History of Sanitation

106 HISTORY OF SANITATION sanitary science, vied with professional sanitarians in pre- dicting pestilence. If London should happily be spared the cholera, decimation by fever was at least a certainty. The occurrence of a case of malignant cholera in the person of a Thames waterman, early in the summer, was more than once cited to give point to these warnings, and as fore- shadowing what was to come. Meanwhile the hot weather passed away; the returns of sickness and mortality were made up, and, strange to relate, the result showed not only a death rate below the average, bict as the leading peculiarity of the season, a remarkable diminution in the prevalence of fever, diarrhoea and the other forms of disease commonly ascribed to putrid emanations.” While the historical stink of the Thames was without apparent effect on the public health, the nuisance caused was so great and the fear engendered was so real, that much good was the immediate result. One of the most lasting and far reaching benefits was the appointment by Parliament of a Rivers Pollution Commission, to study into and devise ways for the prevention of pollution of streams, lakes and water-sheds, from which public water supplies are obtained. In addition to this, the stink stimulated inquiry into the sources of infection in cases of epidemic diseases, and means for preventing' the spread of disease, with such success, that as early as 1866 it was decided that cholera was a water-borne disease and that the cause of infection, whatever it was, could be destroyed by heat. This is evidenced by the signs the local sanitary authori- ties caused to be issued during the epidemic of Asiatic cholera in 1866: Cholera Notice! “The inhabitants of the district within which cholera is prevailing' are earnestly advised not to drink any water ivhielt has not been boiled." Following this, the Rivers Pollution Commission* of 1868 went on record as authority for the statement that * Sixth Report, London, 1874.