he called the 'sanitary idea,' and influenced the whole of his after life. An article on 'Preventive Police,' in the 'London Review,' 1829, gained him the admiration and friendship of Jeremy Bentham. He lived with Bentham for a time, assisting him in completing his administration code, and was with him at his death in 1832. Bentham wanted Chadwick to become the systematic and permanent expounder of the Benthamite philosophy, and offered him an independency on that condition. Chadwick declined the proposal but accepted a legacy, and was long regarded as one of the philosopher's most distinguished disciples. Bentham also left him part of his library, which has now been added to the collection at the University College, Gower Street.
The idea of eradicating disease now took possession of Chadwick's mind, and he spent much time in personal investigation of fever dens. While he was still hesitating as to his future course of life, he received and accepted the offer of an assistant commissionership on the poor-law commission, then (1832) on the threshold of its work. In the following year he was appointed a chief commissioner, his promotion being due to the zeal he had exhibited in collecting a vast array of facts as to the existing system of poor-law management, and to his great ability in suggesting remedies for its evils. His improved methods at first met with disfavour from his colleagues, but eventually his propositions, with some important modifications, were carried out. In the same year (1833) he was engaged on the royal commission appointed to investigate the condition of factory children, and was the chief author of the report which recommended the appointment of government inspectors under a central authority, and the limitation of children's work to six hours daily. Eventually the report led to the passing of the Ten Hours Act and the establishment of the half-time system of education. Among other proposals in the report was one that employers should be held responsible for accidents to their work people, a suggestion that has only recently been fully carried into effect by the passing of the Employers' Liability Act (1898). In the course of his evidence before a committee of the House of Commons in 1833 he spoke in favour of restricting the traffic in spirituous liquors, and the provision of healthy recreations for the people. He also advocated the payment of pensions to discharged soldiers and sailors, and the desirability of teaching the men a trade while on service.
In 1834 Chadwick took the office of secretary to the new poor-law commission, and thus became chief executive officer under the Poor-law Law Amendment Act. It is little to say that he brought extraordinary industry and ability to bear in his difficult task, which was performed amid many embarrassments. At first he had only half-hearted support from the commissioners. Sir Thomas Frankland Lewis and John G. Shaw-Lefevre, and when they resigned and George Nicholls went to Ireland he was met with strong opposition from their successors, George Cornewall Lewis and Sir Francis Head. As a member of the commission appointed in 1838 to inquire into the best means of establishing an efficient constabulary force, he along with Sir Charles Rowan prepared a report which embodied the principle expounded in his original paper on 'Preventive Police:' namely, 'to get at the removable antecedents of crime.'
The first sanitary commission was appointed at Chadwick's instigation in 1839, its immediate occasion being due to an application for his assistance by the Whitechapel authorities, who were driven to despair by an epidemical outbreak in their district. The commissioners probed the evil to its source; and their report with its startling resolutions and remedial suggestions attracted very wide attention, and it forthwith became a text-book of sanitation throughout the country. To Chadwick's directing hand in this matter may safely be ascribed the beginning of public sanitary reform.
About this time Chadwick induced Lord Lyndhurst to introduce in the new Registration Act, by which the registrar's office was established, the important clause providing for the registration of the causes as well as the number of deaths. The training of pauper children was a subject which occupied part of his attention in 1840; and his 'Report on the Result of a Special Inquiry into the Practice of Interment in Towns' came out in 1843. His recommendations in both these matters resulted in important legislative measures.
Another sanitary commission suggested by Chadwick was appointed in 1844, and reported the same year, but progress was delayed by critical political events. While this was sitting Chadwick, along with Rowland Hill, John Stuart Mill, Lyon Playfair, Dr. Neill Arnott, and other friends, formed a society called 'Friends in Council,' which met at each other's houses to discuss questions of political economy.
In 1846 the poor-law commission, esta-
