Part 10

=TABLE VII.=

The mortality from Cholera in the four weeks ending 5th August.

┌──────────────┬──────────┬───────┐ │ │ │Deaths │ │ │ │from in│ │ │ │ the │ │Sub-Districts.│Population│ four │ │ │ in 1851. │ weeks │ │ │ │ending │ │ │ │ 5th │ │ │ │August.│ ├──────────────┼──────────┼───────┤ │ │ │ │ │ „ │ „ │ „ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├──────────────┼──────────┼───────┤ │St. Saviour, │ 19,709│ 26│ │ Southwark │ │ │ │St. Olave, │ 8,015│ 19│ │ Southwark │ │ │ │St. John, │ 11,360│ 18│ │ Horsleydown │ │ │ │St. James, │ 18,899│ 29│ │ Bermondsey │ │ │ │St. Mary │ 13,934│ 20│ │ Magdalen │ │ │ │Leather Market│ 15,295│ 23│ │Rotherhithe │ 17,805│ 26│ │Battersea │ 10,560│ 13│ │Wandsworth │ 9,611│ 2│ │Putney │ 5,280│ 1│ │Camberwell │ 17,742│ 19│ │Peckham │ 19,444│ 4│ │ │ │ │ │Christchurch, │ 16,022│ 3│ │ Southwk. │ │ │ │Kent Road │ 18,126│ 8│ │Borough Road │ 15,862│ 21│ │London Road │ 17,836│ 9│ │Trinity, │ 20,922│ 14│ │ Newington │ │ │ │St. Peter, │ 29,861│ 20│ │ Walworth │ │ │ │St. Mary, │ 14,033│ 5│ │ Newington │ │ │ │Waterloo Road │ 14,088│ 5│ │ (1st) │ │ │ │Waterloo Road │ 18,348│ 5│ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │Lambeth Church│ 18,409│ 5│ │ (1st) │ │ │ │Lambeth Church│ 26,784│ 10│ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │Kennington │ 24,261│ 11│ │ (1st) │ │ │ │Kennington │ 18,848│ 3│ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │Brixton │ 14,610│ 1│ │Clapham │ 16,290│ 5│ │St. George, │ 15,849│ 9│ │ Camberwell │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Norwood │ 3,977│ │ │Streatham │ 9,023│ │ │Dulwich │ 1,632│ │ │Sydenham │ 4,501│ │ ├──────────────┼──────────┼───────┤ │ │ 486,936│ 334│ └──────────────┴──────────┴───────┘

┌──────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Sub-Districts.│ Water Supply. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├──────────────┼─────────┬────────┬───────────┬────────┬──────────────┤ │ │Southwark│ │ │ River │ │ │ „ │ & │Lambeth.│Pump-wells.│Thames, │Unascertained.│ │ │Vauxhall.│ │ │ditches,│ │ │ │ │ │ │ etc. │ │ ├──────────────┼─────────┼────────┼───────────┼────────┼──────────────┤ │St. Saviour, │ 24│ │ │ 2│ │ │ Southwark │ │ │ │ │ │ │St. Olave, │ 15│ │ │ 2│ 2│ │ Southwark │ │ │ │ │ │ │St. John, │ 17│ │ │ 1│ │ │ Horsleydown │ │ │ │ │ │ │St. James, │ 23│ │ │ 6│ │ │ Bermondsey │ │ │ │ │ │ │St. Mary │ 19│ │ │ 1│ │ │ Magdalen │ │ │ │ │ │ │Leather Market│ 23│ │ │ │ │ │Rotherhithe │ 17│ │ │ 9│ │ │Battersea │ 10│ │ 1│ 2│ │ │Wandsworth │ │ │ │ 2│ │ │Putney │ │ │ 1│ │ │ │Camberwell │ 19│ │ │ │ │ │Peckham │ 4│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Christchurch, │ 2│ 1│ │ │ │ │ Southwk. │ │ │ │ │ │ │Kent Road │ 7│ 1│ │ │ │ │Borough Road │ 20│ 1│ │ │ │ │London Road │ 5│ 4│ │ │ │ │Trinity, │ 14│ │ │ │ │ │ Newington │ │ │ │ │ │ │St. Peter, │ 20│ │ │ │ │ │ Walworth │ │ │ │ │ │ │St. Mary, │ 5│ │ │ │ │ │ Newington │ │ │ │ │ │ │Waterloo Road │ 5│ │ │ │ │ │ (1st) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Waterloo Road │ 5│ │ │ │ │ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Lambeth Church│ 2│ 1│ │ 1│ 1│ │ (1st) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Lambeth Church│ 7│ 2│ │ │ 1│ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Kennington │ 9│ 1│ 1│ │ │ │ (1st) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Kennington │ 3│ │ │ │ │ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Brixton │ │ 1│ │ │ │ │Clapham │ 4│ │ 1│ │ │ │St. George, │ 7│ 2│ │ │ │ │ Camberwell │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Norwood │ │ │ │ │ │ │Streatham │ │ │ │ │ │ │Dulwich │ │ │ │ │ │ │Sydenham │ │ │ │ │ │ ├──────────────┼─────────┼────────┼───────────┼────────┼──────────────┤ │ │ 286│ 14│ 4│ 26│ 4│ └──────────────┴─────────┴────────┴───────────┴────────┴──────────────┘

=TABLE VIII.=

Mortality from Cholera in the seven weeks ending 26th August.

┌──────────────┬──────────┬───────┐ │ │ │Deaths │ │ │ │ from │ │ │ │Cholera│ │ │Population│in the │ │Sub-Districts.│ in 1851. │ seven │ │ │ │ weeks │ │ │ │ending │ │ │ │ 26th │ │ │ │August.│ ├──────────────┼──────────┼───────┤ │ │ │ │ │ „ │ „ │ „ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├──────────────┼──────────┼───────┤ │*St. Saviour, │ 19,709│ 125│ │ Southwark │ │ │ │*St. Olave, │ 8,015│ 53│ │ Southwark │ │ │ │*St. John, │ 11,360│ 51│ │ Horsleydown │ │ │ │*St. James, │ 18,899│ 123│ │ Bermondsey │ │ │ │*St. Mary │ 13,934│ 87│ │ Magdalen │ │ │ │*Leather │ 15,295│ 81│ │ Market │ │ │ │*Rotherhithe │ 17,805│ 103│ │*Battersea │ 10,560│ 54│ │Wandsworth │ 9,611│ 11│ │Putney │ 5,280│ 1│ │*Camberwell │ 17,742│ 96│ │*Peckham │ 19,444│ 59│ │ │ │ │ │Christchurch, │ 16,022│ 25│ │ Southwk. │ │ │ │Kent Road │ 18,126│ 57│ │Borough Road │ 15,862│ 71│ │London Road │ 17,836│ 29│ │Trinity, │ 20,922│ 58│ │ Newington │ │ │ │St. Peter, │ 29,861│ 90│ │ Walworth │ │ │ │St. Mary, │ 14,033│ 21│ │ Newington │ │ │ │Waterloo Road │ 14,088│ 10│ │ (1st) │ │ │ │Waterloo Road │ 18,348│ 36│ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │Lambeth Church│ 18,409│ 18│ │ (1st) │ │ │ │Lambeth Church│ 26,748│ 53│ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │Kennington │ 24,261│ 71│ │ (1st) │ │ │ │Kennington │ 18,848│ 38│ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │Brixton │ 14,610│ 9│ │*Clapham │ 16,290│ 24│ │St. George, │ 15,849│ 42│ │ Camberwell │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Norwood │ 3,977│ 8│ │Streatham │ 9,023│ 6│ │Dulwich │ 1,632│ │ │Sydenham │ 4,501│ 4│ ├──────────────┼──────────┼───────┤ │ │ 486,936│ 1514│ └──────────────┴──────────┴───────┘

┌──────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Sub-Districts.│ Water Supply. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ├──────────────┼─────────┬────────┬───────────┬────────┬──────────────┤ │ │Southwark│ │ │ River │ │ │ „ │ & │Lambeth.│Pump-wells.│Thames, │Unascertained.│ │ │Vauxhall.│ │ │ditches,│ │ │ │ │ │ │ etc. │ │ ├──────────────┼─────────┼────────┼───────────┼────────┼──────────────┤ │*St. Saviour, │ 115│ │ │ 10│ │ │ Southwark │ │ │ │ │ │ │*St. Olave, │ 43│ │ │ 5│ 5│ │ Southwark │ │ │ │ │ │ │*St. John, │ 48│ │ │ 3│ │ │ Horsleydown │ │ │ │ │ │ │*St. James, │ 102│ │ │ 21│ │ │ Bermondsey │ │ │ │ │ │ │*St. Mary │ 83│ │ │ 4│ │ │ Magdalen │ │ │ │ │ │ │*Leather │ 81│ │ │ │ │ │ Market │ │ │ │ │ │ │*Rotherhithe │ 68│ │ │ 35│ │ │*Battersea │ 42│ │ 4│ 8│ │ │Wandsworth │ 1│ │ 2│ 8│ │ │Putney │ │ │ 1│ │ │ │*Camberwell │ 96│ │ │ │ │ │*Peckham │ 59│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Christchurch, │ 11│ 13│ │ │ 1│ │ Southwk. │ │ │ │ │ │ │Kent Road │ 52│ 5│ │ │ │ │Borough Road │ 61│ 7│ │ │ 3│ │London Road │ 21│ 8│ │ │ │ │Trinity, │ 52│ 6│ │ │ │ │ Newington │ │ │ │ │ │ │St. Peter, │ 84│ 4│ │ │ 2│ │ Walworth │ │ │ │ │ │ │St. Mary, │ 19│ 1│ 1│ │ │ │ Newington │ │ │ │ │ │ │Waterloo Road │ 9│ 1│ │ │ │ │ (1st) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Waterloo Road │ 25│ 8│ 1│ 2│ │ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Lambeth Church│ 6│ 9│ │ 1│ 2│ │ (1st) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Lambeth Church│ 34│ 13│ 1│ │ 5│ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Kennington │ 63│ 5│ 3│ │ │ │ (1st) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Kennington │ 34│ 3│ 1│ │ │ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │ │ │ │Brixton │ 5│ 2│ │ │ 2│ │*Clapham │ 19│ │ 5│ │ │ │St. George, │ 30│ 9│ 2│ │ 1│ │ Camberwell │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Norwood │ │ 2│ 1│ 5│ │ │Streatham │ │ 1│ 5│ │ │ │Dulwich │ │ │ │ │ │ │Sydenham │ │ 1│ 2│ │ 1│ ├──────────────┼─────────┼────────┼───────────┼────────┼──────────────┤ │ │ 1263│ 98│ 29│ 102│ 22│ └──────────────┴─────────┴────────┴───────────┴────────┴──────────────┘

The following is the proportion of deaths to 10,000 houses, during the first seven weeks of the epidemic, in the population supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company, in that supplied by the Lambeth Company, and in the rest of London.

=TABLE IX.=

┌──────────────────────────────┬────────────┬────────────┬────────────┐ │ │ Number of │Deaths from │ Deaths in │ │ │ houses. │ Cholera. │each 10,000 │ │ │ │ │ houses. │ ├──────────────────────────────┼────────────┼────────────┼────────────┤ │Southwark and Vauxhall Company│ 40,046│ 1,263│ 315│ │Lambeth Company │ 26,107│ 98│ 37│ │Rest of London │ 256,423│ 1,422│ 59│ └──────────────────────────────┴────────────┴────────────┴────────────┘

The mortality in the houses supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company was therefore between eight and nine times as great as in the houses supplied by the Lambeth Company; and it will be remarked that the customers of the Lambeth Company continued to enjoy an immunity from cholera greater than the rest of London which is not mixed up as they are with the houses supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company.

As regards the period of the epidemic subsequent to the 26th August to which my inquiry extended, I have stated that the Registrar-General requested the District Registrars to make a return of the water supply of the house of attack in all cases of death from cholera. Owing to difficulties such as I explained that I had met with in the beginning of my inquiry, the Registrars could not make the return in all cases, and as they could not be expected to seek out the landlord or his agent, or to apply chemical tests to the water as I had done, the water supply remained unascertained in a number of cases, but the numbers may undoubtedly be considered to show the correct proportions as far as they extend, and they agree entirely with the results of my inquiry respecting the earlier part of the epidemic given above.

The Registrar-General published the returns of the water supply, which he had obtained from the District Registrars, down to 14th October, in a table which is subjoined. As the whole of the south districts of London were included in the inquiry of the Registrar-General, the deaths in the Greenwich and Lewisham districts, which are supplied by the Kent Water Company, and did not enter into my inquiry, are included in the table, but they do not in the least affect the numbers connected with the other companies.

=TABLE X.=

┌────────────┬─────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ Deaths │ │ │Week ending.│ from │ Water Supply. │ │ │Cholera. │ │ ├────────────┼─────────┼─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬─────────┬────────────┤ │ │ │Southwk. │ │ Kent │ Pumps, │ Not │ │ „ │ „ │ and │Lambeth. │Company. │and other│ascertained.│ │ │ │Vauxhall.│ │ │sources. │ │ ├────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼────────────┤ │September 2.│ 670│ 399│ 45│ 38│ 72│ 116│ │ „ 9.│ 972│ 580│ 72│ 45│ 62│ 213│ │ „ 16.│ 856│ 524│ 66│ 48│ 44│ 174│ │ „ 23.│ 724│ 432│ 72│ 28│ 62│ 130│ │ „ 30.│ 383│ 228│ 25│ 19│ 24│ 87│ │October 7.│ 200│ 121│ 14│ 10│ 9│ 46│ │ „ 14.│ 115│ 69│ 8│ 3│ 6│ 29│ ├────────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼─────────┼────────────┤ │ │ 3920│ 2353│ 302│ 191│ 279│ 795│ └────────────┴─────────┴─────────┴─────────┴─────────┴─────────┴────────────┘

Now 2,353 deaths in 40,046 houses, the number supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company, are 537 deaths to each 10,000 houses; and 302 deaths to 26,107, the number of houses supplied by the Lambeth Company, are 115 deaths to each 10,000 houses; consequently, in the second seven weeks of the epidemic, the population supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company continued to suffer nearly five times the mortality of that supplied with water by the Lambeth Company. If the 795 deaths in which the water supply was not ascertained be distributed equally over the other sources of supply in the above table (No. X), the deaths in houses supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company would be 2,830, and in houses supplied by the Lambeth Company would be 363. By adding the number of deaths which occurred in the first seven weeks of the epidemic, we get the numbers in the subjoined table (No. XI), where the population of the houses supplied by the two water companies is that estimated by the Registrar-General.

=TABLE XI.=

┌─────────────────┬────────────────┬─────────────────┬────────────────┐ │ │ Population in │Deaths by Cholera│Deaths in 10,000│ │ │ 1851. │in 14 wks. ending│ living. │ │ │ │ Oct 14. │ │ ├─────────────────┼────────────────┼─────────────────┼────────────────┤ │London │ 2,362,236│ 10,367│ 43│ │ │ │ │ │ │West Districts │ 376,427│ 1,992│ 53│ │North Districts │ 490,396│ 735│ 14│ │Central Districts│ 393,256│ 612│ 15│ │East Districts │ 485,522│ 1,461│ 30│ │South Districts │ 616,635│ 5,567│ 90│ │ │ │ │ │ │Houses supplied │ │ │ │ │ by Southwark │ 266,516│ 4,093│ 153│ │ and Vauxhall │ │ │ │ │ Company │ │ │ │ │Houses supplied │ │ │ │ │ by Lambeth │ 173,748│ 461│ 26│ │ Company │ │ │ │ └─────────────────┴────────────────┴─────────────────┴────────────────┘

We see by the above table that the houses supplied with the water from Thames Ditton, by the Lambeth Company, continued throughout the epidemic to enjoy an immunity from cholera, not only greater than London at large, but greater than every group of districts, except the north and central groups.

In the next table (No. XII), the mortality from cholera in 1849 is shown side by side with that of 1854, in the various sub-districts to which the supply of the two water companies with which we are particularly interested extends. The mortality of 1854 is down to October 21, and is extracted from a table published in the “Weekly Return of Births and Deaths” of October 28; that of 1849 is from the “Report on Cholera” by Dr. Farr, previously quoted. The sub-districts are arranged in three groups as before, the first group being supplied only by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company, the second group by this Company and the Lambeth, and the third group by the Lambeth Company only. It is necessary to observe, however, that the supply of the Lambeth Company has been extended to Streatham, Norwood, and Sydenham, since 1849, in which year these places were not supplied by any water company. The situation and extent of the various sub-districts are shown, together with the nature of the water supply, in Map 2, which accompanies this work.

=TABLE XII.=

┌─────────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────────────┬─────────────────┐ │ Sub-Districts. │ Deaths from │ Deaths from │ Water Supply. │ │ │Cholera in 1849. │Cholera in 1854. │ │ ├─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┤ │St. Saviour, │ │ │Southwark & │ │ Southwark │ 283│ 371│ Vauxhall │ │ │ │ │ Company only. │ │St. Olave │ 157│ 161│ „ │ │St. John, │ 192│ 148│ „ │ │ Horsleydown │ │ │ │ │St. James, │ 249│ 362│ „ │ │ Bermondsey │ │ │ │ │St. Mary Magdalen│ 259│ 244│ „ │ │Leather Market │ 226│ 237│ „ │ │Rotherhithe │ 352│ 282│ „ │ │Wandsworth │ 97│ 59│ „ │ │Battersea │ 111│ 171│ „ │ │Putney │ 8│ 9│ „ │ │Camberwell │ 235│ 240│ „ │ │Peckham │ 92│ 174│ „ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Lambeth Company, │ │Christchurch, │ 256│ 113│ and Southwark │ │ Southwark │ │ │ and Vauxhall │ │ │ │ │ Compy. │ │Kent Road │ 267│ 174│ „ │ │Borough Road │ 312│ 270│ „ │ │London Road │ 257│ 93│ „ │ │Trinity, │ 318│ 210│ „ │ │ Newington │ │ │ │ │St. Peter, │ 446│ 388│ „ │ │ Walworth │ │ │ │ │St. Mary, │ 143│ 92│ „ │ │ Newington │ │ │ │ │Waterloo Road │ 193│ 58│ „ │ │ (1st) │ │ │ │ │Waterloo Road │ 243│ 117│ „ │ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │ │Lambeth Church │ 215│ 49│ „ │ │ (1st) │ │ │ │ │Lambeth Church │ 544│ 193│ „ │ │ (2nd) │ │ │ │ │Kennington (1st) │ 187│ 303│ „ │ │Kennington (2nd) │ 153│ 142│ „ │ │Brixton │ 81│ 48│ „ │ │Clapham │ 114│ 165│ „ │ │St. George, │ 176│ 132│ „ │ │ Camberwell │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │Norwood │ 2│ 10│Lambeth Company │ │ │ │ │ only. │ │Streatham │ 154│ 15│ „ │ │Dulwich │ 1│ │ „ │ │Sydenham │ 5│ 12│ „ │ ├─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┤ │First 12 │ 2261│ 2458│Southwk. & │ │ sub-districts │ │ │ Vauxhall. │ ├─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┤ │Next 16 │ 3905│ 2547│Both Companies. │ │ sub-districts │ │ │ │ ├─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┼─────────────────┤ │Last 4 │ 162│ 37│Lambeth Company. │ │ sub-districts │ │ │ │ └─────────────────┴─────────────────┴─────────────────┴─────────────────┘

The table exhibits an increase of mortality in 1854 as compared with 1849, in the sub-districts supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company only, whilst there is a considerable diminution of mortality in the sub-districts partly supplied by the Lambeth Company. In certain sub-districts, where I know that the supply of the Lambeth Water Company is more general than elsewhere, as Christchurch, London Road, Waterloo Road 1st, and Lambeth Church 1st, the decrease of mortality in 1854 as compared with 1849 is greatest, as might be expected. Waterloo Road 1st, which suffered but little from cholera in the present year, is chiefly composed of very dirty narrow streets, in the neighbourhood of Cornwall Road and the New Cut, inhabited by very poor people; and Lambeth Church 1st, which suffered still less, contains a number of skinyards and other factories, between Lambeth Palace and Vauxhall Bridge, which have often been inveighed against as promoting the cholera. The high mortality of the Streatham district in 1849 was caused by the outbreak of cholera in Drouett’s Asylum for pauper children, previously mentioned.

Whilst making inquiries in the south districts of London, I learned some circumstances with respect to the workhouses which deserve to be noticed. In Newington Workhouse, containing 650 inmates, and supplied with the water from Thames Ditton, there had been but two deaths from cholera amongst the inmates down to 21st September, when the epidemic had already greatly declined. In Lambeth Workhouse, containing, if I remember rightly, nearly 1,000 inmates, and supplied with the same water, there had been but one death amongst the inmates when I was there in the first week of September. In St. Saviour’s workhouse, which is situated in the parish of Christchurch, and is supplied with water by the Lambeth Company, no inmate died of cholera before I called in the first week of September. On the other hand, in the workhouse of St. George, Southwark, supplied with the water of the Southwark and Vauxhall Company, six inmates died out of about 600 before the 26th August, when the epidemic had only run one-third of its course. The mortality was also high amongst the inmates of St. Olave’s Workhouse, supplied with water by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company, but I do not know the number who died. I trust, however, that the Registrar

General, in giving an account of the recent epidemic, will make a return of the deaths amongst the inmates of the various workhouses and other institutions on the south side of the Thames, together with the water supply of the buildings. Bethlehem Hospital, the Queen’s Prison, Horsemonger Lane Gaol, and some other institutions, having deep wells on the premises, scarcely suffered at all from cholera in 1849, and there was no death in any of them during the part of the recent epidemic to which my inquiry extended.

On the north side of the Thames the mortality during the recent epidemic seems to have been influenced more by the relative crowding and want of cleanly habits of the people, and by the accidental contamination of the pump-wells, than by the supply of the water companies. The water of the New River Company could have no share in the propagation of cholera, as I explained when treating of the epidemic of 1849; and the extensive districts supplied by this company have been very slightly visited by the disease, except in certain spots which were influenced by the causes above mentioned. The water of the East London Company is also free from the contents of sewers, unless it be those from the neighbourhood of Upper Clapton, where there has been very little cholera. The districts supplied by this company have been lightly visited, except such as lie near the Thames, and are inhabited by mariners, coal and ballast-heavers, and others, who are employed on the river. Even Bethnal Green and Spitalfields, so notorious for their poverty and squalor, have suffered a mortality much below the average of the metropolis. The Grand Junction Company obtain their supply at Brentford, within the reach of the tide and near a large population, but they detain the water in large reservoirs, and their officers tell me they filter it; at all events, they supply it in as pure a state as that of the Lambeth Company obtained at Thames Ditton, and their districts have suffered very little from cholera except at the spot where the irruption occurred from the contamination of the pump-well in Broad Street, Golden Square. The West Middlesex Company, obtaining their supply from the Thames at Hammersmith, have also very large reservoirs, and the districts they supply have suffered but little from cholera, except the Kensington brick fields, Starch Green, and certain other spots, crowded with poor people, chiefly Irish.

The districts supplied by the Chelsea Company have suffered a much greater mortality, during the recent epidemic, than the average of the whole metropolis, as the subjoined table (No. XIII) shows. But the mortality in these districts is only half as great as in the houses supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company, who obtain their supply from the Thames just opposite the spot where the Chelsea Company obtain theirs. The latter company, however, by detaining the water in their reservoirs, and by filtering it, are enabled to distribute it in a state of comparative purity; but I had ample opportunities of observing, in August and September last, that this was far from being the state of the water supplied by the Southwark and Vauxhall Company. Many of the people receiving this latter supply were in the habit of tying a piece of linen or some other fabric over the tap by which the water entered the butt or cistern, and in two hours, as the water came in, about a tablespoon of dirt was collected, all in motion with a variety of water insects, whilst the strained water was far from being clear. The contents of the strainer were shown to me in scores of instances. I do not, of course, attribute the cholera either to the insects or the visible dirt; but it is extremely probable that the measures adopted by the Chelsea Company to free the water from these repulsive ingredients, either separated or caused the destruction of the morbid matter of cholera. It is very likely that the detention of the water in the company’s reservoirs permitted the decomposition of the cholera poison, and was more beneficial than the filtering, for the following reasons. The water used in Millbank Prison, obtained from the Thames at Millbank, was filtered through sand and charcoal till it looked as clear as that of the Chelsea Company; yet, in every epidemic, the inmates of this prison suffered much more from cholera than the inhabitants of the neighbouring streets and those of Tothill Fields Prison, supplied by that company. In the early part of August last, the use of the Thames water was entirely discontinued in Millbank Prison, and water from the Artesian well in Trafalgar Square was used instead, on the recommendation of Dr. Baly, the physician to the prison. In three or four days after this change, the cholera, which was prevailing to an alarming extent, entirely ceased.