5 2 Literary and Philosophical Society. 



shown in another work, 1 that there is an astonishing 

 difference between the expectation of life in Manchester 

 and the country immediately surrounding it, although the 

 inhabitants of both are subject to the same vicissitudes of 

 weather, carry on the same manufactures, are supplied with 

 provisions from the same market, and by their free inter- 

 course are almost equally liable to attacks of small-pox, 

 fevers, and other epidemics.' 



We must also give extracts from Dr. Ferriar's remarks : - 



' At the request of some of your number, who originally 

 proposed this meeting, I submit to your consideration a 

 few remarks towards the formation of a board, or com- 

 mittee, for superintending the health of the manufacturing 

 poor in Manchester and Salford. . . . 



' Having already published my sentiments pretty fully 

 on this subject, I shall remark, without entering into any 

 previous reasoning, that the principal sources of fever 

 among our poor are lodging-houses, cellars, cotton mills, 

 and the incautious intercourse of the poor with each other 

 in places infected. 



' i. Respecting lodging-houses, I have observed else- 

 where, that the most desirable means of prevention would 

 be to subject them to licences, which would bring them 

 under the control of the magistrate. At present, as the 

 town is much less crowded than it was in 1792, the mis- 

 chief arising from these houses is less ; and until the 

 committee can acquire the proper powers, it would 

 perhaps be sufficient to be at the expense of whitewash- 

 ing such places as shall be reported to be over-crowded, 

 to prevail on some of the lodgers to remove, which may 

 be readily done. 



1 ' Essays, Philosophical, Medical and Experimental. ' 



