And no doubt but that, according to their lights, at that time, they did all they could to prevent its spread, but sanitary science was in its infancy—water and food were not analyzed as now. Chemistry and medicine were very far behind the present date, and as to "bacilli," they were never dreamt of.
But they could set apart a day for a "general fast and humiliation"—
"For obtaining pardon for our sins, and averting the heavy judgments which our manifold provocations have most justly deserved; and, particularly, for beseeching God to remove from us that grievous disease with which several places in the kingdom are at this time visited."
And they chose Wednesday, March 21st.
Different people take different views as to the observance of a fast day. Here and in Scotland, it means a day's holiday and excursion by rail or boat. On this occasion the Political Union of the Working Classes invited them to assemble in Finsbury Square, where they would celebrate the fast day with a meal of bread and meat, which would be provided for them, after which they would perambulate the metropolis in procession. This attracted the lower classes and the poorer labouring men, many of whom were in the greatest possible distress and destitution, and, in spite of a warning proclamation from the Home Secretary, some twelve thousand or fourteen thousand assembled in the square by eleven o'clock, and before two there must have been twenty-five thousand present. But none of the Trades' Unionists had made their appearance, nor had any of the promised cartloads of provisions. The mob amused themselves by hooting and pelting the police with stones and other missiles, and, as there could not have been less than one thousand to one thousand five hundred police in the square, besides heavy reinforcements contingent, Commissioner Mayne gave orders for the square to be cleared, which was soon done, though not without injury to police and populace. Some abortive attempts at processions were made, but they were soon dispersed by the police.
All kinds of rumours were abroad among the ignorant poor with regard to the medical profession and cholera patients. It was said that they poisoned them or used their bodies for dissection; and on this latter count there was a serious riot at Paisley, on March 24th. It came about in this way. As a preparation for the approach of cholera, a new burial ground had been laid out at Paisley, in which were interred all of the lowest class who died of that disease. Some boys having discovered two small shovels and a cord with a hook at its end concealed beneath a small bridge leading from a country road near the new burial ground, took them to the town and exhibited them there.
The public mind was so excited by the supposition that those dying of cholera were being transferred from their graves to the dissecting-table, that a crowd collected and commenced opening the graves, in one of the first of which an empty coffin was found. It must be recollected that at that time "resurrectionism," or "body-snatching," was in full vogue, to provide subjects for the dissecting room; that Burke had been hanged at Edinburgh in 1829, and Bishop at London in 1831, for having committed murder with this object.
The crowd rapidly increased, and, as more graves were opened, several were found untenanted. This excited the mob, who began by demolishing the cemetery fence. The magistrates assembled for the preservation of the public peace, and it was instantly agreed that a reward of £50 should be offered for the discovery of the offenders.
This had scarcely been resolved on before the crowd arrived in the town, bearing an empty coffin. Notwithstanding the efforts of the magistrates, they proceeded through the town, broke the windows of all the surgeons' houses and shops, those of the hospital, and then demolished the cholera hearse, and, as far as possible, everything connected with the establishment. The first time the crowd (which consisted mainly of lads and Irishmen) visited the hospital, they were persuaded to desist from their work of destruction; but, after taking a turn through the town, they came back, broke the windows, forced open the gate, and did other mischief. A patient in the hospital was struck on the head with a stone, and had it slightly cut. He called for protection against such treatment, and expired shortly afterwards. Another patient, who had recovered, and who was to have been dismissed from the hospital that day, relapsed.
There was, also, a small cholera riot in London, as we read in the Times, March 31st—