“We have as yet, had no cause to change our opinion respecting the nature of the prevailing disease—we consider it essentially epidemic. It continues to attack people in different parts of the city, and had not been traced from one person to another, as might have been done were its progress dependent on contagion. It is true, in some houses, several persons have been attacked and died; but this only shows that similar causes produce similar effects in individuals placed in like circumstances—all were equally exposed to the local and general causes which engender this disease. The disease may, under certain circumstances, be contagious, but no very striking instances of the kind has yet come to our knowledge in this city.

“We cannot reprehend in too strong language, the cold-hearted and inhuman conduct of many of our people, to the unfortunate victims of cholera. They are too often abandoned to their fate, even their friends being afraid to do to them the ordinary offices of charity. Were they labouring under the plague of the Levant they would not be looked upon with more dread. All this is folly. The risk of taking the disease from the sick is little or nothing; much more is to be dreaded from foul air by which the disease is engendered. The first care of friends should be, not to run away, but to take the sick into more healthy and airy lodgings.

“We would also protest against the indecent haste with which the scarcely cold remains of the dead are hurried to their last abode, without a neighbour to follow, or a friend to mourn. Such conduct is discreditable to the character of a Christian people. We trust that we shall not again have to complain of similar indifference to the performance of the duties of charity and humanity.

“To the members of the medical profession, and particularly its younger members, we willingly award due credit for their attention and diligence, under circumstances of no usual difficulty.

“We would again most earnestly entreat our citizens not to neglect to apply for medical aid the moment diarrhœa, or sick stomach and head-ache take place. We have not yet known one instance in which the disease in its malignant form, was not preceded by one or more of these symptoms, for some hours, if not days; and we have not seen or heard of a single instance where these premonitory symptoms were properly attended to, an attack was not prevented. It cannot be too strongly or too often impressed upon the minds of our citizens, that cholera, in its early stages, is easily cured; but that when neglected, in a majority of cases, no human aid will avail. Almost all the deaths have occurred in persons of intemperate habits, and of broken constitutions. A few estimable citizens have fallen victims to it, but these were either aged and infirm, or had neglected the premonitory symptoms, or had tampered with medicines, without proper advice.

“To our constituted authorities we would recommend the most assiduous attention to cleanliness in our streets, along our wharves and docks; to our citizens, strict attention to cleanliness in their houses and persons, to pay due attention to dress, avoid exposure to the night air, and observe strict temperance, not only in drink, but in food. We would caution them against the free use of fruit, ripe or unripe, and the employment of Glauber or Epsom salts as medicines. Several cases of cholera have been brought on by their operation. If due attention be paid to all these precautions, we have every reason to hope that the epidemic will soon cease to prevail among us.

“JONA. EIGHTS, Chairman.”

Bill of Mortality from 22d June to the 7th July, 1832.

June22,2—1poison,
1small-pox.
23,——
24,1pneumonia,
25,1convulsions,
26,2—1convulsions,
1marasmus,
27,2—1convulsions,
1consumption,
28,1scarlatina,
29,2—1consumption,
1unknown,
30,——
11deaths from 22 June to July 3.
July,3,2cholera,
4,——
5,4cholera,
6,2cholera,
7,3cholera,
8,4—3cholera,
1intemperance,
9,5cholera,
10,8—1apoplexy,
7cholera,
11,9cholera,
12,4—1consumption,
3cholera,
13,8—6cholera,
1congestion of the brain, after cholera,
1typhus fever,
14,7—1hydrocephalus,
6cholera,
15,7—1debility,
6cholera,
16,7cholera,
17,8cholera,
78
Cholera72
Other diseases6