( 480 ) { Oct., 
II. THE PUBLIC HEALTH. 
On the Sanitary Condition of Hull, Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, 
Manchester ; and on The Sanitary Act, 1866. 
In resuming the consideration of the all-important subject of the 
present article, it will be convenient that we should refer cursorily 
to our remarks on the Mortality of Liverpool, published in the last 
number of this Journal. 
We there showed that the high rate of mortality in that 
important seaport was the index to a sanitary, or we should rather 
say an insalubrious condition, highly favourable for the importation 
of Cholera into England; inasmuch as Liverpool is the chief station 
on the high road for emigrants and others likely to convey the 
infection from abroad into Great Britain. 
Quoting the Report of the Local Medical Officer, we stated the 
causes of the high mortality to be zymotic diseases arising from 
overcrowding, drunkenness, and other forms of immorality which 
lead to poverty and destitution. 
When we came to inquire into the means taken by the 
authorities for ameliorating the condition of the poor, we found 
these to be the most meagre and insignificant, for whilst very large 
sums had been expended to benefit the gentry and the wealthy 
tradespeople, miserable grants were doled out for the improvement 
of closed courts and untenantable houses, and the interests of the 
public were found to be sacrificed to those of private individuals, to 
the whims of local cliques, or to the exigencies of local politics. 
These startling revelations carried us to the inevitable conclusion, 
that it would be necessary to appomt a special Committee of the 
House of Commons to deal with a matter of such grave national 
as well as local importance. 
But whilst we penned these remarks, severe as they may have 
seemed to many of our readers, and just as they were acknowledged 
to be by the Liverpool journals, we were little aware of the sad 
and culpable neglect of which the local authorities, not only in 
Liverpool but in many of our other large towns, have for years 
past been guilty towards their defenceless poor; and when, to the 
reports of credible informants, we added a close personal inspection, 
we found a state of things so revolting that we rejoice not to have 
known it previously, for we should else have been tempted to print 
in these pages an account of facts, which at the present day would 
be deemed shameful, and which to posterity will appear incredible. 
The anticipated Public Health Bill, to which we shall refer 
presently, and other causes have conduced to the amelioration of 
those conditions in Liverpool and Leeds, and it is our intention 
to refer to them only, so far as it may be necessary for awakening 
