Page:On the Pollution of the Rivers of the Kingdom.djvu/24

 into the river Trent, about a mile and a half above the point at which of Nottingham is now drawn from that river.

"That the River Leen, which passes through this town, and which was about 40 years ago a pure stream, and afforded the principal supply of water to the town for all purposes, is now foul and offensive by reason of its conveying part of the sewage of Nottingham, and the whole efof [sic] the sewers of an extensive and populous higher district over which the authorities of Nottingham have no control, and flows with the rest of the sewage of Nottingham, into the parish of Sneinton, and thence into the River Trent."

Memorial of the Rotherham and Kimberworth Board of Health to the Home Secretary:—

"ShewethShoweth [sic],

"That this Board have been under deep concern on it appearing from the returns made by their officer of health from time to time, that the mortality of part of the district of the Rotherham and Kimberworth Local Board of Health (the town of Rotherham) has been for some time greatly in excess of the regular rates of mortality, having, for instance, in the two quarters ending June 30, been at the rate of forty in the 1,000!!

"That the town has on several occasions been subject to fatal epidemics, and in the years 1862 and 1863, a medical officer from the Health Department of Her Majesty's Secretary of State visited Rotherham to inquire into the state of its health, and especially with reference to the outbreak of typhoid fever.

"That your memorialists believe the natural situation and state of Rotherham to be such as will not account for the sickness and death which have prevailed; but they are of opinion that being situate on the River Don, which flows from Sheffield, and brings down an immense quantity of sewerage which falls into it at Sheffield, and is deposited in the bed of the river near Rotherham, polluting the stream and poisoning the air, is mainly the cause of the sickness and mortality which have prevailed, and which, to the belief of your memorialists, cannot be accounted for in any other way.

"Your memorialists therefore pray that you will introduce a Bill next Session of Parliament, to carry out the recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee, that