ABSTRACT
WethenjourneyedontoLondon-street,downwhichthetidal ditchcontinuesitscourse.InNo.1ofthisstreetthecholera firstappearedseventeenyearsago,andspreadupitwith fearfulvirulence;butthisyearitappearedattheopposite end,andrandownitwithlikeseverity.Aswepassedalong thereekingbanksofthesewerthesunshoneuponanarrow slipofthewater.Inthebrightlightitappearedthecolour ofastronggreentea,andpositivelylookedassolidasblack marbleintheshadow-indeeditwasmorelikewaterymud thanmuddywater;andyetwewereassuredthatthiswasthe onlywaterthatthewretchedinhabitantshadtodrink.Aswe gazedinhorroratit,wesawdrainsandsewersemptying theirfilthycontentsintoit;wesawawholetierofdoorless priviesintheopenroad,commontomenandwomen,built overit;weheardbucketafterbucketoffilthsplashintoit, andthelimbsofthevagrantboysbathinginitseemed,by pureforceofcontrast,whiteasParianmarble.Andyet,as westooddoubtingthefearfulstatement,wesawalittlechild, fromoneofthegalleriesopposite,loweratincanwitharope tofillalargebucketthatstoodbesideher.Ineachofthe balconiesthathungoverthestreamthesame-selftubwas tobeseeninwhichtheinhabitantsputthemuckyliquidto stand,sothattheymay,afterithasrestedadayortwo,skim thefluidfromthesolidparticlesoffilth,pollutionanddisease. Asthelittlethingdangledhertincupasgentlyaspossible intothestream,abucketofnightsoilwaspoureddownfrom thenextgallery.l
"thestarvingormendicantstateofalargeportionofthe people...ifsufferedtoremainunremediedmanyyears longer,willeat,likeadryrot,intotheveryframeworkof oursociety,andhaplybringdownthewholefabricwitha crash."4
