200 Manchester : its Sanitary and Social State. [April, 



worsted yarns, which, coupled with this other fact, that we imported 

 during the first eleven months of 1866, woollen manufactures valued 

 at 1,702,569/., is suggestive of competition in a branch of industry 

 different from that to which public attention has been drawn.* 



VII. MANCHESTER: ITS SANITAEY AND SOCIAL 

 STATE, AND ITS COBPOBATE EULEES. 



By George Greaves, Consulting Medical Officer, Chorlton 

 Union Hospital, &c. 



The increased attention happily paid, during the last quarter of 

 a century, to sanitary science, beside adding greatly to our know- 

 ledge of the subject, has led to extended and more stringent 

 legislation in reference to it. How the authorities intrusted with 

 the care of the Public Health have used the increased knowledge 

 and greater powers thus placed at their disposal, was shown to 

 some extent in an article in a recent number of this Journal. The 

 subject was, however, by no means exhausted ; and it is one of such 

 transcendent importance, that no apology can be necessary for 

 recurring to it, unpleasant, and derogatory to our national pride 

 as it is. In the ensuing remarks the inquiry will be limited to 

 Manchester, because it is believed that, whatever be the short- 

 comings of the civic rulers of other places, nowhere are the laws 

 of health more systematically violated than in Manchester by those 

 whose special duty it is to obey them. 



The metropolis of the manufacturing district has for years 

 disputed with its chief seaport the bad distinction of being the most 

 unhealthy town in Great Britain. In some recent weeks its death- 

 rate has been higher than that of Liverpool. As the rate has been 

 calculated for the whole city, including suburban districts almost as 

 favourably circumstanced for health as many small country-towns, 

 the mortality in other districts must necessarily be enormous. It 

 has, in fact, recently been shown that in some of them the deaths 

 have occasionally exceeded the births. 



* The comparative statements relating to the manufacture of iron in this 

 country and in Belgium, are founded chiefly on statistics recorded in the Trade 

 returns of the two countries, in the reports of our legation at Brussels, and the 

 publications and archives of the Keeper of Mining Becords, supplemented, in a 

 few instances, by information obtained from authentic private sources. To Mr. 

 Kobert Hunt, F.B.S., the Keeper of the Becords referred to, and to the other 

 gentlemen to whom I am indebted for assistance, my obligation is cordially 

 acknowledged. 1,000 kilogrammes have been taken by me as being equal to 

 a ton. 



