In Camberwell, 5,594 houses were inspected; in 4,324 sanitary work had to be done.
In St. Mary, Newington:—
“A house-to-house visitation was commenced August 4th, and concluded on November 20th, in which period the Sub-Inspectors called at 12,919 houses.
“A record was thus obtained of the condition of nearly every house in the parish. The house-to-house visitation was carried out with but little real opposition, and with a great deal of satisfaction…. Strict impartiality was the rule of action, and all classes and those in every station were alike subject to inquiry.”
As the summer went on, the mortality from the cholera increased—it reached its acme on August 1st, when there were 204 deaths from it, and in the week ending August 4th when the total of 1,053 was reached.[106]
During the 23 weeks of its prevalence 5,548 persons died—of whom 3,909 died in the East Districts alone, and 702 on the South side of the river.
And by the end of the year it had gone. That the mortality should have been so much smaller than on previous visitations was attributed to the fact that London was unquestionably less filthy at the time of this outbreak.
“A comparison of the mortality with that of former cholera years,” wrote the Medical Officer of Health for St. Giles’, “demonstrates that sanitary work—imperfect as it is—has deprived the disease of much of its power.”
“The power,” wrote the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham, “of sanitary arrangements to check the progress of such a formidable disease was clearly evidenced.”
The Medical Officer of Health for Lambeth wrote:—