Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 2.djvu/222

 the adjoining counties, the manufactures of Lancashire and Birmingham, the mineral productions of Wales, Shropshire and Staffordshire, and for the colonial imports from the different parts of the world.

Stourport (of which Mitten, the original or old town, may now be considered as a street,) contains 567 inhabited houses, of which 162 are of the annual value of 10l. and upwards, and the population, according to the last returns, was 2952. Males, 1446; females, 1506. The average number of baptisms and funerals, for the last three years, is, baptisms, 103; funerals, 66. The number of marriages cannot be ascertained, since persons resort to Kidderminster most commonly for the ceremony.

The houses are built of brick, and are, generally, very warm and comfortable, but the yards are small and confined. The usual rent of a small house is about seven pounds. With the exception of the principal streets, the drainage is imperfect, and the privies and pig-sties are in an offensive state. Vessels full of pig-wash are frequently kept close to the doors, and, sometimes, within the houses, but I am not aware that any extensive disease has been ever produced by these nuisances.

The mud from the canals and basins, which consists principally of clay mixed with sand, more or less coal-dust, and a very small portion of animal and vegetable matter, is frequently allowed to remain in different parts of the town, for many weeks, until it is dry enough to be removed, but I never observed any disease arise from this cause.

The labouring classes in the town are generally in comfortable circumstances, and their wages are