Three reports relating to the Hastings water : with an appendix of letters, &c. / Ordered to be printed by the Hastings Local Board of Health.

  • Taylor, Alfred Swaine, 1806-1880.
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Three reports relating to the Hastings water : with an appendix of letters, &c. / Ordered to be printed by the Hastings Local Board of Health. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    of the Borough being, according to the latter authority, in a very satisfactory state, which fact I am fully able to confirm. I am. Sir, your obedient servant, W. GINNER, Mayor Hon. W. L. Bathurst, Privy Council Office. No. 6. Letter from Dr. Garrett to the Mayor of Hastings. Hastings, Dec. 7, 1858. Dear Sir, I cannot help feeling excessively grieved, and I may say astonished, that an act of mine, which was done with the best and purest intentions, should have been so misinterpreted as to have given rise to the condemnation which I hear has been expressed by members of the Hast- ings Corporation ; and I must say that I think it is ex- ceedingly indiscreet that any member of that body should be so far forgetful of the interests of the place, as to have made that a matter of public discussion, which was intended to be strictly private and confidential. During the enquiry instituted by the Metropolitan Board of Health a few years ago, I collected and commu- nicated to that Board, through Dr. Southwood Smith, a mass of information relating to the action of water on lead, and its pernicious efiects on the human system. I saw diseases upon diseases generated by lead—many victims led to a premature grave by its occult, mysterious, and poisoned shafts; yet the symptoms, causes, and effects had, in many instances, been overlooked, and their identity es- caped recognition, and failed to be established. No sooner did my practice here lead me among a varied class of individuals than I was assailed with the re- marks, “how bad your water is here,” “the wu<ter of Hastings always affects me,” &c.; and on inspecting various