SANITARY LEGISLATION. 
387 
were 80 pigsties and 12 slaughter-houses within the town; that 
there were 753 houses without town water, and only one house 
in 8 1 had a cistern or tank ; and the average number of people 
living in one house was larger than in London, Manchester, and 
Nottingham. The death-rate in Plymouth being above the general 
town average, an inspector visited the town in 1852, and made his 
report in 1853. The consequence was the adoption of the Public 
Health Act and the formation of a Local Board. And since that 
time £30,000 has been spent on the public drains, and £10,000 for 
catchpits. The lecturer explained the present drainage arrangement 
in detail, and said that, when people complained rates were high, 
they should remember that nothing is really dear which is worth 
much more than it costs. The water supply was unexceptionable, 
and the system of constant supply was explained. Prom 1844 to 
1850 (seven years) the death-rate was 25-10, and it subsequently 
increased; whilst from 1867 to 1872 it had dropped to 21-46; so 
that the average saving of life was 200 annually. Sanitary con- 
ditions had been greatly improved; for whilst in 1854 Plymouth 
stood low in the list of healthy towns, in 1871 the death-rate at 
London was 25, Bristol 26, Birmingham 32*5, Liverpool 37, 
Manchester 28, Portsmouth 17, and Plymouth 20-56. The 
lecturer fully traced the progress of sanitary legislation from 1848 
to 1872, and stated that no less than 25 statutes had been passed 
since 1840 bearing on sanitary reform, and resulting finally in the 
establishment of the Local Government Board in 1871, and in the 
Sanitary Act of 1872. Special reference was made to the last 
Sanitary Act, the appointment of medical inspectors, and the 
establishment of local boards where they had not previously 
existed. It was evident that one of the earliest improvements 
demanded was the consolidation of the sanitary body and its re- 
arrangement, and in effecting this it would be necessary that the 
duties devolving on the local authorities should be less optional 
than at present. The lecturer deprecated the appointment of 
medical men at insufficient salaries, and said that the power of 
appeal against any sanitary neglect should be encouraged, so that 
the great hindrance to local administration might be counteracted 
as far as possible. It seemed to the lecturer that a board of health 
would be required to devote itself wholly to sanitary measures. 
There was much in the present condition of the country to awaken 
the deepest anxiety and prompt to ceaseless effort. In the educa- 
