August 23. George Tarr, aged forty-four, received at the Hospital: a bad case.
August 24. George Tarr died. Ann Higgins, aged one year, died.
August 25. I visited several people who laboured under great debility. Not so many fresh cases during these three days.
August 26. At eight o’clock, a message was brought to me from Mr. Crewes’s family, at Plympton, [85a] requesting me, if I possibly could, to go to them immediately, as their servant was alarmingly ill. Soon after I arrived, Mr. Deeble Boger [85b] and the Messrs. Langworthy came. It was one of those cases which exhibit great severity of character—discolouration of the skin—incessant sickness and restlessness—coldness of the flesh, tongue, and breath. There was very little hope of her recovery. Perhaps this attack had been brought on and aggravated by her own imprudence, in taking with her dinner, yesterday, a quantity of vinegar, which had been left in a plate with some cucumber. Debility and exhaustion rapidly increased. She became calm after awhile, and was perfectly sensible. I left her and went to Church. The Rev. J. Rosdew again kindly assisted me both parts of the day. But one feeling pervaded the whole congregation—the ministers and the people—the deepest solemnity! The plague is abroad. Who is to stand between the living and the dead? The fervent prayer of faith availeth much. “Lord, hear our prayer, and let our cry come unto thee!” How many appeared to pray in earnest on this day! doubtless not here only, but through the nation. May the supplication of a suffering people be received at the Throne of Grace.
Mr. Crewes’s servant died in the afternoon, and Maria E. Taylor, aged six months, of Underwood, died on this day.
August 27. Whilst at breakfast, I was entreated to go as soon as possible to Wm. Arthurs, at Underwood, as he was extremely ill, and he was thought to be dying. After attending to a number of applications for medicine, I went immediately to the sick man. His wife, in tears, was standing at the door, watching my arrival. Her mother, Mary Martin, and another woman, with dismay in their countenances, were near her. One of the children ill with cholera, in a cradle, two other little creatures, unconscious of what was passing, were playing about the room. I first endeavoured to quiet the minds of the women, impressing upon them, that there was not so much danger to be apprehended from the disease itself, as from giving way to such excessive alarm. That all excitement and agitation of the mind, tended to increase, if not to cause, an attack of the malady. I found the poor man very ill. Upon enquiry, it appeared that he had been “very bad all the night, and they thought he could not have held out till the morning.” But, “why did you neglect to send for medical advice at first?” “O, sir, we hoped it would pass.” I told them they must send immediately for Mr. L. or for some other medical gentleman; but they said it would be of no use, as Arthurs refused to take any medicines; indeed, he had said the same to me: but, after much persuasion, he consented to take what I gave him. At this time, he was in a state of partial collapse—writhing with pain—large drops standing on his icy cold forehead—his tongue cold—harassed with incessant and violent sickness. The wife standing by, concealing her face with her apron, not being able to look at him when the paroxysms came on. At a glance, the appearance of every thing indicated the cleanliness of the family. A white cloth was on a little table near the window—a second bed in the room—a little store of potatoes in a basket, in a corner near the stairs. The women were prompt and ready in preparing the stimulants—mustard and hot vinegar, and hot water, in stone bottles, for the feet. All linen was removed from the bed. The child below was, at this time, screaming so violently, that we were obliged to use for her similar remedies. Rhubarb and ginger had been given to the child. I gave a saline draught, which appeared to check the sickness. The poor man required constant attendance, sickness and cramp being most distressing. I had sent for medical assistance, but at that moment it could not be obtained. What was to be done? The poor man was in agony, and the sickness violent, without an intermission of ten minutes. In this extremity, I gave him the same medicine which I had taken myself. In half-an-hour, the man was again extremely harassed, and the sickness was not abated. He complained of insatiable thirst. I then prepared a saline mixture, composed of the same ingredients which had in some instances been adopted by Mr. L.; viz., carbonate of soda, one drachm, common salt, one drachm, oxymuriate (chlorate) of potash, six grains, and a teaspoonful of salvolatile, to a quart of cold water, of which he drank freely. After this, the vomiting subsided for a time, but pain and nausea remained; friction with stimulants were continued, and hot salt applied to the stomach. Being somewhat relieved, he was desirous that I would pray with him. The poor women knelt round the bed,—tears streaming down, though they held their hands before their faces, to conceal their grief and apprehension. At this time, the appearance of the man’s eyes began more decidedly to assume the character which we had remarked in the worst cases of cholera. Our prayer was shortened: but a sigh only, in faith, fails not to reach the Throne of Grace. I sent again, with the hope of obtaining medical aid, but without success. I began to tremble at the responsibility I had taken upon myself; but I could not leave the patient at such a crisis, and to have remained inactive might have been fatal. His pulse, when I first saw him, was scarcely perceptible, it now began to improve; sickness again came on, but not so violent as before. He drank freely of the saline mixture. At two o’clock, I left him for half-an-hour, to attend the funeral of Maria Taylor’s infant. Soon after my return (about three o’clock), Arthurs became easier and more tranquil; the pulse had improved, general warmth succeeded, and at four o’clock, profuse perspiration: more clothing was put on the bed, to keep that up. He wished for some tea and biscuit, and took a small quantity. In half-an-hour afterwards, the pulse became extremely full and quick. At five, p.m., I went to Mr. Langworthy’s, and found him just returned. I informed him of Arthurs’s case, and we went there together; but before we arrived, a medical gentleman had called, bled him sparingly, and had gone away. Mr. L. ordered him medicine, and gave directions how to proceed. The poor man then expressed himself as being weary, and soon sunk into a calm sleep. The child was much better towards the evening.
I went across the way to John Andrews’s; their daughter, Mary Ann, aged six, who was taken ill in the morning, having died at four p.m. The other child who was ill on the 6th, recovered. Peggy Andrews, the mother, though deeply afflicted, shewed much Christian resignation. At her urgent request, I went upstairs to see the child as she lay a corpse. She had been carried off so rapidly, they could scarcely believe she was dead. Chloride of lime was used abundantly, and the poor people promised that the rooms should be whitewashed on the following day. Their cottage is kept particularly neat. Having remained some time in conversation with them, I went to Richard Dunn’s. Their little girl, aged two years, sinking from exhaustion in a low fever, like typhus, which immediately followed an attack of cholera. Every possible attention was paid her, but nothing would make her rally. She lay perfectly quiet, her clear blue eye fixed on me, being a stranger; and just at that moment a parting ray of the evening sun beamed through the casement upon her face, her light silken locks shone upon her spotless brow, giving to her appearance an unearthly effect, which I shall never forget. Very soon she was cold and lifeless; but a smile rested on her countenance, so serene and lovely, that the transition from life to death was not perceptible. I could not be surprised at the distress of the parents. Difficult it was at such a moment to acknowledge the reality, that their loss was the child’s gain. Under what a variety of circumstances does this fatal malady strike its victims! Equally varying, therefore, the occasions for Christian consolation. May this be profitable to minister and people. Wrote to the Central Board of Health. Two new cases.
August 28. Mary Ann Andrews, buried. No death on this day: one new case only reported—Betty Wills, of Underwood. The patients generally extremely weak. Seven cases remaining.
August 29. Attended Board of Health. Received a letter from the Central Board, requesting a daily report to be transmitted as long as the disease exists at Plympton St. Mary, as well as a return of all cases and deaths from the commencement of the disease.
Upon referring to the several medical practitioners, it was found to be impossible to obtain any thing like a regular return; because our Board of Health had not been legally constituted until the 22nd instant; and no authority for such a requirement having previously existed, no regular notes of cases and deaths had been kept. Besides this, in consequence of the scarcity of medical practitioners, those who were employed in cholera cases, were engaged with their patients from morning till night, and had little or no time for making regular memoranda.