1866. | The Sanitary Condition of Hull. 481 
shame in those towns which obstinately refuse to remove similar 
stains from their municipal escutcheons, and who persist in setting 
their poor denizens an example of slovenliness and filth. 
Deplorable as it may appear, it is nevertheless true that the 
only efficacious agents in sanitary reform are terrible visitations of 
disease, or stern compulsory legislative enactments. Both those 
agents are at present in active operation amongst us. Cholera, of 
which, in common with our cotemporaries, we predicted an outbreak 
during the summer, is committing havoc among our people; and 
- before the prorogation of Parliament the Conservative Ministry 
wisely sought the co-operation of the Liberal framers of the 
Public Health Bill, and with their aid pressed it rapidly through 
Committee, under a cross-fire of obstructives, whom we should 
hardly have expected to find amongst our enlightened legislators. 
We have to thank Providence for a visitation of Cholera, and 
to pray that the nation may not only be patient in enduring it, but 
ready to profit by the infliction; and we have also to be grateful 
to one who has had the decision and wisdom to insist upon sanitary 
reformation in all our towns and villages, to the Right Honourable 
Henry Austin Bruce, who (assisted by the late Home and Irish 
Secretaries) introduced the Public Health Bill, and who, whilst in 
the cold shade of opposition, was patriotic enough to see that it 
should became law. 
Of the salutary effect of a severe outbreak of disease upon the 
inhabitants of a neglected town, it would hardly be possible to find 
a more striking illustration than the first on our list, Hud. 
In the year 1848-9 Hull was visited by Cholera of more 
intense severity than any town in England. Lying low, and 
bordered on one side by marsh-land, it added bad drainage and a 
defective water-supply to its natural disadvantages ; but about the 
time of the visitation it possessed a mayor of peculiar ability and 
merit, who rendered such services to the town in the matter of 
sanitary improvements, that when Her Majesty visited Hull, she 
knighted Mr. now Sir Henry Cooper, and in conferring the honour 
she announced to him that she had done so at the express wish of 
the inhabitants for the services to which we have referred. 
The death-rate of Hull in the year 1851, when the Improvement 
Act was passed, was 36, whilst in July, 1866, when that of London 
was 22, Leeds 36, and Liverpool 37:6, that of Hull was less than 
one-half the last named, 18°3. The average mortality of the 
borough is however not so favourable, as will be found hereafter. 
By the time our readers have accompanied us to the end of our 
task, they will understand the feelings of pleasure with which we 
record the facts that the Hull Board of Health, presided over by 
the Mayor, is composed of energetic men, who have effectively 
organized themselves for sanitary purposes; that the night-soil of 
