90 REPORT — 1844. 



Hhits on the Improvement of Agricultural Labourers. 

 By the Rev. Theodore Drury, M.A. 



He lamented that in too many parts the agricultural labourer was depressed by 

 poverty and degraded by ignorance ; his wages were kept down by rivalry and his 

 education was neglected. This led to despondency, wretchedness, pilfering, and dai'ing 

 robbery. Religion was the most energetic of all influences, and he thought it highly 

 important that an increased attention to it should be promoted by every practicable 

 means. The plans which he suggested for ameliorating the condition of the agricul- 

 tural poor were, that a clothing club should be established in connexion with each 

 village school ; there should be a weekly sale of coals in the winter months from a 

 store provided by the more wealthy inhabitants ; small allotments, not exceeding a 

 rood, should be let to each family ; village and farm libraries and savings' banks should 

 be promoted ; and farm labourers should have their personal comforts attended to. 



On the Sanatory Condition of York during the years 1839 — ISiS. 

 By Dr. Laycock. 



The author observed that he had instituted an inquiry into the sanatory condition 

 of York in connexion with the commissioners for examining the state of large towns. 

 His inquiries at that time were not brought beyond 1841, but he had since prosecuted 

 his labours, and rendered the investigation more complete, by taking in the years 1842 

 — 1843. He showed from the tables adduced that York was not comparatively an un- 

 healthy town ; but that its drains were made on a bad principle, and that the state of 

 health had a marked relation to the altitude of the several parishes within the walls. 

 The parishes above the mean altitude were far more healthy than those below it. The 

 writer illustrated his statements by reference to an excellent map of the city which 

 had been prepared by the Ordnance Office. 



On the Addition to Vital Statistics contained in the First Report of the Com- 

 missioners of Inquiry into the Circumstances affecting the Health of Towns. 

 By Dr. Laycock. 



The first topic to which he would allude related to the influence of employments 

 upon healths. Dr. Guy, of King's College, found that the proportion of consumptive 

 cases in the several classes was as follows : — gentry and professional men 1 6, trades- 

 men 28, and artisans and Libouring men 30 per cent. This great mortality from con- 

 sumption among tradesmen and working men in London, he attributed mainly to their 

 long confinement in ill-ventilated shops. Dr. Southwood Smith, of the London Fever 

 Hospital, gave some valuable evidence with reference to the mortality occasioned by 

 fever, showing that the comparative risk from that disease was greatest to adults, 

 and that therefore heads of families are most liable to be cut off by it. 



Dr. Laycock, in his further comments on the report, showed that investigations at 

 Preston, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Sheffield, York and Nottingham, all led to the same 

 result, viz. that the health of the inhabitants of various streets varied with the con- 

 dition of those streets, and that children are particularly subject to the influence of 

 noxious physical agencies. 



Dr. Laycock next proceeded to notice the important evidence of Mr. Hawksley, 

 C.E., on the supply of water to the town of Nottingham. In that town every house 

 is supplied day and night with a constant supply of water. This advantage dispenses 

 with the necessity of tanks and other expenses. The water-works' company supply 

 houses at an annual average charge of about 7». 6f/. at any level required, even in the 

 attics of four or five story houses. For a two or three story house of three rooms the 

 charge is one penny per week, and for this sum the tenants take any quantity of water 

 they choose ; there are 5000 houses supplied at that rate. The effect produced on 

 the habits of the people by the introduction of water into the houses of the labouring 

 classes has been very marked. There has been a great increase of personal cleanli- 

 ness and much less disease. The public drains have become cleaner, and there is 

 less noisome stench, the refuse being washed down them by the flow of water, Not- 

 tingham is still an unhealthy town, the mean duration of life throughout England 



