KILLER CHOLERA
It is amazing to read the report written by William Lee of
the London Board of Health about the state of Nantwich in
1849-50. The town had just experienced the ferocity of a cholera
outbreak. The following figures help to illustrate the way
in which recurring bouts of cholera, typhoid fever and influenza
killed the people.
Year |
Population |
10-year
increase |
Number
of houses |
Inhabitants
per house |
1801 |
3463 |
|
824 |
4.2 |
1811 |
3999 |
536 |
872 |
|
1821 |
4661 |
662 |
985 |
4.8 |
1831 |
4886 |
225 |
952 |
|
1841 |
5489 |
603 |
1085 |
5.0 |
1851 |
5579 |
90 |
1150 |
|
1861 |
6225 |
646 |
1189 |
5.2 |
Cholera is a disease due to microbe infection easily transmitted
through infected water, infected food, or by flies. People
suffered violent sickness and diarrhoea. Typhus is transmitted
by lice and ticks.
The causes seem so obvious to us today: dust, dirt, earth
floors, box beds, filth in houses and streets, polluted water,
no personal or communal hygiene, no piped water or proper
sewage disposal.
The outbreak began in the Wood streets area, probably in
a lodging house. Water for washing purposes was taken from
the river nearby. The waste water was allowed to seep through
the ground. Some got into wells. There were five public wells;
one for every 900 of the population, as well as a number of
private wells.
Here were the conditions for an outbreak yet the people
tried to blame `the air` or said the attack `was ordained`
or `sent to try us`. Yet there had been attacks before: 1832
(cholera), 1834(influenza, 9 died), 1840(typhus; 50 cases
in the Workhouse); 1845 (cholera) and now in 1849(cholera)when
1,000 people suffered and nearly 200 died.
Nantwich was not unique. Similar conditions and outbreaks
occurred in many towns and cities in England and in Europe.
As the outbreaks became more numerous so doctors, scientists
and politicians grew worried. The effects of the introduction
of machines, erection of mills and gatherings of many people
in crowded conditions led to the migration of people from
the country into the towns. Existing houses became overcrowded.
New houses were rapidly built without due consideration being
given to space, air, light, water supplies and sewage disposal.
Crowding merely increased and provided more breeding grounds
for germs.
When, at last in 1848, the Public Health Act gave authorities
the powers to take action, plans could be drawn up to install
piped water and sewage disposal systems as the first steps
to stem the number of deaths.
The Rev.Chater had struggled to help victims of the outbreak
in 1849 in Nantwich. He organised a petition to be sent to
Parliament calling for action in the town. In a few weeks
an official from the London Board of Health, William Lee,
came to study the conditions in Nantwich. He wrote a lengthy
report which gave a very good `snapshot` of the appalling
state of affairs in some parts of the town. The worst parts
were near to the river but bad housing was found in Mill St.,
Queen St., Hospital St, Pillory St and Pratchett`s Row
Maps were prepared showing where the water pipes and sewage
pipes were to be laid. These maps have survived and are to
be seen on request in Nantwich Museum. Like the Lee report,
the maps are on a scale which allowed for the drawing of every
outbuilding (coal house, wash house, stye, privy,etc) and every
benchmark. Some of these benchmarks can still be found on
old buildings on the foundation corner blocks. The engraved
arrowhead indicates the height of that mark above sea level.
For more descriptions, the following can be found in Nantwich
Library or Nantwich Museum.
Lee,William Report to the General Board of Health.....1850
Johnson,E.A. A short history of Nantwich. 1902
White,Valerie Progress with economy: the sanitation
idea in Nantwich 1850- 1918. 1991
Anderton,Paul Pure water and local government revaluation.
Nantwich Museum News(11)1992
Ball,Nancy The sudden and awful visitation - cholera
1849. Nantwich Museum News(13)1994
Further reading
Nantwich Museum website at: http://www.nantwichmuseum.org.uk/
Nantwich Library at: http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/library/nantwich.htm
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