598 The Public Health. [Oct 



one is at a loss to know how to reach them to warn them of their 

 folly and their danger. Dr. Stewart recommends the appointment 

 of " a thoroughly efficient administrative department of government 

 for the superintendence of all matters relating to the public 

 health," and the "appointment of officers of health, not only in 

 towns but in the country, and for our ports and harbours." 



Mr. Jenkins commences his paper by a truism, which, one 

 would think, should have stirred even the apathy of a London 

 vestry, — " Public Health is Public Wealth.'' This sentence 

 should be printed in letters of gold over every vestry-house, 

 every corporation-hall, and every law-court in the kingdom. It 

 is the law of human civilization, and is the key to all human 

 progress. Mr. Jenkins shows very ably in his paper, how wretchediy 

 all our sanitary laws fail on account of their permissive character ; 

 and how, by the ^difference and ignorance of local boards, the 

 health and wealth of the community are sacrificed. 



We are glad to be able to say that a medical officer is at length 

 about to be appointed by the Manchester authorities, who are 

 trying to justify their oj^position to the Artizans' Bill by attacks 

 upon Mr. Toirens. The truth is, that if the Manchester Corpora- 

 tion had been as zealous in promoting as they were in opi)osing 

 Mr. Torrens's measure, he would not have been obliged to defer it 

 until next Session. 



In strange contrast with the conduct of the Manchester Cor- 

 poration, we may add that a memorial was sent up to Lord Derby 

 (through Lord Stanley, who interested himself in this, as he does 

 in every effort to promote the welfare of the masses), signed by 

 leading sanitarians in Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Oxford, 

 to urge the passing of the Bill ; and, if needful, the same gentlemen 

 will repeat their efforts in co-operation with Mr. Torrens next year. 



There is some little satisfaction in witnessing the wretched 

 attempts at justification put forward by the Manchester authorities, 

 for it shows that at least they are conscious of having done wrong, 

 but we hope soon to see some more creditable evidences of their 

 desire to protect the health and lives of their citizens. They have 

 acted upon the principle usual with corporations : to resist reform 

 until public opinion seemed likely to overwhelm them, and then, 

 tardily complying with the public requirements, have comforted 

 themselves by abusing their friends and advisers. 



The Social Science Association held its Eleventh Annual Meeting 

 this year at Belfast, under the presidency of Lord Dufferin. The 

 session was opened by an address from the President, which dealt 

 very boldly with the social grievances of Ireland. As no allusion 

 was made by his Lordship to public health, a subject on which our 

 legislators generally seem to take very little interest, we need not 

 refer to it further here. Sir James Simpson, of Edinburgh, had 



