FOOTNOTES.
[1] By the census in 1841, the population was 2757 and it is computed, at the present time, to be above 3000.
[2] This valley is at present little else than an extensive marsh, which has been redeemed from the Lary, or Laira, an estuary into which the river Plym empties itself. A dense fog, of a peculiar character, frequently rises from this valley, after sun-set, at all seasons of the year, and hangs about the adjacent hill, assuming the appearance of a white cloud.
[14] This gentleman was the medical officer for the parish; and the epidemic having been chiefly prevalent among the labouring class of people, the frequent mention of his name will be accounted for.
When it pleased God to withdraw the disease from this neighbourhood, the skilful manner in which Mr. Langworthy had treated it, and his unremitting attention to the arduous duties of his office, were duly acknowledged at a parish meeting, with an addition to his salary; and a handsome piece of plate, purchased by subscription, was presented to him. He died a few years afterwards.
[18] A supply of all those medicines, &c., which were considered to be requisite, was provided out of the subscription fund, and kept at my house; viz., castor oil, tincture of rhubarb, laudanum,—packets, of different proportions, ready made up and marked, of powdered rhubarb, carbonate of soda, powdered ginger, and calomel. Carageen moss, arrow-root, patent groats, mustard, linseed, chloride of lime, stimulating liniment, called “cholera lotion,” spirits of turpentine, spirits of salvolatile, &c. From nine to ten every morning, poor people were supplied with what they required,—some, with common remedies for slight indisposition; others, according to prescriptions which they received from their medical attendant,—all under the direction or sanction of some medical practitioner.
[42] When Sergeant Higgins was suddenly carried off by the cholera, a feeling of the deepest commiseration for his wife and children was excited among the officers and privates of the regiment. They immediately entered into a subscription, and when the sorrowing widow was about to leave the Citadel with her four young children, on her journey to Cork, they presented her with a purse containing twenty sovereigns. The poor creature was so overpowered by the conflicting feelings of grief for her loss, and gratitude for such an unexpected act of generosity, that she was unable, without assistance, to get to the waggon in which she was to travel. Some of her late husband’s comrades and their wives accompanied her; and so affecting was the parting scene, that more than one manly cheek was bedewed with tears when the sad farewell was exchanged. How soon was it realized as a last farewell!
Immediately after the funeral, I wrote to her relations at Cork, informing them of the mournful event, and requesting them to inform me what arrangements they would suggest respecting the children. The youngest, aged one year, died of the cholera in our hospital, in a fortnight after the decease of its mother. At this time, a person arrived, to take charge of the children. Before they left the workhouse, where every care had been taken of them, their relation requested to know what was due to the parish. In reply to which, he was informed, that “the last tribute of respect and Christian sympathy to a broken-hearted widow, was reserved for her helpless little orphans.” Nothing was accepted. The purse which she had with her was returned, with the contents untouched.
[45] This man and his wife had been very active and useful, as nurses, and they occupied an upstair apartment, in the same cottage with Parsons’s family.
[48] The town of Plympton, in the parish of Plympton St. Maurice, is situate a few hundred yards eastward from Underwood, in the same valley which lies below that village.
Some displeasure was expressed, at Plympton, on account of Susan Taylor having gone to her brother-in-law’s house, as that place had hitherto been free from the epidemic.
An influential gentleman there wrote to me on the subject, to the following effect:—
I dare say you have heard that the cholera has unhappily appeared among us, owing to the widow of Taylor and her child, having emigrated last night from Underwood to Plympton, and slept at the house of her brother, in consequence of her having no other abode . . . It is requisite that you should be aided by the practical co-operation of others, and particularly that you should be empowered, by the vote of the parish, to enforce in your overseers the full and immediate performance of their duty . . . If the poor of Plympton St. Mary are driven from their houses by accident or pestilence, they are equally entitled to be taken care of by the parish officers, and it is their bounden duty instantly to provide them with some other habitation. Had that been attended to yesterday, we should (at least in the present case) have been exempt from the pestilence to-day.
Dated August 11th, 1832.
[50] I received the following letter, in consequence of some difficulty that had arisen respecting the power of our present Board of Health to make any order for assistance from the parish; the parish officers having hitherto taken no steps for that purpose:—
Rose Cottage, Ridgeway, August 11, 1832.
My dear Sir,
As the dread malady with which this neighbourhood is unhappily afflicted does not appear to have yet run its course (neither Ridgeway nor Colebrook having been much affected), and as it is utterly impossible that one medical man, however active and zealous, can attend on half the cases; nor is it possible that you should be able to continue your exertions as you have done, unless the patients are more concentrated: under these considerations, I beg to suggest the propriety of calling a meeting to-morrow, to consider the expediency of appointing some place to receive the poor people that may be attacked, and also to depute some one to act as assistant overseer; as the overseer resides so far off, a deputy is absolutely necessary.
I remain, my dear Sir,
Yours, &c.
B. CROCKER.
[52] Carbonate of soda, one drachm; muriate of soda (or common salt, now chloride of sodium), one drachm; oxymuriate of potash (now chlorate of potash), six grains; mixed in a quart of water, heated exactly 110 degrees by a thermometer. In cases where this remedy was resorted to, from four to seven quarts were injected.
[54] Some parishioners met in the Vestry-room, after the morning service, and it was resolved, that, as the present Board of Health, being only self-appointed, has not the power of making an order upon the parish for any assistance, under the present distressing emergency, the chairman be requested to write to the secretary of the Central Board, expressing the earnest wish of the members of the Plympton St. Mary Board to be legally constituted.
[56] I wrote to the secretary of the Central Board of Health, Whitehall, informing him that a Board of Health had been appointed in the parish, and requesting, on the part of the Board, that the Board might immediately receive the sanction of the Privy Council, in order to their being enabled to exercise the requisite authority for endeavouring to prevent the spreading of the cholera; at the same time, requesting to be furnished with copies of the “Orders in Council.”
[65] Providentially that person sustained no injury or inconvenience from such a beautiful trait of a feeling heart; and it was not passed over unrequited.
[70a] A letter from the secretary of the Central Board was received, enclosing an order of the Lords of the Privy Council, appointing a Board of Health at Plympton St. Mary. Notice was given for a meeting of the parishioners, on the 22nd.
[70b] Board of Health, Plympton St. Mary, legally constituted August 18th, 1832:—George Strode, Esq., Newnham Park; Richard Rosdew, Esq., Beechwood; Capt. Woollcombe, R.N., Hemerdon; Henry Hele Treby, Esq., Goodamoor; George William Soltau, Esq., Efford; Augustus Granville Stapleton, Esq., St. Mary’s Hill, Ridgeway; Rev. Edward Beauchamp St. John, Underwood; Robert Langworthy, Esq.; Benjamin Crocker, Esq., Rose Cottage, Ridgeway; Mr. Delville, Underwood; Mr. Pearse, Mr. Cork, Mr. Day, Mr. Worth, Mr. Pollard, Mr. Hilson, Mr. Yolland, Mr. Willing, Mr. Olver, Mr. Brewer; William I. Coppard, Chairman.
[72] Mr. Richard Langworthy was at the time a student in medicine, and came to assist his relation soon after the cholera began to spread at Underwood.
[83] According to notice, duly given, a meeting of the parishioners was held on this day, in the Vestry-room, at the Church; present, Mr. Richard Worth, Mr. Wm. Delville. “Resolved, That this meeting be adjourned from the Vestry-room in the Church, to the Plymouth Inn, Ridgeway; some of the Parishioners having objected to meet in the Vestry-room in the Church, or in the room at the Workhouse, where vestry meetings have hitherto been held, on account of apprehension of danger of infection from the cholera.” The meeting was adjourned accordingly.
William I. Coppard, Chairman.
“An adjourned meeting of the parishioners was held on this day, at the Plymouth Inn, Ridgeway; present, George Strode, Esq., William Langmead, Esq., George William Soltau, Esq., B. Crocker, Esq., Mr. J. Yolland, Mr. William Delville, Mr. Worth, Mr. Willing, Mr. Joseph Pearse, Mr. Brewer. Resolved, That a Board of Health having been regularly appointed in the parish, under the authority of the Lords of H.M. most honourable Privy Council, in compliance with the proposition of the Board, the sum of twenty pounds be paid to the order of the chairman of the said Board, for the purpose of meeting the present expenses of the Board.”
William I. Coppard, Chairman.
[85a] The clergyman of Plympton St. Maurice, having sickness in his family, requested me to visit some of his parishioners whenever I had an opportunity.
[85b] Mr. Deeble Boger was present in several of the worst cases of cholera, in the town of Plympton; and his benevolent and active exertions contributed materially to mitigate the sufferings of the afflicted people.
[96] Susan Taylor subsequently married an honest and industrious labourer. They have five young children, and are living at Underwood at the present time.
[103] Represented on the left hand of the foreground, in the woodcut.