It will be

This concludes our tabular analysis of the individual reports. seen on attentively referring to it, that although the reports are forty in number, the reporters are not so numerous, some gentlemen having forwarded to the central board, so many as two, three, or even more communications. Of the 22 reporters 10 give no opinion on the contagiousness or non-contagiousness of the disease. Now of those who give no opinion it is probable that the majority were non-contagionists, for this reason— that the contagionists were vastly in the minority throughout India, and they who entertain a general opinion are less likely to state it explicitly, than those who have found reasons for espousing peculiar and less commonly-received notions. Mr. Anderson, for instance, remarks that, "the idea of its (the cholera's) contagious nature is entertained by so few, and with so little reason, that it scarce merits notice."*

To pursue our comparison. Four are doubtful; one of the quartett, Dr. Taylor, appearing to incline against contagion, as he observes that none of the hospital attendants were attacked; whilst another, Dr. Burrell, leaning perhaps a little the other way, as he says he would be cautious in reporting the disease not infectious. Three are contagionists. Of these, one is nonprofessional, indeed unprofessional, namely, Captain Sykes. This gentleman, in answer to the observation that hospital attendants generally escaped, replies that he is convinced he would have had the disease, if he had not taken remedies to prevent it! He also feels certain that it could be proved to have been imported into every village, if persons were to set about it. This latter is a very judicious conclusion, and must have been dictated by a spirit, not altogether unprophetic. We know that, give a high-cholerist rope, and send him to Paris, he would prove to demonstration that the cook of Marshal Lobau was infected by M. Magendie, or the mate of a Calais steamer, who coming from Dover or the Thames, must, of course, have a pocket-full of cholera, to be dissiminated from the said pouch or pocket throughout the circle of his acquaintance, or of all so unfortunate as to set foot upon his vessel.

To return. Ten are decidedly non-contagionists. The list then stands thus-no opinion, 10-doubtful, 4-contagionists, 3-non-contagionists, 10; 3 contagionists, in short, out of 22.

With respect to the premonitory diarrhoea, and the consecutive fever, the

* Report, p. 141.

table speaks for itself, and settles the question of perfect identity between cholera in England and cholera in Bombay. Yet what signify facts? We have no doubt, whatever, that persons will be found to persist in swearing to that identity, by asserting that diarrhoea and fever, as general rules, are no novel features; nay, more, that the Indian Reports will prove it.

Having disposed of these gentlemen thus, we redeem our promise of extracting a few of the more interesting circumstances from their reports. And first, of the mortality in Bombay. The following list comprises the amount of cases, of deaths under treatment, and of those ascertained by the police, where no treatment would seem to have been resorted to. The latter are probably below the actual numbers, and one-third or one-fourth may be added to them. The population of Bombay may amount to between 200 and 220 thousand, say 210,000. The number of ascertained cases 15,945, or 7 per cent.

Proportion of deaths in those cases where medicine was administered, 6.4 per cent."

The latter statement evinces the disproportion between the mortality of India and Europe. The following extract from the report of Mr. Whyte will display the influence of locality and of temperature, as well as the obscure connexion between the prevalence of cholera and fever.

"The Cholera Morbus made its first appearance here in the lines of the foot artillery, and attacked in succession every other corps, except the 4th light cavalry and 22d dragoons, which from situation or some other cause have hitherto escaped. I am the more inclined to think that these corps owe their exemption to locality, from the following circumstance. The Madras dooly bearers were encamped at the W. end of cantonment hill, between it and the nulla which separates the cavalry from the infantry lines; and while in that situation, several were attacked by the disease, and three or four died. At the request of the Assistant-Surgeon of the 22d dragoons, whose duty it was to attend them, they were removed to a situation near the lines of that corps, that he might be at hand to afford them the most speedy aid; and since their removal, I understand no fresh cases of cholera have occurred. Since the epidemic showed itself here, the days have been exceedingly close and sultry, and about sunset a piercing cold wind has set in from the S.W.: this wind blows down the channel of the nulla mentioned above, turns the corner of cantonment hill, and blows over the cantonments. From want of a thermometer, I could not judge accurately of the degree of heat; but from my sensations, I think its range must have been extensive. The class of people which has principally suffered from this disease, is com

posed of the poor, badly clothed, or fed, and those of a debilitated constitution; or else of men, in whom the perspiratory process has been highly excited during the day, whether by violent exercise or exposure to the sun; and in this way sometimes the stoutest and healthiest men suffer. While this disease bears all the characters of an epidemic, undoubtedly depending upon some peculiar and unknown properties in the atmosphere, it appears to be more readily caused by currents of that atmosphere blowing from particular quarters; and what is of great practical importance, a situation sheltered from these currents, a situation for example, in the lee of a hill, is particularly free from the influence of this epidemic. It appears to me that, in some constitutions, this cold wind, instead of producing Cholera, causes a regular attack of ague and fever. You will observe by the abstract of the 7th, that 18 cases of fever were admitted last week, although the period of their admission was not the springs, when that disease commonly shews itself: in few of these men did more than one fit occur. The above impression was made stronger on my mind, from what took place in my own person. After all my perspiratory pores had been kept open some time, in a crowded hospital, on going across the parade, was suddenly seized with a cold shivering and trembling fit, which lasted some time after my return home. All my thoughts were fixed on Cholera. By means of the pediluvium and mulled port wine, however, I restored warmth and comfortable feelings, but suffered a smart febrile attack after going to bed, which kept me hot and restless during the night; but from which I, in the morning, arose free though languid. I think, that had my constitution been so predisposed, the same cause which produced fever, would have brought on cholera morbus." 13.

The same gentleman offers us an instance of that rather rara avis, a spontaneous cure, or something like it.

"I at first thought, that in a discase of so much violence, there was no such thing as a spontaneous cure; but a man who had been affected three days, was brought to the hospital this morning, in whom the spasms had almost entirely gone off, and whose pulse could be felt at the wrist, although from the description he must have sustained a violent attack, and he had taken no medicine." 20.

Mr. Daw relates a curious instance of the escape of one body of men, probably from prudential conduct, whilst another body, less cautious, suffered severely.

It

"Two bodies of men, one of nearly three hundred, and the other about one hundred (this is very nearly the numbers but not exact) were in adjoining situations, when the disease broke out in the place where these troops were. The 100 men immediately determined, that, by great temperance and care, and by not exposing themselves unnecessarily, and in particular by avoiding the night air, to endeavour to escape the disease. succeeded so well that only one man had an attack of it; while the other body of men, the 300 who took no such precaution, lost one-tenth of their whole number. You may think from the manner in which I have written this, that I have no distinct information as to numbers; but had I time, I could easily procure the exact statement, which I am quite certain would very nearly agree with what I have said from memory." 31.

Such has been the capriciousness of cholera that one or two instances of this kind are worth little, at least as foundations for reasoning. During the prevalence of cholera over the small island of Salsett, some villages escaped. Two months after the disease had disappeared from the island, it broke out in one of those same villages, and destroyed 23 out of a population of 80. Had quarantine been adopted in the first instance, to it the original escape, and to its infraction the subsequent desolation would no

doubt have been attributed with some plausibility by the post-hoc-ergo

reasoners.

Mr. Wallace, in his report, notices the general prevalence either of febrile symptoms, or bowel-complaint among all persons, during the existence of cholera. How much this has been the case in London, those who have any practice can testify. In this country some practitioners have been astonished by comparatively sudden deaths of patients apparently convalescent. Several such cases are mentioned in these reports. Two such examples, but not strong ones, are given by Mr. Whyte.

"The European lived three days or more from the attack of the disease; warmth, a natural pulse, perspiration, and yellow-coloured stools, had returned; but a degree of coma came on, for which he was bled; and I believe he died about the third day, coldness having re-appeared. The sepoy was attacked at day-light, admitted at 11 o'clock, and died at 4 the following evening. I saw him a few hours before death, and could just perceive his pulse; vomiting was completely suppressed, and purging nearly so, although tenesmus urged him to remain almost continually upon the stool. However, I thought him in a fair way to recover, and was astonished a few hours after to receive a report of his death." 65.

The following circumstances strongly militating against contagion, are related by the same gentleman.

“Convinced, as I am, of the total absence of contagion in this disease, I have observed the late revival in some measure of this opinion with some degree of pain. Surely, if it was at all contagious, the fact of its being so could not long remain doubtful. In the general bospital here, there were three sepoys, who resided continually from the first appearance of the epidemic, inhaling at every inspiration by day and night, mouthfuls of infection. If the atmosphere was really loaded with contagious effluvia, arising from the bodies of the numerous inhabitants of the hospital, the escape of these men (which has been complete) would be miraculous indeed, living as they were in the very midst of these effluvia, and so near their source. Allowing that the constant habit of doing so procured them an exemption from the influence of this contagion, the same thing cannot be said of the friends and relations who were attending upon the patients, nor of six dooly bearers, changed daily, and who used to assist the sick into and out the bath, and in every other way; thereby exposed to be infected with the disease, whether it is conveyed through the medium of the atmosphere, or by touch; and yet I have not known one instance of dooly bearers, friends, and attendants of the sick being so affected; nor have any of our hallafchores, or hospital assistants suffered. One of our correspondents supposes, that the disease has travelled in a direct route at the easy rate of 15 miles a day, and believes, if it could be proved, that it has not shown itself in any village, that had remained insulated or unconnected with other villages, where the disease was. Until this is proved, it is quite as easy to believe the contrary. In the meantime, we have seen it affecting a particular part in one cantonment for days, without reaching another part, although a constant communication was kept up be tween these parts all the while." 105.

But we dare not proceed further. With respect to the treatment, we can only say that, on the whole, the testimony of the reporters greatly preponderates in favour of bleeding and calomel. On the other items it is unnecessary for us to say any thing at present. It is singular that throughout these reports no mention is made of blueness, that favourite colour of the cholerics of Europe. Here we conclude the Bombay Report. It was drawn