SANITARY CONDITION OF LONDON.
Lesketh How,. An2bleside, 20th April 1858. Snt—In the number for this month of the "British and Foreign Medico- Chirurgical Review," under the head of Medical Intelligence, the sarfitary necessity of the London great sewage interception works is questioned, founded on a recent report of a medical officer, Dr. Barnes, issued by the Vestry of Shoreditch. The conclusion this inquirer has arrived at is, that i there s no satisfactory proof that the health of those who live on the banks of the Thames and on its waters, is worse than that of others whose abodes are at a distance from the river ; and to this negative he adds the positive fact that "since the replacement of the Dreadnought by the present new ship, now nine months ago, not a ease of fever has originated on board this floating hospital." The editor of the journal quoted considers the facts adduced sufficient ground for urging further inquiry : in confirmation, if that be necessary, the health-statistics of the men employed in the service of the Customs in London, "the Water-guard and Waterside-officers," might be referred to, so ably drawn up by Dr. M‘William, and published in the valuable volume which has just appeared, "The Transactions of the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science." which had its first meeting at Bir- mingham in October last. The impressive fact shown by these statistics is, that the mortality amongst this body of men is less than that of the male population of England of the same age, being per 1000, (not excluding deaths from cholera,) in the ratio of thirteen to sixteen. Of the diseases to which they are subject, no notice is taken of ague or indeed of any kind of fever ; warranting the inference of exemption, or at least that these dis- eases are no wise common amongst them. I may add that from such infor- mation as I have been able to collect, the health of the boatmen, the common wherry-men on the Thames plying: their calling between the bridges, is not less satisfactory. In carrying on an inquiry such as that recommended, the de- fecating means now in operation ought not to be forgotten. Calculations have been made as to the amount of impurities discharged into the river; but I am not aware of any estimate having been attempted of the amount of the counteracting influences, the defecating means just alluded to. These are chiefly the various aquatic animals, fishes, insects in their larva state, worms, crustacea, infusoria,—nature's scavengers—all of them de- vourers of organized matter, and, by imparting life to dead matter, checking putridity and the production of noxious gases : of the fishes of the Thames in its tidal portion, the whitebait is one of the most remarkable and abund- ant; to those who feast on it as a delicacy, it seems shocking to plats it in the category of defecators ; yet that it is directly or indirectly, cannot be doubted.
In the economy of nature it is well to keep in mind that some of the great- est effects are produced by what appear at first sight to be-most inadequate causes ; and also that in that economy there are wonderful counteracting and compensating agencies in activity. The soot carried up and diffused in smoke from the coal-fires of London is not so mere an evil as it was once considered ; it helps to purify the atmosphere ; that is, to absorb and carry off some of its most deletenous elements : the pest of flies which proved so great an annoyance during the recent ever-memorable siege of Luoknow, probably by removing the putrifying matters, tended to prevent a treater evil, a pm- tilent endemic; they, like the aquatic animals of the Thames, giving life to dead matter, and thereby like them checking putrid decomposition and noxious exhalations, and- so-far having sanitary influence. Much more might be said in favour of further inquiry and cautions ac- tion in a matter of so much obscurity and importance. Those who are not convinced, it is-presumed would change their opinions were they to read the several. papers on the vexed subjects of town-sewerage and town-drain gge contained In the volume quoted.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, jonn DAVY.
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