454 The Public Health. [July, 



dition of the soil and the influence of the height of ground-water. 

 4. Whether cholera be transmitted through goods. 5. The re- 

 lation of cholera to other diseases coming after. 6. The spread of 

 cholera on board ship. 



We may add to these notes on cholera that a Commission 

 appointed to inquire into the supply of water for the East London 

 Water-works have reported and confirmed the worst suspicions 

 with regard to the impure nature of the supply of water to the 

 people of the East of London in July last. Captain Tyler also, in 

 a report made to the Board of Revenue, has confirmed all these 

 statements of the impurity of the East London water-supply. 

 Whilst refraining from giving an opinion as to whether this water 

 contained the poison which killed the people in the East of London, 

 he gives a fearful picture of the wretchedness of many districts that 

 he visited. He clearly shows that during last summer large num- 

 bers of families had a deficient supply of water, and gives pictures 

 of the dirt and misery of people for want of water that ought not 

 to exist in a country where there is a legislation professing to care 

 for the poor on the one hand, and a water company with plenty 

 of water to supply on the other. It is painful to contemplate the 

 unworthy reasons that are assigned by people in power for not 

 exercising the slightest authority in removing from their poorer 

 neighbours the cause of disease and death. 



In our last number we mentioned that a deputation of the 

 Social Science Association was about to wait on the President of the 

 Privy Council for the purpose of urging upon him the necessity of 

 an amendment and consolidation of the laws relating to public 

 health. The Duke of Marlborough and Lord Robert Grosvenor, 

 the President and Vice-President of the Privy Council, with whom 

 was Mr. John Simon, received the deputation on the 2nd of April. 

 Their Lordships were addressed by Mr. Rendle, Dr. Lankester, 

 Mr. Rumsey, Mr. James Beat, and Dr. A. P. Stewart. The point 

 chiefly urged by the speakers, was the want of anything like unity 

 in our sanitary legislations. 



Mr. Rumsey, so well known for his work on State Medicine, 

 urged the necessity for the union and consolidation of central author- 

 ity in sanitary matters, which is at present distributed between the 

 Privy Council, the Home Office, the Poor Law Board, and tbe Regis- 

 trar-General, producing uncertainty and confusion in local admin- 

 istration. He also pointed out the great anomalies which mark 

 local administration in the provinces, the variety of boards existing 

 under poor-law and local government and Public Health Acts ; and 

 the remarkable difference in the area and population of the districts 

 under these several boards, the inhabitants of a district varying 

 from less than a hundred to many thousands. He recommended an 

 improved constitution of local boards with higher qualifications for 



