year the number of cholera cases returned was 8 The Returns of the Registrar General show that the rain-fall in the Metropolis during the Quarter, has been 4.2 inches During the corresponding Quarter of the previous year, the rain-fall was 5.36 inches The mean temperature of the air has been 43.2° In the corresponding Quarter of last year, the mean temperature of the air was 46.2° The following Table, taken from the Returns of the Registrar General, shows the comparative results during the Quarter:— LONDON Oct. 5th Oct. 12th Oct. 19 th Oct. 26th Nov. 2nd Nov. 9th Nov. 16 th Nov. 23rd Nov. 30th Dec. 7th Dec. 14th Dec. 21st Dec. 28th Deaths from Diarrhœa 78 59 37 27 23 21 17 13 19 13 11 14 11 Deaths fromCholera 5 4 2 3 0 0 5 0 0 1 1 0 0 Mean Temperature of the Air 48.2° 43.7° 52.5° 52.1° 48.5° 41.9° 45.0° 39.6° 37.7° 35.7° 38.4° 41.0° 37.2° Kainfall in inches 0.05 0.72 0.72 0.02 0.68 0.00 0.10 0.00 0.28 1.14 0.30 0.50 0.01 Deaths in 1182 1233 1322 1239 1196 1195 1457 1426 1588 1588 1700 1561 1433 Deaths in the Whitechapel District 36 42 42 43 43 36 46 53 64 61 52 46 36 The greatest weekly mortality in this district occurred in the week ending November 30th, when 64 deaths were registered During the preceding week, the mean temperature of the air had fallen from 45.0° to 39.6° 5 Water Supply Since my last Quarterly Report, a considerable addition has been made in the number of the water-waste preventers in this district There have been erected 20 new water-waste preventers within the last three months There are now, at the present time, 53 places supplied with water direct from the main, by means of these machines, and the inhabitants of these places can have pure water at all times of the day or night, in sufficient quantity for all household purposes In each of the undermentioned places a water-waste preventer has been erected since my last Quarterly Report: Hunt Court Gower's Place Keate Court Eele Place Garden Court New Court, C C Wilk Court Half Wilk Court Union Court, C C Coburg Court Crown Court, C C Pope's Head Court 35, Great Pearl St Devonshire Place Goulston St 9,10,11 Russell Court Holloway Court Slater's Court Crown Court, W C Kittleby Court The constant supply of water to the poor is one of the most valuable sanitary improvements that has been effected in this district since the formation of your Board The poor appear to fully appreciate the great boon that has been conferred upon them by this mode of supply; they have now in all these places an abundance of water, but it is without waste, so that, while they are benefitted, the Companies are not injured; and I have no doubt that, it will be found, less water is required to be delivered by the Companies under the new system than under the old plan of the standtap I am able to report that, both the Water Companies, which supply this district, are now willing, and I believe anxious, that all the courts should be supplied on the constant service, and that within the last six weeks, the New Eiver Company have granted permission to the owners of 10 courts in Blue Anchor Yard, to erect a water-waste preventer in each As only about an eighth part of this district is supplied by the New Eiver Company, the proportion of water-waste preventers will, when all these courts are supplied, be fully equal to that of the East London, and I have no doubt that, from the friendly co-operation of the Companies, the whole of the poor localities will be supplied on the constant service New Court, in Fashion Street, and Dale Court, are likewise supplied direct from the main; in the former, by means of an ordinary tap in the yard of each house, and in the latter by a small pipe, from which water is constantly flowing The total number of houses occupied by poor persons, which are supplied with water on the constant service, is about 583, which contain a population of about 4,664 In several courts, where the supply of water has 6 been deficient, landlords have preferred to erect large tanks or cisterns instead of water-waste preventers There are, however, still a few remaining courts, where the cisterns or butts are not sufficiently large, but even these will probably be soon supplied either with water-waste preventers or with larger receptacles The poorer parts of this district, which, a few years ago, were very badly supplied with water (there being no less than about 70 courts supplied on the intermittent system, by means of a standtap only), are now probably better provided than any other district in London There are still, however, two courts, in which water is supplied by means of a stand-tap, viz , Farthing Alley and Bond's Buildings, but as the houses consist of merely two rooms each, and are not let to more than one family, the owners cannot be compelled to register them Unless, therefore, the landlords of these two courts adopt, of their own free will, the improved mode of supply, their tenants must put up with the inconvenience they suffer, from want of an adequate supply of water, for the Board has not sufficient power to compel the owners to erect water-waste preventers The New River Company have, through their chief engineer, stated that, "they have often intimated their desire to work with medical officers for improvements in the water supply to the poor," and "they have arranged in not a few cases for the constant service," and state that " they are quite prepared on the single condition of effective provision being made against waste, to add to the number of main supplies " They further add, "that it is in this Company's interest (as it is manifestly the interest of all Water Companies) to promote the adoption of any good kind of wastepreventing apparatus " The East London Water Company have expressed their desire in similar terms, to extend the system of constant supply It is, therefore, manifest that if the poor in this district are not adequately supplied with water direct from the main, the fault will not be with the Companies, and the same remark will probably apply to all the other districts of London The inhabitants of those houses which are supplied with water stored in butts in the back yards or in the cellars, when there are no back yards, are, generally speaking, very badly off for water; for the butts, being common to all the tenants in the house, are generally in a dirty condition, as it is the duty of no one in particular to keep them clean and covered, consesequently, the water becomes covered with dirt and soot, and is unfit for drinking purposes When the butt is, from want of a back yard, placed in the cellar, it is usually found to be in close proximity to the privy, the emanations from which contaminate the water, and render it unwholesome The water is further contaminated by each tenant dipping any sort of utensil at hand into the butt, this being the only way of obtaining water, as the butt is not provided with a tap 7 House Accommodation The house accommodation, although in numerous cases it has been generally improved, is still far from being in a satisfactory condition Many of the houses are without back yards, and the inhabitants of the rooms in such houses (some of them being three stories high) are compelled to descend into the cellar for all the water that is required for culinary, drinking, and washing purposes In other houses, where there are back yards, the tenants have to descend into the cellar, and then ascend steps on the other side, in order to use the privy, or to fetch water, in consequence of the passage of the house having been taken to enlarge the lower room Again, there are some cases where the inhabitants are compelled to carry all the filth of their rooms along the public street, and then convey it into a court at the rear of their tenements, and deposit it, either in the public dust-bin, or in the common privy, there being neither privy nor dust-bin in the house Further, owing to the landlords of some houses being desirous of making the most of their property, and not being controlled by any public authority, have done away with the passage through the cellar, and instead of converting the lower room into a passage, have made a door leading from it to the back yard, so that the persons occupying the upper part of the house have to pass through this dwelling-room in carrying their slops and other refuse into the back yard These several remarks apply to some houses in Crown Court, Aldgate; Wentworth Street, adjoining Marlborough Court; to Nos 79, 80, and 81, Church Street, Mile End New Town; Nos 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 21, King Edward Street, and Nos 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, Pelham Street The cellars in King Edward Street are less than 5 feet in height, are damp and unpaved, and the way to, and from them, is by a step ladder at each end of the cellar Each of the six houses in Pelham Street is now let to a separate family; but if at any future time these houses should be occupied as formerly, by separate families, those living in the upper rooms will have to pass through the lower rooms in order to go into the back yard The knowledge of such facts as above recorded relating to the manner in which the poor are lodged, and they are by no means all that can be collected upon this subject, must compel thoughtful persons not to judge too hastily of the rude manners, want of cleanliness, and of self-respect among the poor; for I would ask, how can cleanliness, decency, and self - respect be observed when persons are virtually without water (owing to the labour of obtaining it), and are compelled to carry the filth of their rooms either through a dwelling-room, occupied by another family, or along the public street, or through a low, and almost inaccessible and dark cellar? It is 8 surely the duty of the legislature to insist upon the owners of property let in tenements to the poor to provide them with the means of practising the decencies of civilized life It would, indeed, be well for society, if more attention were given by those in authority to the means of preventing disease, and its consequences—pauperism; for, if this were done, we should not have, to the same extent, these periodical returns of destitution, which we have lately seen in the East of London Much of it might be prevented if more attention were paid to the condition of the abodes of the poor, whereby their health might be better preserved The systematic house to house visitation, adopted in this district, is continually bringing to light the indecent manner in which rooms are occupied, and the frequency of the stoppage of the house-drains, pipes of the privies, and also the want of efficient privy accommodation, especially for children As regards the first-mentioned evil, I almost despair of being able to get it remedied It may be, however, to a certain extent, mitigated, by compelling the owners of houses so occupied to register them, when they will be compelled to observe the eighth section of the regulations of the Board, respecting the separation of the sexes in lodging houses: and, as regards the frequent stoppage of the privies, I am of opinion, that a better arrangement is required for these conveniences than the syphon-pan and trap now in use A good plan has been adopted at the Shoe Black Society in Mansell Street, and at the large Jews' School in Bell Lane, Spitalfields, for carrying off the filth from privies It consists in placing what may be called, by way of distinction, "a trough water-closet," instead of the trap and pan system The trough water-closet is an ordinary seat placed over a highlyglazed earthenware trough, filled with water The trough is so fixed as to afford a sufficient incline for it to be quickly emptied into the drain by the removal of a plug When the trough is emptied (which it should be at least once or twice a day), it should then be immediately re-filled with water If this rule were observed there would be no nuisance from bad smells From the simplicity of the apparatus, it would seldom get out of order, and it would be found to be more economical than the present system of the syphon-pans and traps Small seats for children over this trough should be provided Metropolitan Buildings and Management Bill A Bill under the above designation was, in the course of the last Session of Parliament, prepared and brought in by Mr Tite and Colonel Hogg, and was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed, 31st July, 1867 If this Bill should become an Act, all the existing Building Acts will be repealed It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that the several provisions of the Bill should be considered, and a few important clauses relating to public health inserted 9 The Bill contains numerous clauses relating to the construction of buildings, and it duly sets forth the duties of District Surveyors, and the providing for their fees, &c , but the clauses relating to sanitary matters are few and insufficient In other words, the rights and security of property are fully considered; but regulations to provide for improving the health of the people, do not appear to have much engaged the attention of the promoters of the Bill As I have repeatedly pointed out in several of my printed Reports, and in a Paper published in the "Builder," and in the "Building News," for December 28th, 1861, the sanitary defects of the existing Building Acts, and have also drawn the attention of the Architect to the Metropolitan Board, to several cases in which houses unfit for habitation have been permitted to be erected in this district, I had reason to hope that a few mora of my suggestions for improving the sanitary condition of houses to be erected in the future, would have been considered, and provisions made for carrying them into effect, by the promoters of the present Bill Under the existing law, houses can be enlarged by what is called "a lean-to," although it may so prevent the due entrance of light and air, as to render them unhealthy It seems to be an established practice that, as regards house property, every person should be allowed "to do what he likes with his own," and make as much money as possible out of it, although in doing so, he totally disregards the health, comfort, and decency, of those unfortunate persons who may be compelled to occupy it The evils of the present mode of crowding together dwelling-houses, and the covering of every available small space with additional rooms to existing houses, will, unless prevented by stringent powers in the proposed new Building Act, greatly increase, and especially so, if at any future time, a general poor rate should be levied over the entire metropolis; for it will then be to the interest of the keepers of small shops in poor neighbourhoods to give encouragement to any plan that will tend to bring together large masses of the people Although this Bill contains no less than 254 clauses, there is not one which prescribes rules for the proper construction of either privies, waterclosets, or ash-pits In short, these essential appendages to a house have not been mentioned It is true, that the Metropolis Local Management Act requires that every house shall have a sufficient privy and ash-pit belonging to it; yet, that Act does not provide that these conveniences shall be within the curtilage of the house, and to be of easy access to all the tenants; and there is no power vested in any authority to prevent the erection of a privy in an open court, to be common, not only to all the tenants of the court, and perhaps so placed as to be within a few feet of a dwelling-room, and accessible to the general public Wherever these public privies exist, of which there are several in this district (some haying been erected since the 10 tion of the Board), they are perpetually recurring nuisances, and in some instances, from their close proximity to inhabited rooms, render such rooms unfit for habitation This is the case in Jones' Buildings If these nuisances cannot be dealt with by our present powers, it is certainly full time that the extension of them was prohibited by legislative enactment How the health of the people of Nottingham is provided for, as far as the building of houses is concerned, may be seen by the underquoted clause of an Act of Parliament, which was obtained by the authorities of that town, in 1845 The act is 8 & 9 Vict , cap 7, clause 124 "And for the purpose of insuring the admission of light and air to and amongst the buildings which may be hereafter erected within the limits of this Act, and for the purpose of preventing the unhealthy and inconvenient overcrowding of the dwellings of the poor, and for the purpose of securing due accommodation and privacy, be it enacted, That no dwelling-house shall adjoin any other dwelling-house or other building (except an outhouse ordinarily occupied with such dwelling-house) on more than two sides, and that every dwellinghouse shall be provided with an attached yard or garden, (separate and distinct from any other yard or garden) to extend at the least to a distance of thirty feet from such dwelling-house, or so much on each of the two opposite or adjacent sides of such dwelling-house as shall together extend at the least to thirty feet, and that every dwelling-house shall have within its own curtilage or garden a separate privy, or water-closet, and dust-pit "* Although in London it would not be possible to obtain so much ground at the rear or side of houses erected for the poor as is provided at Nottingham, yet the law should make it incumbent upon all persons erecting dwelling houses, to provide a thorough ventilation for every house, and should prohibit the building of houses back to back The proposed new Building Act not only very imperfectly provides for the efficient ventilation of houses, but actually sanctions the building of houses back to back As we are now so severely suffering, both in health and pocket, from the neglect of the legislature in years gone by, in permitting the erection of houses unfit for human habitation, advantage should be taken of any Bill brought before the Houses of Parliament for amending the Budding Act, to prevent the further erection of unhealthy dwellings The unhealthy houses which are to be found in all the poor localities in London, may be gradually purchased and pulled down, under the provisions of the Artizans' and Labourers' Dwelling Bill, should such Bill become an Act But unless the proposed New Building Act is sufficiently stringent in its provisions to prohibit the erection of unhealthy dwellings in the future, very little benefit will accrue to the public by abolishing existing nuisances, when similar ones * Sec Dr Hunter's Report on the Housing of the Poor in Towns, published in the Eighth Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health of the Privy Council, page 161 11 may with impunity be set up The Metropolitan Board of Works has now the power of doing a vast amount of good, towards improving the health of people, and the public will certainly expect them to perform it I have on a former occasion drawn your attention to the unhealthy condition of underground bakehouses, owing to the impossibility of providing for their proper ventilation Many of the bakehouses in this district are situated under the footways of the pulbic streets, so that if at any time it should be deemed advisable to form sub-ways, for gas and water pipes, telegraph wires, &c , the owners of such bakehouses must be compensated In a new Building Act, it ought surely to be deemed expedient to insert a clause prohibiting the formation of a bakehouse under the public way In no instance should the public way be sacrificed for the benefit of any individual Sanitary Work Performed during the Quarter The following return shows the amount of work done by the Sanitary Inspectors during the quarter Number of houses visited, as shown in the official returns 8532 Houses systematically visited and rooms measured to ascertain their cubic capacity 605 Number of rooms found to be over-crowded, the space being less than 300 cubic feet for each person, reckoning two children for one adult 7 Number of cases of indecent occupation discovered 37 Preliminary Notices served 668 Compulsory Orders issued for 149 premises 60 Summonses heard at Police Courts 8 Houses in which the rooms or passages have been white-washed 225 Dust-bins provided 46 Privies cleansed or repaired 221 Water-butts or cisterns provided or repaired 77 Drains in houses improved, &c 122 Cesspools abolished 6 Accumulations of dung and other offensive matter removed 112 Area gratings, cellar flaps, &c , repaired 33 Cellars used as dwellings discontinued for such use 8 Houses closed, the same being unfit for human habitation 13 Animals so kept as to be a nuisance, removed 3 12 Yards of houses paved or the pavement repaired 185 Number of Special Notices served for registration of houses 103 Courts imperfectly paved but not in so bad a condition as to require notices to be served The names of these 43 courts are given in the note at the foot of the page* 43 courts Instances where corpses were kept for lengthened periods 2 In addition to the above return, the Inspectors have forwarded to the police authorities several notices of dangerous structures, and they have also informed them of the various rooms, in the course of the special visitations, which have been found to be occupied by more than one family In such cases, the police can proceed against the landlords under the Common Lodging-House Act, Annual Report The number of deaths registered in this district, during the year 1867, has been 2331, and the number of births 2686 The deaths, in 1866, were 3495 In this number there are included 904 deaths from cholera The births, in 1866, were 2561 The deaths in the Workhouse have been 331, against 413 for the previous year, and in the London Hospital 445 against 733 The total deaths from Epidemic Diseases have been 362, viz 40 from small-pox, 33 from measles, 26 from scarlet fever and diphtheria, 72 from hooping-cough, 100 from diarrhoea, 82 from fever, and 9 from cholera and choleraic diarrhœa Estimating the population at 78,000, the rate of mortality from all causes has been 29 per 1000, or 1 in 34 of all living But as there is a large hospital situated within this district, into which institution patients are received, not only from all the districts in London, but from many parts of the country, the registered rate of mortality of the Whitechapel District is in excess of its actual amount In comparing the rate of mortality with other districts, the whole of the deaths in the London Hospital must be eliminated, and all the districts in London, in which a public hospital is situated, must, in estimating their rate of mortality, adopt the same rule, and the deaths in all the hospitals must be fairly apportioned to each district The rate of mortality in this district, after deducting the deaths in the London Hospital, is 24 per 1000, or 1 in 41 of the total population * Bett's Yard, Buttress Gardens, Barber's Yard, Brunswick Place, Bell Place, Brownson's Court, Crown Court in Wentworth Street, Crown Court in Little Pearl Street, Cherubim Court, Chamber Court, Davis's Buildings, Devonshire Place, Frostic Place, Green Dragon Yard, Gower's Place, Great Tongue Yard, Harriett Place, Holloway Court, John's Place in Hunt Street, Inkhorn Court, Kittleby Court, King's Court, Little Love Court, Loat's Buildings, Matthew's Court, Matthew's Buildings, New Court in Fashion Street, New Court in Brown's Lane, New Garden Court, New Court in Dorset Street, Osborne Court, Parson's Court, Pool's Place, Peck's Yard, Pope's Head Court, Rose Court, Shorter's Rents, Vincent's Place, Vine Yard and Vine Place, C C , Wilson's Place, William's Rents, Yeoman's Yard Total 43 13 In 1861, the number of inhabited houses was 8644, and the population 78,970 Since that period a great many houses have been taken down for improvements; and, as there is scarcely any vacant ground in the district, very few new houses can be erected, but as several of the large houses have been vacated by the single families which formerly occupied them, are now let out in tenements, the population has not decreased in proportion to the number of houses taken down In the next census, it would be desirable to enumerate the number of inhabited rooms, as well as the number of inhabited houses in the district Sanitary Work Performed during the Year 1867 The following return shows the amount of work done by the Sanitary Inspectors during the year 1867:— Number of houses visited, as shown in the official returns 32021 Houses systematically visited and rooms measured to ascertain their cubic capacity 3556 Number of rooms found to be over-crowded, the space being less than 300 cubic feet for each person, reckoning two children for one adult 121 Number of cases of indecent occupation discovered 150 Preliminary Notices served 2773 Compulsory Orders issued for 536 premises 193 Summonses heard at Police Courts 27 Houses in which the rooms or passages have been whtiewashed 1143 Dust-bins provided 238 Privies cleansed or repaired 881 Water-butts or cisterns provided 343 Drains in houses improved 540 Cesspools abolished 44 Accumulations of dung and other offensive matter removed 449 Area gratings, cellar daps, &c , repaired 107 Cases of the prolonged retention of the dead visited 5 Cellars used as dwellings discontinued for such use 13 Houses closed, the same being unfit for human habitation 65 Animals so kept as to be a nuisance, removed 14 Yards of houses paved or the pavement repaired 732 Number of Special Notices served for registration of houses 103 Trades' Nuisances The following trades' nuisances have come under the notice of the Board during the year, and the greater part of them have been either entirely removed or greatly abated The Animal Charcoal Works in Back Church Lane, the Malleable Iron Works in Back Church Lane, the Oil Refinery Works in Mile End New Town, the Bone Boilers in Buck's Row, the Fellmongers in Buxton Street, the Malt Roasting in Booth Street, the Malt Roasting in Bell Lane, the Animal Charcoal Refinery in Rupert Street As regards the nuisance arising from the Refinery Premises of Sir Anthony Rothschild, I regret to be obliged to report that very little has been done to abate it At times this nuisance is as bad as it was many years ago 14 Sewers Constructed in the District since 1857 The Surveyor, at my request, has kindly favoured me with the following return of the Sewers constructed at the expense of the Board since 1857 The total length of the new sewers is 20,599 feet; and the particulars are shown on the following: Table Length infect Length in feet Large Small Large Small 1856-57 Little Prescot st 317 Brought forward 4968 5712 Leman-row 260 1860-61 Queen's-st , M E N T 154 Abel's-buildings 90 Rupert-street 172 Cable-street 180 Colchester-street 210 410 1857-58 Charlotte-street 475 Buckle-street 290 Crispin-street 400 Plough-street & court 260 Montague street 680 1861-62 Lamb-street 310 Brick-lane 190 Wheeler-street 510 60 Black Lion-yard 130 Phoenix-street 220 South-street 340 Quaker's-st & Spital-st 495 Shepherd-street 396 Spicer-st & Spital-st 640 1858-59 Nil Osborne-street 420 1859-60 Brown's-lane, John-st 540 310 Black Lion-yard 175 Pelhain-street 570 Deal street 258 Queen-street (Aldgate) 360 Goulston-street 270 King-street 250 1862-63 Angel-alley 118 Freeman-street 263 1863-64 Princes-street 1020 Tenter-street 329 Thomas-street 1000 Butler's-street 255 Dock-street 675 Palmer-street 193 1864-65 North-street 790 Tilley-street 200 Percival's-buildings 235 Church-st M E N T 835 Raven-row 310 King-street, M E N T 216 1865-66 Lombard-street 148 1860-61 Corbett's-court 238 Fieldgate-street 100 Flower & Dean-street 475 1866-67 Wellington-st Bath-st 476 George-street 355 George-st Tower-hill 203 Thrawl-street 285 9208 11391 Upper Keate-street 210 Lower Keate-street 150 LENGTH CONSTRUCTED Wilson's place 145 Underwood-st Luke-st 393 Large size 9208 Feet Brick-lane 700 Small size 11,391 ,, Carried forward 4968 5712 Total 20,599 Feet 15 It appears to rue to have been a mistake in placing the sewers both under the control of the Central Board and the several Local Boards The whole system of the sewerage of London should have been under the management of only one public authority Many of the sewers, as regards their levels, are so badly constructed, that it would have been better, and probably cheaper to the rate-payers, if all such sewers had been so reconstructed as to suit the present outfall into the river Some of the existing sewers hold a large quantity of deposit, and are always emitting most offensive effluvia In several parts of this district, the sewers are very offensive, and are frequently complained of, particularly those in Church Lane and Back Church Lane Vaults under Spitalfields Church In my Report for the Quarter ending December, 1859, I reported that the Order in Council requiring that the vaults under Whitechapel Church, Trinity Minories Church, and the Lutheran Chapel, in Hooper Square, should be freely lime-whited—that the coffins in the vaults be covered with fresh earth and powdered charcoal, &c , had been complied with; but, with regard to the vaults beneath Spitalfields Church, respecting their ventilation and extent, Mr Grainger, the then Government Inspector, deemed it sufficient to order that the several gratings opening into Church Street, and the grating opening opposite the Rectory, should be closed, which orders were duly complied with Mr P H Holland, the present Inspector, appointed under the powers of the Burial Act, 1855, inspected these vaults in August last, and, in consequence of his report, an Order of the Privy Council, dated the 2nd of February, 1867, was issued, directing that the coffins then unenclosed beneath the church be embedded in soil, mingled with charcoal, and enclosed either by concrete, or by stone-work, or brick-work properly cemented The very satisfactory manner in which this Order has been executed, is shown in the following report of Mr S J Hyam,the Vestry Clerk of Spitalfields Parish "At the time of Mr Holland's visit (in consequence of the decay of the large water-pipes, conveying water from the roof of the church) the crypt was in a very unpleasant state from damp, which, by its action upon the coffins, increased the effluvia that escaped from the mass of human remains there deposited Some years previously, nearly all the window openings into the crypt had been built up, pursuant to an Order in Council; bo that, in addition to other evils, the place was quite dark, and almost without ventilation 16 "The preparation of the Specification, and the settling of the requisite arrangements, having delayed the matter until late in the Spring, the work was not commenced until September, and occupied until Christmas last The following is a statement of the works that have been performed The public vault was cleared, leaving a space of six feet, from the ceiling to the top of the coffins;—the remaining coffins were covered with earth two feet thick, and upon this was spread a layer of charcoal, six inches thick — four air flues made, leading from the upper part of the six-feet space into four of the large air flues in the walls, so that any effluvia escaping through the earth, and not absorbed by the charcoal, will ascend to the roof of the church All the vaults in the thickness of the north and south walls, and the vault in the east wall, have been cleared, and thoroughly disinfected, the entrances bricked-up in cement, and the exterior face of the brick-work well cemented The eastern half of the crypt has been cleared of all the vaults and coffins, and thoroughly disinfected; the old brick pavement removed, and the ground levelled and covered with concrete six inches thick So with regard to the vaults at the east end, and at the north-west corner, of the crypt; the large vault beneath the steps at the west end, and the upper chamber beneath the tower All the walls surrounding the remains of the dead have been covered with Portland cement, and all the open portions of the crypt and vaults, twice well lime-whited All the closed window spaces that could be so treated, have been re-opened; the thick wooden entrance-doors of the crypt replaced with light iron gates, so as to permit thorough ventilation; and the old, useless drains, have been taken up The works have been executed in the best manner; and before the vaults were finally closed, they were inspected by the Medical Officer of Health All the coffins, and the remains of the dead, that were removed to effect these improvements, are deposited in the crypt; some in the spaces on each side of the public vault; some in the lower vaults at the east end, and in the large vault at the west end beneath the tool-house — in the vault beneath the same, and in the corridors leading therefrom In removing the coffins, every care was taken to avoid any injury thereto; and the remains found in the decayed and imperfect coffins, were placed in wooden cases, provided for the purpose In the large vault, at the south-west corner of the church, were found three ancient, British, stone coffins These have been removed into the crypt, where they may be inspected The other coffins were arranged in the vault, and covered with earth, charcoal, and with concrete, and the entrances thereto built up "It is computed that at least 150 cubic yards of clean earth, free from lumps and animal deposits, and 150 bushels of charcoal, were used to cover up the coffins beneath the church 17 "The works were carried out under the immediate direction of the churchwardens, Mr R Arnold, Mr Brookman, and Mr "Woollven, and subject to the supervision of Mr J Liddle, the Medical Officer of Health Mr James Tolley, of Angel Court, Throgmorton Street, was the Surveyor, and Mr Temple G Tolley, the Contractor The total outlay, nearly £500, will be defrayed out of the poor-rates of the Parish Notwithstanding their large money-cost, the value of the works performed, as an important sanitary improvement, cannot be over-estimated "The total number of dead bodies which had been buried in the vaults under Spitalfields Church, has been estimated at 1500, viz , about 900 in the public vault, and 600 in the several private vaults It is probable that the number of coffins has been understated, for, as the work proceeded, many more were found, that had not been taken into account when the contract was accepted A majority of the vaults were constructed during the building of the church, and many are built in the thickness of the walls There are also several other vaults similarly constructed They were opened for interments in 1728 The public vault remained open for sepulture until 1845, and all the other vaults were finally closed in 1859 The public vault was crammed with coffins, from the floor to the ceiling; some of 'the coffins were found packed in the upright position, others sideways, while others again were placed in the customary manner "The crypt is 150 feet in length, 50 feet in width, and 12 feet 6 inches in height; it is light, and well ventilated, and is now open for the inspection of any member of the Board " I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, 15, Great Alie Street JOHN LIDDLE A P P E N D 1 X TABLE I —Cases of Sickness of the Zymotic and Acute classes, which are recorded in the Books of the Medical Officers Of the Union, for the three months ending on the 28th December, 1867 Names of Medical Officers, Small-Pox Measles Scarlatina Hooping-Cough Diarrhœa Continued Fever, Typhus & Typhoid Cholera Erysipelas * Puerperal Fever Croup Acute Pulmonary Inflammation Carbuncle Rheumatic Fever Ague Dysentery Delirium Tremens Diphtheria All other Diseases Total Bronchitis and Catarrh Pleuritis and Pneumonia Dr Swyer 8 19 9 5 60 47 0 1 0 0 58 70 0 11 1 3 2 0 926 1220 Mr Champneys 2 6 9 4 44 18 0 8 0 0 39 1 0 10 0 2 0 0 566 709 Dr Richardson 6 17 0 7 32 20 0 2 0 1 87 2 0 7 0 0 0 0 602 783 Mr Sequiera 10 14 4 13 45 45 0 8 0 0 18 17 0 12 3 0 0 0 1356 1545 Total 26 56 22 29 181 130 0 19 0 1 202 90 0 40 4 5 2 0 3450 4257 Corresponding Quarter of previous year 41 45 58 11 261 100 8 16 0 2 160 68 2 33 4 0 2 0 2759 3568 * A ease of Erysipelas occurred in a child 2 weeks old after circumcision TABLE II — Showing the Deaths from Epidemic Diseases For the Three Months ending 28th December, 1867 Districts Small-Pox Measles Scarlet Fever Diphtheria HoopingCough Diarrliœa Fever Cholera and Choleraic Diarrhoea Total Remarks Artillery 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 Work house Spitalfields 0 5 1 0 2 2 5 0 15 Mile End N Twn 0 2 4 0 1 2 13 0 22 Whitechapel, N 1 3 0 0 4 1 5 0 14 Whitechapel Ch 3 4 0 1 2 2 3 0 15 Hsptl Goodman's Fields 1 0 0 0 4 0 3 0 8 Aldgate 0 0 0 0 0 3 4 0 7 Totals 5 14 5 1 14 10 35 0 84 Deaths from Epidemics for the corresponding quarter, 1866 9 6 18 1 16 8 19 95 172 TABLE III —The Births and Deaths in each Registration District, for the Three Months ending on the 28th December, 1867 Districts Births Total Deaths Total Excess of Births over Deaths Excess of Deaths over Births Remarks Artillery M F M F 32 8 0 Workhouse 22 18 40 19 13 Spitalfields 66 51 117 44 35 79 38 0 Mile End N. Town. 79 79 158 86 66 152 6 0 Whitechapel, N 56 52 108 35 23 58 60 0 London Hospital Whitechapl Church 34 29 63 106 69 175 0 121 Goodman's Fields 52 47 99 27 32 59 40 0 Aldgate 33 25 58 24 20 44 14 0 64 non-residents died in L . Hos Totals 342 301 643 341 278 599 156 112 Excess of births over deaths, deducting the 64 non-residents 108 Population in 1861, 78,970. TABLE IV —Ages at Death in each Registration District, for the Three Months ending 28th December, 1867 Districts 0 and under 1 1 and under 5 5 and under 20 20 and under 40 40 and under 60 60 and under 80 80 and upwards Total Remarks Artillery 8 6 1 5 5 7 0 32 Workhouse Spitalfields 32 17 2 8 12 7 1 79 Mile E. N. Town 36 15 5 25 41 27 3 152 Whitechapel, N. 18 19 2 10 6 1 2 58 Whitechapel Ch. 13 30 12 59 43 16 2 175 Hospital Goodman's Fields 27 15 0 4 7 6 0 59 Aldgate 11 6 4 6 11 8 0 44 Totals 145 108 26 117 125 70 8 599 From the above Table it will be seen that the rate of mortality of children under 5 years of age is very high in most of the Sub-districts Thus, in the Artillery Sub-district, the mortality of young children in relation to the total deaths is 43 7 per cent., in the Goodman's Fields it is 74 5 per cent. in the Spitalfields it is 62 0 per cent , and in the Whitechapel, North, 63. 7 per cent. TABLE V —Showing the Ages at Death in the Workhouse, and in the London Hospital, for the Quarter ending 28th December, 1867 0 and underl 1 and under5 5 and undr20 20 and under 40 40 and under60 60 and under 80 80 and upwards Total Males 43 Femls26 Corresponding Quarter of 1866 Workhouse 10 1 1 15 19 21 2 69 81 L Hospital 0 18 8 50 37 12 1 Males 82 Femls44 126 107 TABLE VI.—Total number of the undermentioned Diseases, r«corded in the Books of the Medical Officers of the Union, from I860 to 1867. Year. Small Pox. Measles. Scarlatina. Hooping Cough. Diarrhœa and Dysentery. Fever. Cholera and Choleraic-Diarrhoea. Erysipelas. Puerperal Fever. Carbuncle. Bronchitis and Cattarrh. Pneumonia and Pleuritis. Croup. Rheumatic Fever. Ague. Delirium Tremens. Total. 1860 65 520 93 83 801 190 1 52 1 9 845 141 3 7 41 6 11392 1861 86 70 100 38 8 1452 109 1 75 1 9 803 104 9 5 18 2 13724 1862 113 525 118 153 1106 822 1 50 ... 4 557 135 9 16 24 4 14270 1863 253 80 305 109 1139 464 1 74 1 6 533 134 12 20 11 8 14564 1864 21 482 156 217 1127 295 1 92 1 6 786 95 6 14 13 1 14932 1865 86 51 164 280 1342 573 4 97 2 1 745 123 ... 14 12 4 15591 1866 261 679 197 217 1664 343 58 62 ... 7 546 244 7 66 12 13 16502 1867 254 155 60 219 1471 308 5 65 1 5 642 228 5 183 10 10 17181 On perusing the above Table, it will be seen, that the cases of illness among the pauper population has been annually increasing since 1860, and on referring to my Reports for the years 1857 and 1858, I find that the cases of illness, which were attended by the Medical Officers of the Union, were 10,708 and 11,718 respectively, while in 1856 they were only 9897. The great annual increase as is shown in the above returns cannot be explained on the supposition that there has been an increase of the population, for the census returns show that the population of this district, so far from having increased, is less by two or three thousand than it was in 1857. TABLE VII.—Showing the Births, Deaths, Deaths of Non-residents, Deaths in the London Hospital and in the Workhouse, in each Year, from 1857 to 1867. Year. Total Births. Total Deaths. Deaths of NonResidents. Total Deaths in the London Hospital. Total Deaths in the Workhouse. 1857 (53 weeks) 2868 2350 147 338 272 1858 2742 2444 140 325 269 1859 2826 2321 189 354 239 1860 2746 2302 163 326 282 1861 2686 2331 179 366 287 1862 2813 2551 187 330 369 1863 (53 weeks) 2796 2764 181 418 324 1864 2803 2792 212 453 414 1865 2684 2532 208 416 362 1866 2501 3495 432, 733 413 1867 2686 2331 241 445 331 The Deaths of persons resident in this district which occurred in the London Hospital in 1867 were, exclusive of those from accident, 59. TABLE VIII 1860 1861 1862 Distriets Small-Pox Measles' Scarlet Fvr. &Diphtheria Hooping Cough Diarrhoea Typhus Total Small-Pox i Measles Scarlet Fvr &Diphtheriaj Hooping Cough Diarrhoea Typhus Total Small-Pox Measles Scarlet Fvr &Diphtheria Hooping Cough iDiarrhoea Typhus Total 0 9 9 7 1 1 13 0 9 8 7 5 4 26 0 11 7 8 9 19 40 Spitalfields 8 11 17 3 11 11 61 8 6 13 22 19 9 77 4 53 12 15 14 28 126 Mile End N. Twn . 7 8 14 14 23 23 89 7 14 8 18 25 25 97 15 26 23 11 13 120 208 Whitechapel, N 3 16 6 11 9 6 51 0 1 5 16 10 5 37 8 23 17 9 14 24 95 Whitechapel Cch. 1 4 10 6 5 13 39 3 0 16 5 15 10 49 0 4 10 6 5 19 44 Goodmatfs Fids 2 17 6 7 12 8 52 1 1 15 17 15 6 55 0 18 16 7 6 23 70 Aldgate 0 23 4 1 6 1 41 9 3 5 13 12 6 48 6 18 6 6 15 24 75 Totals 21 81 59 49 67 69 346 28 27 70 98 101 65 389 33 153 91 62 69 250 658 TABLE VIII —Continued 1863 (53 weeks) 1864 1865 Districts Small-Pox Measles Scarlet Fvr. & Diphtheria Hooping Cough Diarrhoea Typhus Total Small-Fox Measles Scarlet Fvr &Diphtheria Hooping Cough Diarrhoea Typhus Total Small-Pox Measles Scarlet Fvr &Diphtheria Hooping Cough Diarrhoea Typhus Total 2 3 35 3 8 10 61 0 2 2 6 4 9 23 1 3 1 1 4 5 15 Spitalfields 19 4 60 6 27 91 137 1 30 14 6 12 22 85 10 15 17 10 18 22 92 Mile End N Twn 14 2 56 6 30 67 175 1 21 6 15 33 89 165 4 0 20 21 35 94 174 Whitechapel, N 17 10 45 7 10 19 108 0 45 12 20 25 11 113 4 6 10 12 23 14 69 Whitechapcl Cch. 7 1 28 2 11 9 58 0 10 9 10 11 9 49 0 1 10 13 10 12 46 Goodman's Fids 3 6 40 16 11 12 88 2 16 7 14 15 15 69 2 1 15 19 13 10 60 Aldgate 7 0 26 12 17 20 82 1 13 0 3 9 15 41 1 2 7 21 19 10 60 Totals 69 26 290 52 114 158 709 5 137 50 74 109 170 545 22 28 80 97 122 167 516 TABLE VIII —Continued 1866 1867 Districts Small-Pox Measles Scarlet Fvr. &Diphtheria Hooping Cough Diarrhœa Typhus Cholera Total Remarks Small-Pox Measles Scarlet Fvr &Diphtlieria Hooping Cough Diarrhœa Fever Cholera & Cholrc. Dihcea Total 0 10 10 9 4 8 91 62 Chol. Hptl. Workhse 0 3 0 5 2 5 0 15 Spitalfields 17 28 18 19 17 11 240 343 7 9 7 14 11 11 l 60 Mile End New Town 17 32 15 25 24 42 152 307 17 5 7 7 22 25 2 85 Whitechapel, North 6 21 9 18 19 13 43 129 L. Hsptl. 8 8 2 16 20 16 0 70 Whitechapel Church 1 11 7 7 23 13 353 415 3 4 5 10 17 10 5 54 Goodman's Fields 1 20 7 17 18 5 57 125 4 2 1 11 12 8 0 38 Aldgate 2 17 10 6 14 8 38 95 1 2 4 9 16 7 8 40 Totals 44 139 76 94 119 100 904 1476 40 33 26 72 100 82 9 362