I . I D

T}IE SROAD STREET PUNIP:AN NPISODN IN THN CHOIERA NPIDNMIC OF 185+.

DY TIID REY. I{, IYHITEIIDAD.

Il"t:l-ol thc morning of Septcrnber]qt, 1!f+, in Urc Ucrwi"t St"iot ,ii._hict of St. Jamcs's, \Vcstnrinster, rrhcreI lruct sl)cnt sonre hours of tlrc precediDga'y,"iir'",'t r,l;"ril';;;';J;r""#":?cnoler&-ftn([ wlrcre, in former cpide_mlcs, the moltality fi,onr thirt discnse hnclbeen rnconsiderable_f rvas aslictl to

I visit _a honse in rvhich lay, ul*ndv.JI' Iapsed, fotrr persons ruho tri,l t uuiiJo;r"A.rrith cholcraduring thc niglrt; ;,,, i , ' ; ;

:. tecvlno _L.lrrs lrouse, rvhic]rever ryay Tnrnect2 I caurc upon sinrilar scctrcs.

- At

noon,,, rvherr f met nry brothcr curaic0nd lDc bcupture_reader for a short tirncn ttie vcstry of St. Lulie's, Ilerwicli

g Strecf I lmrnetl thnt thoy'hJ-erci,$. been occupicd all thc mornilrg in thci,: 80lnc rvfty ns ntysclf. .Ilrc

rcst of tlre

fi, 1l{ lunr spcnt in the- snme marlner.;F ;t, ;." ;;';;,;1.#i.;':i ;ii:':.i'iiil.';ir" thc.outbreali, f record that, of oll"thejr cholcrfl,pntients visited by me on that

on the 3rl ancl 4th of Septembu ason the lst, yet the grerrtest nuurbcr oflritll n//ar.l.s occurred on the lst, afterlvhich tlrcre wcre fcrver tfttal xtta;ks ;;cach s-rrccecdlns

! iy, tLre nrrurber. posi_t lvclJ'r lecreasing 50 per ccnt. on t lre Jt las coruparetl rvith the 2d, arrcl l0 percent. on the 2d as conrl lret l rvi th ihclst.

. Perhaps the niost ^fatal

periorl oi.attncli rvas thc hour or tl.o beforo nri.l_rr iglrt orr Augrrst i i lst. Th,, t lcat lrs rvcrelt lc most l luuerolrs on Scptcnrber, gd,t ire cxccss of mortal i ty on t lat , t .v f . i , i idrLe to :rttaclis of the previous ,l,ri. Il;_the l0th the number of fntrrl

"tta.tithroug'hout the.nhole pal ish of St.James's hrcl cleclinccl to tiro lotv nl...ng.of tlrc prcceding ntontl.

^JIt t t lul ing thosg 1gn t lnys t lrc rovcgcso,r,u)c g]sgtr:e, i_n a sunll nntl renraili_ir,Dly wclt-ctelrneil pnr.t of tlrc pnr.ish.\rcr.c ver.\- severe_netr,ly i00 p...o"ihaving'been fatal ly scize,i . in rLri t shorbIrme, $' l thlrr a cir.cuit of 3 j0;.art ls lndiusfrom

_ tho loint of , jnnci. i t ,n l ,etrvccrrr;rotd iStrcct antl Uaml.rr.itlgc Strect.Such was tho intensity c,f tlre'oudre"-k,thai of 45 contiguotsiro,l*us, cxtenclingin cli{Iercnt clircctions fi.om'thnt iro-i-rrlouly 4 cscapctl rvithorrt a cloath ; ,r,r.1 l ial flvcrlgc

-tlistarrcc ot' lj 1.trr,ls irorui: t . _l-ul i ' r s church, si tuntc, l tvi t l r i rr t l ruconpass of the said radius, ,rverc .lhouses rvhich collectively lost Jil inha-bitants. O{ the streets ilius devastatedSroad Stleet itself sufl'erecl tlic mosi9cv,ere.l5. its pop-uJation lnving boenJust decrmfltect-9() of i ts S16 inLabi-tants having died, besit les 9g nou_rrsi-tlcnt 'rror)iiteople. Other streets. how-cvu,

,had nearly as Jiigh a i.ate ofulorDalrt\r.

. Thus -limiiecl

in its extent, brief inits duration, - and continualty on thervano fron: the very lirst aroment of .

;t dry, onl-y o,ro t.aou.rua.

.. This

^state of things apparently con-tinuetl for four da.ys,'tlu*ing .,ut,i.i, tiniorno mectlcal uren of thc neighbourlrootl--rvhose labours tlny antl niglit in bchdioI urc suil-ere.fs tvcrc be;,oncl all liraisc_oeclorc(t, \vlilr one corrsent, that spccificrenrcdics .\vor.0 l l lovai l ing; nn.l i rs I ' . rr .

lll::Tl.']ir1.y synrptonrs,',' rhc.rc rvcr.e,tney sard, I'cw, or cvcn rJl solllc cascsnone at all.

,, 0n thc fifth^day_we were nll agrccdthat a change for the better had iaken

' ptace, as ,n'e perceived that fewer ner_6-ons tycre attackcd than at firsf lnclthat the attacks n,ere less severe. 'lhis

I, change, horvurr.*, i"o. subsequently seen.;' ryhen the statislics of thc oritbrcai. .,uc*u

i, collected antl examinccl, to have- becriii nrore gradual, and to have bcgun at anI earlier pclio-d, than we had J:ppose,l ;1" for, though tho deatl.s rvero as nunclous' No. 74.-vor,. xrrr.

114 The Ercacl Street Punryt:

its appearoucc, l'as this great outbreah-thc lilic of rvliich hatl, per'lmps, neverbefore bcen seeu irr this counnv.

Oi conrse, as soon as i t bcgan to sub-siclc, lorving us time for reflcction anclrlisc'.rs:ion, rve inclulgerl in spcculationresi:recting its origin l ltut none' of usconlcl atlvancc a satisfirctory hypothesis,for th.e simple reason that its facts seemedto contradict all the thcn prevalent theo-rics concelning thc spreai of cholera.

Iror my ot'n prr.t, a number of notionsrvhich I hacl been rccnstomed to hold asindisputable oppeared to bc no longertenable. nspecially I founcl myselfrebelling against the celebrated dictunrthat, " rvhilst pestilence slays iis thou-sancls, fear slays its tens of thousands;"rvhich saying, having seon the bravc onclthc timid inclisoiminatcly dying nnd in-discriminntcly surviving, f had come torcgard as an insult to the mcrnory of thodead, many of lvhonr hacl bchavcrl mosthcloicnlly; ancl the more f considelecl thedictuiu thc more f clisliliccl it, ancl thoughtit c niischievous notion, 'Ihat sucb. I'etras tir:scrves thc name of corvardice is abatl thirrq nt any tirno ancl nnder anycircurnstiurccs; that for rumry reasons itis it vcl'y bacl tiring on thc eve of unusualperil; that, in plospect of cirolcra, bylcarliur' to thc suillr,ession of uscful in-lblrrltion l'ltich might suggest rucnns ofplr:r'cntiou or esciUic, it nrny inclilcctlycr,,crr slay its tcns of thousautls-is uosttruc. liut surcly thole cau bc no nior.eelfectual mcthorl-of tggravLrting it Lhcnby assertinu that I'car is a porverfulp'cclisposing cause of cholcrn. A manrvho is rfi'ricl at all bccomcs ten timesmoro oflaicl rvhcn he believes thct his1'car positivcly invitcs the disease; lbr isit not, as cutain a principle as rny in thepliilosophy of the human hcart titat fcaris the least voluntary, the least control-lable, of its alfcctions ? Thcrs is neecl,thct'cforc, Lrven on thc grourrd of c-xpc-clicncy, of a protest agninst the tcaching ofthosclvho contrive to I'righten rvhilc theybclievc they are cncouraging cach othp,rby {ostoing a notion -rvhich cau onlymrgment tho apprchension rvhich eventho brlvo ntrly, rvithout discrctlit, cntcr-tain and &voty concorning o mysterious

, clanger.. }ut, apart from all qucstion ofexpccliency, is this notion tluo ? In St.Jaures's \Vor1<house, situntctl rvithin thefirtol area, and fillecl rvith thc old, iheinfirnr, nntl the itllc, tlre 'r'cr.;. clnss ofpersons liliely to be afraicl, the deaths in1854 rvere only 1 pcr cent. of tlio in-matcs, instcad of 10 pcr ccnt. ns in theneighbouring strcets. ', \\rercn't vouafinid," I asl<crl of one old runn in-thervorkhotse, tt when tircy blouglit in somany clead antl clying ? " ,,We justwere," he saicl. Ancl rvcll ttroy rnightbe, for on one nig.lrt there were trs manyas 80 bodics in thc ,lead-house.

(' Yes, but thc rvorlihouse rvns rrt lcastliept clean," somc rvill say. Velv lihely,And this lcads ure to say that rmtsidsoff lre rvorl i l rousc t lrc r: lcrrn nntl t l rc t l i r tv.lihe thc brave ancl thc timirl, {,u'ed aliliein dclth or cs(. i lpu. ' l ' l rr ,ce Ir, ,uscs rvhichl.racl becn singlcrl out by the parochialauthorities, cluring an inspection of theparish, for spccial cornrnentlation ilthe matter of elcurliness, .rvere almostthc only houses in onc parl,icullrr streetwhich 'were visitecl by tlic cliscasc,-onoof thcm losing 19 of i ts inma1,cs. 0nthc oihet' lraud, thc vcly filthicst housoin the district l'r.s one of the only fourhonscs alrcl t ly rnentionctl ns l , lv ingnnto t rq J ; - i r :o r r t ig r ro r rs l ro r ts , ' s t , s , . r rpcdrvithout dcnth ; rvhilst, r.,'ilhin n 1'ervynrds of t l r is housc, r motlcl lot lging.ho'"rsc lost I ot' its inmatcs. r\s amattr:r' of lirct, frc,ur irrtiltntc lincrvlcdgeof thc r l ist l ict lnt l i ts inlrrr l , i r ,rurts,-Ja{l l lni t lnt n'ant of clcarr l i rrcss l 'ns Ly norlcans motc chariLctt,r'istic of tlrc tlccersedthan of thc survivors.

. Again, thcrc rvas no grouncl in ihisoutbt'eal( lbr saying thnt the int,cmperatesuffclerl rrrnlc t lrau t lrc t , ,nrpera1e. thepoor tLan thc riclr, thc l'cali tliari thestrong. fn short thosc best acquaintedvith thc clistrict rvue altocetlrci unablefor a timc to tracc any conuexion be,trvccn thc tliscasc and thc Lrbits or cir-cumstnnccs o{ the Dersons rvhom itattacliecl. It appareniiy seized alil<e anilsparccl alilie persons of all habits and ofall circumstnnces.

The district itsclf rcscmblcs surround-ing districts lvhich escaped, rvhilst it

.In li,Disolc in the Ciolet.a Eittcleunlc of 7E;+. 1 1 5night be favourrrlrly contr.rrstcrl jn sani_tary nnttcls \vit lr rrt lrcl pnr.ts of Lop,lrirrrvhich rycr.c li.glrll, r.isiie,l. it- 1.,:.,i.Ioo, ls cuntlrnrlt ivcly high, in l. lr i,, l irespeci _rt _pr.esents an cxccption to asupposcd lary lhich hacl

-prcvi,tirs)v

. scerucd to o1rr,p:rfs in conrreclir lg . i; i ;;;

. i:lllfil,."rully rvith tl,,,ls\\.(,p Ic.r.cis ot.

i ,111 tir is rnay at f ir,s[ siglrt appsx1, 1.6,1y

, lliliil:Xl',,;, 1i.*i jl,:II ;:r :;}.ll,ll:, T t" t irc origirr of tLc ontbr.cnl..

'N;l;;;:

i,1["i:, ]lilfl:' "il:Jll''.]: "l xT,,,li lli n.111:;il"''ilq' ili:f xu:littn;,liI ltlDlts_ tn cycr.y dirccti, rlr 1l'cfc tnost

| :lgtii"l:ll::ii |,.r tr,"." ri",ir.'i,,yrvithirr.a rrorrow_ cor)pass, ."J ;i;;; iil1"D€gut rrllg of tirc outbreol< \yijs vcrvclear'ly urollietl in poirit of linic. Tlicrlc.natt lrcen scattcr.ed cnsr,s of cholcrat lu'oughorrt l l rc l lar ish l ,clbrc Sctrtcrnlrci j :bl t t r t rr irs cvit lerrt t lutt sonctl i i r . ,g n.runntl t l i i t i t rct sutl t lctr l .y canrc irrto ogrcrir_[10]r on lhe hsl uiglrt in .4ugrrst. l i ,Latttr(rt \ l 'ns l .c t lusterl uri t l r t ci .errtrr: , . I11, bcascertiiincd.

,, It rvas thcrcforc rvith grent satisfrrc-tion thnt l'c hcrrcl thrt, dir tlc rlotioiof . l )r ' . Lnnlicstcr', a corrrirrit,t.. f,."J t .oiirrpporntoti ).ry thc lrcstry ol St. Jarucsl*to ,itt, luir.c i irto rl l t lrc cirr:urtrstLrn.a, ,fthr:_casc.. \rcstlics havc a l.,tr,d .troro.t..ru'it)r sanitaly rclbruiols. ti,rt,,rl;;;i;'r;;;grolrrd thcr,c nru;' Le for t lre irrl,ui;t i ;cxs_E upoll othci' vcstl it,s, it is

.Lrit rrr act

of l-'alc justicc to sn,r, that, as jirr as rur.e\f ellclcc- gocs, tho St. Janrcs's l,'cstrvruinst stnnrl cxcurl;tctl frolr thc g.r,*r.,,'lcont[crrrrrntion. ()f course t]r.r.c rvcrcsourc of thc.r'e^strJ'nrcrL rv|o tlui,r,ecaictiut{Iuu)'as l ikely to be ,,dctl iruental totlrc.re?utation ot' the ;iar,ish 1,' but tJrc|oJ91ity

persis.tctl irr going thr.ougli rvithl[, .t]nls rrlanifcstirrg thc sarne spil it\\'tilctr trn([ ib-rrncll;, induccd t]rcni tolllslrt,u[c arr c]abotrttc invcstigatiorr itrtoiLe sniritary_statc of il,. p1.i;i;;

^lf;;

ihilure of rvh.ich to ...u.oi in,roonityfr:onr pcsti lcncc-only sLou.s, as rvil l 1rr.i_scntly. appeari lrorv vcry rliuutc suc[rnvcstlgatlons ought to bc.

TLrc Clrolcro fnquir; , Comrrr i t tec rvascycn [ lrni ly f ol l i l rose(l oi, t , igh t yestr l .rrrcn.st-\ l ) lc(t lci .r l rrrcn, and one otLct, ala.ou-tnun

, brsrdcs ml.sclf ; anrl, a[ter. loiic

ir trct t l lbol ' lous cxaminatioD of evcrv " i iclrrrstlncc rvLich coultl possilrty ti,row

Iiglrt on_ thc sul ject, of brrr i rr in;11..- "I'cporr,, (trilwn ul by j\[r. .I. ]tarstiatt-

titen assrstant_surseon and now sulgeonof

,Univcrsity Hospitar, rvas presentedro ure \/cstry,-_rv)riclt rcport, if it coultll i lvc l lcen rvrdcly circulatc, l , l .oukl havelcntlcl,cd

it rvholl;. unncccssar,y lbr mcto ' \r ' r l t( , anothcr i ine upon t lrc irratter totvlirclr tt relatcs.

In t lr is irrvestiglt ion, whilst rve t l i t lno!,ovcl lool i strclr genelnl (:on(l i t iol)s osl lnglrt , l lavu

, operltc, l in lrrgrlngln_ 1lvtr lcl ;rsp1a,,,1 ePidcnric, rvc i , , . t l .el t t l rrrtttrty rr.rust .ha'r-c lerlrrir,ctl sornt, specillur tocrl contl i t ions to irrterr. : i ty i ts irr j lu_cuce ryithin the snall compiss rvhichcle man<lccl orlr mole imnreiliate ,rtten_ti:1,'. nvcry local cnnclition, ttrn,,,,ii.,l**.ot t l . 'c lnlectetI t l ist l ict, suc]r as clet-at iorioI srte, natnrc of soil ancl subscril, sur_{Ice airt l slr^rn(l Pl ln, slrects nn,l courl is.( t ( , l tS t l l ' nn( l t . l t l t t ; r r : tP l U f 1 re1rq1. l ; s1 i611 'i:11:,i1,,1'l cconon)). of Irouscs, ccssr)r,ots,l ro i lJo-{ l l . i l lns, at tc l sctvt t t . l t , lc , 1- ts r t r i r t r , t * l t linvt stirr 'rrtod. Jint, t ir,,rrgh ir; ;1,;;; l lr n l r c t r 1o l i r r r r c r r t o l , ( r r l l ( l ( , l u l r i t r t t r osL o fthcse px1.1.ig11la1s, 1.e co' l , t nui i i i " f

" i"

t l t0l) l i l rry satisl iu.totr. e-xplnrrnt i ,rn ut. thr:str:u' l ) l l l lc of detrrru,cirt iou l . l i i r lL onclory side suu.otutlecl rvlict rye t,,roru,lthc "cholera area,, in t l ro ,ni i lJ^ol" it lerrscly poo1,l . , . i

^nt i ; l rbe,ul iroo.t , r lo.cor. l l ( [ trc t tcr 'rve i i r i ru th0nr 111;;, 11,oo.r_ryl'jch accountetl 1br tl,rr t1.,1liir.cnt nrio-riralies l,itlin thc x1r_.;.1 ;15g1j;^

{l u.^..., hotr.cr.cr,, iiL these tcr}, it.rro-rxolJes t lurL l .c fortrr, l t l rc cluc

- l . l r ich

ult irurinl l-1c,1 rrs io i l l lnt l l luious c()n_clnsion ',thnt the snrlclcn, selrrc,, an(l(' conccntratctl outbr.crrli, tr.gunriig-'on('Augtrst

31st, nncl lnst ing tbl t l re, ' fcrv" l i tst t l lys , ' l ' Septcrpl_rcr., 1-rrs irr sol le" lualrnel ' r t t l iLut lblc to the usc of. thc" impurc ryatcr of thc rvell io Xr;,;( t Strcet,"

_ Orl? rncntbcr of thc contruittee, tholatc I)r. Suorv, cvcn beforc tbe

'courl

urrttee ryns tbrmed, Iiad propountled fhis

116 The Broad Street P,ump:

opinion,.ancl indeed had prevailecl uponthe parish authorities to removo ihe}.antlle of the pump on the Sth of Sep-tcubcr. llut sctrcely any onc scriouslvbelicved in his thcory. " Tor .y oo i,palt, vhen f first heard of ii, I "stated.to a medical fricnd my bclief ilrat acareful invcstigation woulil refute it;alleging as one ploof of its inaccuracythe fact of scveral recoveries from coi-lapse having tal<en place, at least inspite of, if not actually b;' rcrrson ofl, thcconstant use of tire Sroad Street rvater.I acldecl that I knerv Ure inhabitants ofSroad Street so well, and had occasionalmost daily to spend so much timeamong them, that I should have nogreat difflculty in_making the necessaryinquirics. Accordingly I began nn in-qliry, rvhich ultimately bc"came veryclaboratc; at n1 early itage of rvhiclilrolvcvcr, ono day nrcctitrg tho snmofricnd, and being-asked by" him vhatrvay I hail rnade toryarcls'clearinc thocharacto of the pump, I rvas oblig-ccl toconfess that my opinion on tliat mnttcrlyas.less confident than rvhon rve hacllast tall<ed aboui it. Soon atter maliinsthis confession I reccived fronr I)r. Snoria copy of the second edition of bis lvolkon " I'he tr{ode of Cornmunication ofCholcrq" in rvhich I fountl rn rccountof his researches into the supDosecl in{lu-ence of the Rroad Street ivell in nro-ducing tlie St. Jarnes's outbreal<.^ Ifound, moreovcr., tlrat he attributetl thisirrllncnce, not to gcneral imprrrity iu tlrcwater,-but to special contamination of iiIrom the evacuations of cholera paticnts,rvhich he conjecturecl ruust havd rerrchedthe'well from the selvcr or a ccsslrool.fn thanking hirn for: tho book, wtriist,icould not help admitting the weight ofmany of his recortled fncls, I still clungas a last.resource, to an d, pri,ori objel_tion to his thcory_-urging tirat, if spciialcontnmrnatton of flrc ryater in thc rvlvsuggestcd had begun the mischief, theoutbrcal< ought not so soon to have sub-side-d, when much larger cluantiiies ofclrolcra cxcrctions must havc bccn con_tirrually pouring into tho rvell throughtlre salne channel, rvhatcvcr it migirthavc Lreen, of communicntion vith ihc

sewe s.r As for cesspools, f attime. supposed they hatl mostly&oousDed.

thatbeen

In the face, horvcver, of these obiec-tions, the evidence inrplicatirrg thc nu"rnnI<ept on accumulating, nol, only ii, r,rihands, but also in th-osc of otlier mem-bers of the comnittce, rvlro rvcrc enflngedin-a similar inquiry, unti l nt l ini i l rsullicicnt evitlence rvas collcctcd to brlnqthe lvholc committee to tlrc unanimou!verdict rvhich thcy finnlly rccoldctl.

I cannot, in thc sltace norv nt mvdisposal, sct forth this evidcncc in dJ-tail. 3ut f rvill touch on its most salientpoints.

It appcnred, then, nccording to a carc.fully-executecl plan of the ilistr.ict, in'which ever.y house and cver.y death ivasindicated, thnt the Rroad Strect publicpnmp occupictl a strikingly centril no-sit ion in t lrc , ,cholcln aLca'; , , t l rnL t lrcrelvas no other public punrp rvithirr thea_rea I antl thnt, cxcept in Jne rlilcction.thc mortnlity diminishetl ahnost to totaidisrppearancc on approaching tlccirlcdlynenrcr to nny otircr purrrP. The ci-ception rvas t lrc nciglrbourhoo,l of thcpump in Litilc l,lnrlboroug]r Strcct, inrvhich neighbonrhoocl se.r,ernl dcrrths tookplacc in Cross Strcct and Orrrrrnlrt, StroeL3ut, as n mtttcr of frlct, thc inlial:itantsof tirose streets clicl resort to the llroadStrcet purnp, having, rvhcthcr rvitlr orlvlthout rcnson, conccived a dislil<c tothcir otvn purlp. A fr. icn, l , i l , r1ine,r-lrvrlg nrorc ilrirn onctl ru.getl Cr,ossStreet rrs an obvious objccti6n to thervatcr.hypothesis, rvetrt ancl nratle sonrornquurcs rn thnt strcct. l \ ' l rcrr I rrcxtsaw hirn lrc lrr- 'ggcrl to .ruir lr , l r . i rrr. } isol lect lolr. l .)r . Sltorv cxnrrr irrr, t l l l rc cl tscsof 48 persons rvho ltad rlied in housesncarer-lo other' pumps tjrnn t,r tlnt inJ3road Strcct, aurl r.liscovcred tlurt 2g hatlactunlly fi'orn prel'crencc tlrr rn li tl r e llroadStrec t wntcr sl rortly bcforo bei r r g l l,t nc l< cd,wtrrlst_ there- $'as a pr,obability tlrat l0 ofUrc othels nlso tlranl< it. I'irc tletails oft]ris examinttiorr arc sivcrr in thc rcnort.

. l l road Si lcci- i tselt , as I l ,ave al l ladysaid, suffcred thc most scvcroly of aflthe strects: 90 of its 896 irrlinbitantsdicd, bcsidcs 28 non-rcsiclcnt lvorliuconlo.

An Episode in, the Clrolera Epidentc of 1554. 117

iI

Llit

$i

q

Of these 28 l'or1<pcop1e, sevcrl belongcdto a lnctory r'l-rcre the pruup rvater rvashabitually uscrl, 'rvhilsb an atljoining fzrc-tory, cnrploling the sarne uunber ofpersons, s'herc this water rvas neverusecl, Iost not a single ', hancl : " 18others of the 28 rvoiliecl at a factorysitnate,l close to thc puurp, fronL rvhiclrru'aterwas citily fetchcri fbl thc use ofthe rvorkers I ancl thcse 18 rverc alllatally seizccl during the {lrst trvo tlaysof the outlncrli, nftcr. rvhich the firctory'ti'ls tenrporalily ciosecl. On thu r:rthcrhmrd, not a single delth occurred amongthe 70 men eruployetl at a brcrvcry onthe satne side ol the street, of rvironr itrvas affirmed to be certtin that none cverused the pump l'ater, there bcing a deepryell on the premises. \\rith one ex-coption, ancl that a hotse lvith onlythrce inmatcs, the brctvery (rvith its 70mcn) rvas the only honsc free from dcrtharnong thc 22 houses (l'ith their 67ilcaths) on the south sidc of the street.An atltlitional contrast to this remarli-able exccption lycs presentecl by thouroltaiity ilnong the labourers at l'orkon an unlinishctl motlel lodgingJrouseat lhc rcnr of tho blewery, and scpuatedlrorn it only lty a, nttrow court, 7out of 35 nlen so emplo;.ecl lilvinq beenlir,tally seizecl rvith cholcra. 'l'lic l'orkslycre stopped on the third rloy of thooutbleak ; and it tvns mcertained thatthe llroad Strcct ri'ntu had been in useamons thesc mcn.

Onc half of Goltlcn Squn:'c is rvithiuthe liurits of thc cholern rrer. anil vetentircly escapetLl it is consitlelably uealcrto tu'o other punps. On thc othcr hand,Si. .Arrnc's Court, rv)r iclr l ics. just beyonrlthc rlditts, atrtl tvns lrctvil;' visited, isalmost tlilouglrout its rvLole lcngtirnearcL to thc llroad Strcet rrunru tluurto nnv otbcr.

St."Jrrlics's \\rollihousc. not I50 varclsfrom thc contrc of thc alca, surrou"ndctlon ^11 sides by houses in rvhich thcdeaths rvere nllurcfous, ancl sultject tothe continual iurportation of thc dyirrgand thc dcnd, lost only fivc of its 50t)rcgulrrr inrnatcs, cxrctiy thc sarrre nunr}er.as in forlncr visitations. 'I'hc lumulyttcr '1vfts trcvcr nsct[ t l relc.

Peter Strcet afforclecl, perhaps. assingulrr cn instance as coukl be lbundof rv.hat is olten termecl tlic capricious-ness or eccentricity of cholera; for,rvheleas there l'ere 19 dcaths in itssmaller (rvestern) portion, thcrc l'rsonly 1 death in its nuch. larger (eastcln)portion. Nol', the hdting placc of thcpestilcucc, a house rvhich lost 12 o1lits inhabitants, is only a fe'lvyards beyonclthe line of equiclistance betrveen the3roncl Strcet antl Rupert Street pumps,and thc use of the ljrorrl Sh'cot rvatorin that housc l'as asccrtained to n ccr-tainty. 'l'jro fnrther one goes eastl'lrtlfrom tlLis house, of course the unccr-tointy as to the relative tlistances fi'omthc tl'o DumDs bccomes less antl lcss.}tt tire one victin further errst " fctclictlt'in n lalqe ctrn of lyater lronr lirorrcl(' Strect on tho gncl of Sentember. antl(( Lcgan th'inking it flec,ly."

Onc fact is most renrarl<ablc. ,\ latl1.,rcsiding at Hampstead (l\rest I.)nd), beingvery putitl to the Broail Stleet l'ntcr',lvns iD the habit of clrinking it clail;.,Iiwing it fetchcd in a bottle by a crlithat rvcnt cvcry drly from Broatl Stlcctto Ilaurpsteatl. Sltc rvrs scizerl rvilh.cliolcra on Scptember 1st, ancl tl,icd thctrcxl d11y. r\ latly staying rvith hcr atthe tiruc also clranli of it antl died. r\scrvaut clranli the water, ancl iratl asliqlrt atiacli of dilrrliccn. No othercasc of cholcrc occurrcd at \Ycst Ind.

Dr. Snorv asccrtained that 61 out of73 pcrsons, registercd ils hftving dicrl iuthe immerlintc neirrhbourhootl oi tlrof}'orrcl Strect pump on tlic filst two clavsof Ngrtcnibcr. hacl bcen accustonretl tot l l inl i t l rc purnp rvnter eit l rr l corrsturi t lvol occrsiornlly ; rvhilst iu 6 ctscs orrl"y1\'as hc infomred tliat the dcccascd usctlnot to thinli this rvnter, antl corrcrrnin{the rernairrinq 6 hc coulil lealn nothing.'I'hc liecpcr of a co{Iec-shop, l}erprcntedby mcchanics, rvhcrc this l'ntel rv:Lsstpplietl at dinner-time, tolcl him tin t)rc6tli of Scptember that she 'was alrerrtlyiuvalc of nine of ]rer custorucrs rvhorvcrc clcatl. I-Ic rlso recordc(l thc cttscof a gcntlcman 'rvlro crnrc fronr l}'ighton,on t l ic lst of Scpicurber, to see l t islrrotLcr', rvho lrrrti Lrecn scizccl rvith

+

ltv *x,:.: rr: i:"rd ''-',il,-i;.,"{ -;;;::;,r

yo r r.,,.wccr -*, * I.id'ot scc t'e bo.y, antr, 'aving tarieri , iir.*o trr.i. o.# "1r.,r.i"**.times a r

ilfrlr:J# ?ti.ll' lli..,iT,:',' JIT; HS likr::l "q ;'i ;!iili'i....a.a. io IIroaclSt'cet, rurt'iiru iio,,.u i, f,rvcni,rr ,""-^.*tlg-

lio-rn or^less inforrnation .l

*'i:l##: ,jix

:il,""ffi 't iiTii fi'';::'"T t?l;l{ ii,,*;.,.,trJ :}';#j

t. n". -s'"*'

b;"til' ;:fi:lltfil-ti tTl'l'".u' . r.thercr"eri-oi'u'ep.o.q otspeciar ,i*.'.tig"ii"','r,o ro,ui r-iiot, ^li ;l;;"1;r."ililllfii, '"fl.,,.1r"rj,ir'*ff

il:il:t:::lr"'.1f ?,i:ilf il{,'."iil:i':lirvi^*iur''.'liiio'n-i.,1"-"*r'i.'r'ir'u di"ia sr[#*"rer w,,s never r*,.!j"it1!"1I-lHJ:J,l:ilFiilH:$,Jltii'J::i:,,t1.u.* more or tess rcsirtc,rr pop,,rnuo,i

"i"ii;;;i st*.er, 84

frf':tffinrii;*,lt'Tg f#tp'''i',ffii*',"ffirva"s rroad srreer. Any one vho hal ;lr;;ii aii.,l".'#t-jjl.^."-rl;

ii!:lifiJ'!T.-.'iim*ru**Si:lll,.1iiliit*ffi liTi,f,i.ifi if Y,{iiiilti,H,".1,ffi T:Tr[".'JJff nmy-+**litid;rlit',"1'il;lili'iil:.r' r;l*u"r, tiit*$ *:*i** xi tH."'."llii{i,'fi.,'}ilfi;;+*l***f+k**' il** *fi$+q:ry i'$.$,''-trffi ill*+*i{'g*tlt:,":ru-t:f *{i**x}il-'?.iri'1'"rtff .i;l.,iil-lri:##*''*;*.m ryfiit[tj+ffiffiqi,'i',ff ,li.:il;l,ffi ttt:,,1,.,ryi?,,,,",,#Lrri*,1,:ri:iil,,',,,t'?r,1'3.i:f,t'i;;i.j,:!,f i#1,.l',y*ittl,if

""';{ii+r*xdfi ri!::rnf;T5'i"#h'*,*ir.-ll"rilif#,f ;#tliFlitiilxi'J,",lJf iii;i[+ 5;tL :'"":i;ii:'"ii:,']**i f;x ",,,ru#*#tr ;il, T_T#,,.'i$;gn,:,'';'11p;;li{*fi f#:.i,.qi,i',{i#,;{*;$f ,L#l.,',ffi1;i,,T;'*ffi*titffi i-;4f J,l*';'ry it*i'*tH$ru*i*t*ii;1;*.;;.llffi:r qi#::t, xr'ti';i n;'$ttihinx*a**rj"*f,t1,'j, ti,ffi fi fif,j:[b*j*:i;;*ffi

Atz Eltisode in tlrc Clnlercr, Eptdentic of 1gJl. 1 - l o tE-S. 9th. That tlro want of sood sani-

tary arrnugcmcnts in cerlfti-n jrousesoperatetl Ly compellinc thc rcsiclcrrts toresort,to lhe puurp for ch'in)iing-rrrter;ontt utat, on t,lre corrtrary, iu certnininstances rrhere the cirains nele in qooclorderi the cistcrns l'ere clean, *rr,ith"inhabitarrts dirl not scnrl to l lrc punrn.lOl,b. That lllough lhc tlistrict gcriclaiiythe agecl aud infirm, .rvhen "isolateti",escapcd, lot ntercly bccausc the;. irltimorc housc acconrrrioclLrtiorr, but l-,lcmrscthel'r l ir l lrot usc tlrc rvater, lravirrg noone to scnr-l fol it."

fn estimnting the ch'ifi of the cvidence, of rvhich the cbovo is onl1, xbrief abstr.act, particuJrrt attcntion rriustbe pairl io t lc-stateurcnt that ,,of t lrcr( 56 inliabitants of Broacl Strcet frtalh," att:rcl<etl bctrvcen tirc 3lst Anrust anllt(2d Septeurber, it is positively affinnctl'3 of only 2 thnt thcy did not hrink this" \yfttcr." Not that it is ccrtain ilultthc lost all d:kl clrinh it; but tlrat ofonlv -J 1\'ts it "said, rvith any rlc'grce ofcertainty, tliat they clkl not.

I3efore August 31st there had bcentlrree frrtal attaclis in this strcct, r'iz. onoon the i1th, onc on tle lS[h, urtl oncon thc 30th, rvhicli tr-as about tLc ltro-portion of cnscs that nriglrt lrc cxp,,ctcdin such a street during a.n cpiicrnic.Conccrning thc drinliing of rratcr in tjreIirst of thesc cascs, I coultl lcanr uothing Ibut in the other trryo cases the non-oi"9!. -thu pump nater ryas clclrlv esto-blislrcd. 'l'lrc crse ori thc 30t,lr llas thrtof a ltoy l'ho lrlrd jusi; cornc {rour llavs-vatcr', anil rrjrosc urotliel anti sisleralso diecl of cholor.a at Xirysvntcr.Thc cnsc on t l ic l8th is ouu rvlr iclrwi l i pl t .scntl ; ' nssl l l ))c sourc iurporirnrcc.3ut-rnennu' ir i ic . l pass on to rr l i icc t lrnt,rvh i l s t . , r f - l l r c 56 or ( i r rc l i i . l i r rs rvo l , l i -pcoplc) S{ cases in Lh.tlld litli,ct onAug'"rst iistarcl September J.st anll ?d,it was onl;' ilr g thalt tlrc non-usc of tLisvatcl wns posjtively afiirmed, yet in l,lierctuaining il ltetrveen Scptcmbcr. 2cl au.cl9t lr , t lc lol)-use of i t l i rs as lusit i r .clvailiuued in g cases, 3 of rvhicli'rverc iiroonly cases that occurretl l,fter Setlteurbcr6th. Aftuthc gth cholcltr arid tliauheadisappoarcd frorn the strect.

Tlrus it ftll)cnrs thst, n.hiist thc ;u_inJlrrencc of thc rrcll-l-atpr 1\.{ls t.::iir._:nount nnrong.thc cousts of cholcrr f l rrurrcc uoys, rl, rs trot trncerLlc t." nlll-rcforc thosc thrcc days, anrl afi,cl tlrr,rubccorlcs less autl less trncenble r l i rr . l tr .(tnv.

Norv if choicra be, as secms norv toLro aclmittcd, in some my cornnunicablefrorn orrc pcrson to nnoil,cr, nutl if. toborrol' a tcrm fron the cattle plnguccommissiorrcls, thcre ]:c a pcliocl " of(( i t tr ,r1l, l ;1i i l . r1r,"

t l rc :rLrovc Ihct.r 1p111, 1ygaccour)torl thr, cspccial l l - i f l l r .r 'e l ,creason to bclievc thrrt thc I,ell-l.atersoon Lrut grntlualll' hecrnrc innocuorrs.lcuding frrrthor e-rplnnntion, plcscrr l lyto be given, I rviil-state thc

^casc nro_

lisiornll;'. During a cholem epi.lernicllr o inrgc crt;, ibl rcasotls vhich, tsan invcstigator of thc one tletenuiningcausc of a concentrated outbreak. I nceinot be able to osccrtain, anv strcet isliablc, as I havc shorvn lroaci Strcet tohavc been, to clesultory inroacls fi.oucholcra I a_nd one pttient ma). conl-municrte thc clisense to other- pelplcrvho apl,rr.ooch him, orving on Dr. Snoil.'sh','pothesis, to thcir aciidentally sl.rl.-lowing, in any of various conccir.,Llrlc1vays, ever so ninutc a Dortion of lriscvrcnations. fn a well-regrlrrtcrl }orrse.rllicrc thc pnticnt can bJisolrrtc,l, lncirvherc thosc rvlo nnrsc him arc car.cfLrlto lvash their hancls, the risli of such arracciclont neetl not be very great. Ihtrvhcn, as is too often thc- calc. r rvholcfarrr i ly_is lrut l t l lecl to. jcthcr. to cnt, r ir . i rr l i ,antl slccp iu a sin,r.le rooru, with nogrcat frci l i l i r :s for,r l l lut ion, t l te:r thcr'is)i is gleat ; rr)rich l.ill lccount i'.rr. :rlltlat is urr;cd, anr.L rightll' urgctl, r.c-s1;cct iut i ; l ic inl lucuco ol bncl slrr i tru.yn_t ' t ' t l r ,1t 'rr ie rrts ul,on t l ru' 11r., . |rgntiutr Jl 'cliolet'a. IhLt il tlt'c.: rrot irccount i'iir:thrrsc stor,tlir:g oulitrciriis r'.'irich iixiis-cliur.inttcl; sh'il;e rl.;r',.n peoplc of c.r'ct,yclass ancl con,lition. Ior.such outJrlr:rl-qthore is lcrluilctl ru agcnt s'hich criuf l ' r ' r ly eonvty the pois,,r i er.cr i int,r l ' t l l -rcgulatct l houscs. , \nt l i rr selrchirr l ibrthis agcnt, 1yc alc rc'tluccd to d.icidcbetwccu air and rvater. Ilut tho ntnro-slrheric theory alrvnys brealrs dorvu in

I ao ji[ti"' 1ffi ixyjr;ff*]li1tff t fi ;ffi #:.,,,;"._, 1,,1 s cemin g,y_rur:ti;*r#ti*g.ffi ii*l-'liTi*:.1i1;i'i*lr'::r"ilr;;fr l'excretions of

frk*,:q:n,. . pr,d, c .;i,; #ni il,fiTfiliffitiili,#iT,:"J1,rr,*fi;Iii-J:'-i.i#,'#g-$l**i*mi*'.",1#ltjlii#{":i4l{':ffi :J"llF::lJ::r*,;.,'"'y-t";:,,?::?".ff ;ll;;L':il*:ng;i}{,qtffi};", 'li1'lr'? I H*1*l*:ryt*,tjl;:;ff ;:":it,*r,*,,"i**-*lil,^"^:."^,:rtli-i*tli*t"ffi ry'.tw{;;;$;'d,ff :#ilii13":::?ti;:,fr iilllLT"li'i::1ll--iil'ffi;,:T.";il.';ff #;:'#;fl :,Tiil::il'JJ,.lj?*;Ef ii.:,:gsl,byp.uuious

#.1*ti+,..,'.-t;.'ii! {lll, ":,tdl ii,l1* fq:f i!-f,il j,t'. tl''$'.'}#f i fmt l1xtii$*l*;q*fdffi*'l++:'*ffith'*h{l*,'.:r.ffi .ir-ffi trffigfr*i*l*'T;*ffi,*{*n lljmrn *ff #,l;'[1ii':,qg ffi*p,11t;ffi"wi*#r-

l*n**r qilt'ln*l*,n**'ffi

ffffi*ffi**#u*$ffffi."nu.r# ;*,ft Ag" tJOr *.f*Fq#*ffi*t}d:rl*mifitr*ffiffitrfi****ffirrcu rravins i;;ilH,rffil;j ;|,'if itm::1*'r-"_'.*6 ;*:l,X*:,t;

r arsrcputal-rlo state of it, brick.

worJi' the bricl<s adnritting of being thc.Jlst of-.4.'grrst, on thc or.rr;n.; of, lifted fronr. their beds,rvithorit using thE rvhich rlar.th. d.;it;;1.,].t. b*g,,n.'- 1,,., Ieast force. 'rhe co'ti'uous pnsscge of conscquence ol:flr. snorv,s s.ggestions,, fluiil tlrro.gh rhc siclcs of the^ ces$ooi i-noito p"rti.ur""'i"q;,;r;

i lll*i:li"' {',',.t'l't:;"#:x, li:'x&nl*,in T:1.f ;il"*"::t[i*Ir:i' selv-es to the notice of the investigatorl u..n in houses too far renrovecl fro'r thci in,ihe shape of a covering of satirratcci 'ti*tt to rflect it oiherrui*.'irro' thro.girI rotten boards. rn close pioxirnity b-oth the scwer, rvhich, teinq A new selyer,i to d*in and cesspool-lih rvater-linc seenecl""i.r',;"t;1.;lo"r.ot. Astothefi but _eight feet of vertical depth below firfl pq r9?1"* l."J #.tr* cesspoor-r*.o ".11,!:'.T,,",,1,*:gHtiTl i'ilI,,[.JH:f. feet eirlrt inchcs tirc horizontll tlisttnce no$, 1.t1"&i

-it.'o,,t#i.i.r.*orr< an<r tlie ;ii".1t:,1 JiT'J.j:iJ;ifr,T:n::\:ly,f;

g-, draiu-stood the llroacl Strect rvcll. I a comnron origin, l:i.t& ;;,1 ..;";.i ;iiil#';p"" trre .,*'ashecr cno'gh, r at first ou.r.loor,.,L1 tit;t*:t:tl{

[ ; fitil:iitr,1l,1;?]i&,.1ff:,,fl*T,h ilywi*ll :l ,;:.,,]1ffi..?'.]ffi " insicle the rvell - rrlacli .nt,,*i.,i i- c,,n orrly acconnt i.;,;; not havingI 1,r,r*rpv soil "-in.o1de1 t9 proo. irtoi ir.rq'irect iJi;;ilii;;*'ii,i. case by! the same policv rvhich had lon-g 'secl the lact oi' it, t nuiirg

-b-e-en thai of au

5 tho Tharne.fo."" server, hacr nt iio.ii" infant; antl r rracr iot s.pposecr that$.

*9..1.: motle a,ccsspool of a rveil. rrny ono rvrro dicd in }roacr Strcet oni -.-,1f,r

hn'c said mything in this pnper th; 2d of scptcrrrlrer irntl l,cen ill for.

Filf }"ryiff :iril"$iT:.,^T,lli'_iiT::J,..Tl"f I';q?E#',_t",J:*l;l#:$. :*:*:t

t,.tll*-t"**I.*:1..il: T1|,J 1i!.1""tii.1'p,,,1,o**, r..i,,n on the ror-

An Eltisode in the Cholera Dpidentic of 18b4. 727

- , --^u ut/.Jl

J0RAIccI' f nl ?

l+

I

, 11._",,1;,,. h^ving furnishecl them rvith lorving .rrtrj, ,J---'j 0n a(dltronal argument for r*ging the -"At 40,-lironcl street, 2tI septe'r-

:' d'Iyr-u of the Lonclon surfaci' iuells, (' ber, A riaughtea -g*r "h;.

monilrs :I whieh from.their very nature_ o.g, o. ,,exlia'stion,;ii;;;;-"";;;.kof cliar.r.hcca+ orr report alleElecl, ..not- only liable to ,,

fot* rlaysT,r,r;i;r;;;';i;;;;ir.,,'( special contaririnntion, but subjcct to _'}'rom riry-frrmiliarity rvit6 6c street,;

rrconstant,.*navoicrabre, &nd h;bitu;r r knerv t#t;il;;;"tho"ilo,,.. i,n*._

, ji imnuritr.']. And yet, srrange ro say, cli^turt f,rci;;;ii;pffi;* So I hoste'eclllt-t-y.lT |eld-in great repute. rt is"; off at-onco to"fie iloirsi, anif ascertainecl

fr, l*".uia, i ri"oiu-lor r'iih rvhat tr'ur, "".ia"lli'ii,*iilT rtii,'i',','f ;]:: ,i;fi: that its ryater .rvas spoci6l]ly_.au.t.J-i.] J.j..ti"r, ;'il; i|r.'ni,o,,,t.nt, b,,t$ ,spa'klc in a once ceiebrotJcl ,, n"cio*.i .c"...1 ou tlie 30trr. r. ansrver to

! Its reputation is cxpla-inecl .rry- lri'. 1u1trre5 ,l;;r"ttd .il toiii n,o grat gie{' }farsha]l as haviDg bedn. r'parily"d_ue to clejections r'cro corlectecl in napkins,[ :: it lo* temperatirrc, to thie quantityof rv]iicrr, on rr.irs ,.;r"r",1, .wc.c imme-: 'r @rbonic acjtl containecr in'ir,

";,i t" J;lii;.r*;;;i;"";iir,;]i. rvrter fr.oui: ttthe saline matter preventing'its cll- rvlucir.rvns pourecl partlv ilto a sink in- "composition until aftm it rracl frco tt,urrn.tr-v"'*ii^"'n.r ;il'lii,,to"..rgoolff ccccss to thc air." in t/,c 1:t:oitt--,t't'.e;'."'

v"'"'r "

-.^tt^?ll{-igai's that r should rerate Bei;g stx;;i witr tre clnngero*slne crrcumstance which ]9d to furth* proximiiy of trris cessfooi io ttre i*mf-exatnination of the 'rvelr, ancr to thc ivel, r ;*";i.;1;;iijr"''t.,ct. to theexcavation of tho sunounding soil. cominittee. rvho forthwith o"dnro,l n'

factthatthe Broncl streei p'nrp co*rtr 1."+ ,\ ,il!;;;"fii.""..rrpr.a il,.boast a metropolitan rep*tntion.' rt rras baclc parlour, that ilrc clLilcl rvas at-been said, r linorv not iviih .whut tr,iiii t".ri.a on Anq'st 2srh anrl rh.r +h.

sau4v'rlrulr' oL Lno sunoundlng sorl. committee, rvho forthrvit[ orclcrecl a1There rvere, as r halrc stiteclr-thrce rn".,.lgoti'o't" tu -.all'.'"iirr rvhat rc-cases of cholera i:r 3road Street 'before

suli hai already b;.; d;;;d;l.

,5l l

1 : l

.Norv if this chilcl's dejections dicl themi-ccldef, it is cas;' to sce] as tl,cy corscJon.\ugnst 30th, holi so shallot- a rvellntly hato prrrificrl itsclf in o f,:w drlls.espccially ius thc clroltxa prrtierrl.s drair(its rroter rlrlritrusl;., s,rmo of then atihc ratc ,.'f firtri' grrllrll.s c {.rr- !

Rut it is rrotio crsy to icc r-lry themirclririf ri.irs uot prolougc.i t,-.. i,l.tiio,colltiutull:rtiou of tlris riater fi,our e,iib_sct|rcut crlsr_,$ in thc sanro house. Cer-trtinly it }ur.t- bc suggestecl tirat tireye_ll nay have killecl-off ruost of iisllabitucl drin]iers in the fir.st ferr clavs ofilre outbreali,_ lcilving only nou_cirintcrsanrt iltose rJro rrerp proof agaiust itsrntluence. Dut that ii not o" satisfnc_tory hypothesis. A Letter e::Trl:metionp.ct'ltaps may be founcl in thi rirct ofuuee of the snbsequent cases havinqocctrrrecl in the uppd back roours, rvherE[rrerp rras a great temptotion, in theconfusion of tire monreni, to throrr theevaeuatious out of the windo,ws into theyard, rvhich f ascertoined rras in onecasc actually rlone. And tho fifth au<1

:?l,r.ili:ilr,1';::r;,l:'";1#.:.'on'f; :xi:"":h:;'f l;i1x;:i,'''t"Til)*tu*?,l-.fffi ,ilili:#':,::,, ;:";'l**iprcclso naturo of tltc chil,l,s, iilnffsorne contcndins thnt i{;-ft ;il ffi] "1' "1ir, i"" ;1 ",1H''i'1, :iltiilecl to the more reslcct

l,::h,lff 'ti:'dfl'*firil*l:,,iffi

not pledge f,hcn'sclvcs to tirc concldgil;that the outbrcak uas tl

"lut uiis ur;;h,';; ;ff llir::':lffi,affirnrcd, thnt, tr-hatever uuccrtnih+*thero may be nbout tho u,ltule nillJf3tl.ti+u dirrrrhea, the plain f,rct ;: ff;child's dcjcctions hal.ing bccn- pourniinto a cesspool (tho connexrotr betr€€nIr'fictr anct the pulul)_rvoll is clearlvestal:lished) for a licrioil of U,r"oif"y.trncdiatoly precpdi.irg.a gleat outfrrcak, frsp-holromenc of rvhich point tloui lcJiviothc pump as its origin, is indeod a .ieryreruar.liable coincideirce.