Page 10 - Smallwood Hospital

Redditch Heritage Smallwood Hospital

1854. He found 500 cases centred on a pump in Broad Street in London, yet a workhouse
nearby, which had its own private well, reported only 5 deaths among the 500 inmates, and a
brewery with 70 workers which never used the pump, had no cases at all. When the pump
was taken out of service the outbreak ceased. Although the importance of Snow’s work was
not immediately recognised, posters, such as the following one for East London, were evident
by 1866. An account of Snow’s findings was also found in the Worcester Journal in 1866
accompanied by an accusation that the Worcester Town Council was not prepared. ‘And,
now, with the cholera at our doors, they are talking of sanitary measures and sanitary
science.’ 6

Picture showing death by the pump Advice about cholera and drinking water, East London, 1866 7

Cholera in Redditch

Fears of a cholera epidemic led to the creation of a Central Board of Health. It sat at the Privy
Council Office in London with an advisory committee of the Royal College of Physicians.
Nearly 1200 local boards of health were created, constituted by Orders in Council, in addition
to those formed on local initiative. The Board was dissolved in December 1832 and the local
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boards disappeared as the epidemic receded. In 1832 local newspapers gave weekly
accounts of cases of cholera in their own and neighbouring counties. Some extracts are
shown below.
Cholera in Redditch 1832

Hereford Journal The cholera has made its appearance at Redditch. There were three deaths on Thursday
12 Sept morning, and several new cases

Hereford Times Cholera has appeared at Redditch, where there have been 23 cases and 7 deaths.
Sat 15 Sept

Hereford Times On Tuesday only two new cases and one death. Total cases, 22; deaths, 8; recoveries, 13.
Sat 22 Sept

6
Worcester Journal 4 Aug 1866, see Appendix 1.
7
Both items: Wellcome Library, London.
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Available at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/public-health-epidemics.htm

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