8 OCTOBER 1853, Page 6

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It is some comfort to find that the virulence of the cholera at New- castle has abated ; and that the authorities of London have taken, and are taking, vigorous steps to prepare, as well as they can, against the possible and probable visitation. According to the Registrar-General's weekly report, there were no fewer than forty-seven deaths from cholera in the Metropolis last week. Fourteen of these are set down distinctly as "Asiatic cholera," others as " English " cholera, "malignant" oholera,—one as "spasmodic," and another as "endemic" cholera ; but the larger number are described simply as "cholera." The Registrar does not make any comment on the public health.

Several deaths have occurred this week ; variously stated at 10 and 17. They occurred in Lambeth, Bermondsey, and Marylebone.

The local authorities in twenty-two parishes, and these among the districts most liable to suffer from the epidemic, have taken measures of precaution. Water has been freely used in washing the filthy courts, lanes, and alleys, in such districts as Spitalfields, Bethnal Green, and Whitechapel. In Paddington, the notorious Elm Lane has been cleansed ; and three medi- cal men have been authorized to give gratuitous advice and medicines to the poor suffering from diarrhoea, on application by day or by night. As far as it lies in their power, the Guardians are enforcing the removal of nuisances; and the exertions in the several districts, generally speaking, pretty nearly resemble each other.

Great difficulties are experienced in effecting the removal of nuisances arising from defective drainage, and trades dangerous to health. The St. Saviour's Union have taken Lord Palmerston's Perth and Glasgow speeches literally ; and their clerk, acting on instructions, has written to the Home Secretary on the subject of the sewers in that district which run into the Thames, and requesting his interference to abate the nuisances arising therefrom.

"Your Lordship will remember, that in the year 1849 this district was visited by cholera almost as severely as any in the Metropolis; and it was then considered that the severity of this frightful disease was attributable in a great measure to the imperfect state of the common sewers, which have not been improved since that period. The Sanitary Committee sit three times a week, at great personal inconvenience, and are adopting vigorous measures for the suppression of nuisances under their jurisdiction ; but all these efforts must prove unavailing while the dangerous nuisances to which I have called your Lordship's attention remain untouched. The Committee therefore trust your Lordship will, as speedily as possible, direct some means for remedying these most fruitful sources of disease in the neighbourhood."

The Directors of the Royal Free Hospital, Gray's Inn Lane, have caused notices to be extensively circulated, inviting all who might be attacked with cholera to apply there for assistance. Similar notices have been also issued at the Free Hospital, Devonshire Square, Bishopsgate.

The Bishop of London has reissued the letter to his clergy which was published in 1847. He exhorts them to cooperate with the parochial au- thorities in carrying out precautionary measures, as the only means, hu- manly speaking, of preventing the ravages of the cholera. He also in- structs them to enjoin temperance and cleanliness on their flocks. The suburban unions at Fulham, Brentford, Chelsea, Chiswick, nether- hithe, Hornsey, Tottenham, Bromley, and Greenwich, have also met and • resolved upon taking immediate steps to remove nuisances, and to cleanse the streets and over-crowded quarters.

At Newcastle the number of daily deaths had fallen to 10 on Thurs- day; and at Gateshead to 4, after standing at one for three days. At Newcastle, during thirty-six days, 1449 have died this year ; only 255 died during the corresponding period in 1831-'2.

Dr. Melier, the Commissioner from the French Government, accom- pasied by Dr. Sutherland, one of the Medical Inspectors of the General Board of Health, examined the infected districts of Newcastle. He ac- companied the medical officers in the house-to-house examination in the system introduced by the Board, and stated that he was thoroughly satis- fied with it. But he expressed his extreme surprise at witnessing the condition of the population in the lowest districts of the town. He had

been called upon to visit some of the worst-conditioned of the Freneh towns, but he had never seen anything so bad in structure as the houses and arrangements of the worst and most severely-visited portions of New- castle, or as the state of filth in which the population there existed.

The shopkeepers at Newcastle have suffered considerable loss of custom during the visitation of the cholera. It is suggested that it would have been worth their while, commercially speaking, to enforce sanitary saes. sures and pay three times the amount of rates- to prevent the cholera in- vasion.

Upwards of 20001. has been raised for the relief of the suffering and bereaved poor of this district : Earl Grey gave 501.

There have been 13 fatal eases of cholera at Walker, near Newcastle, since Monday night ; 2 in Bedlington, and 4 in the union of Houghton- le-Spring. Repressive measures have been adopted.

There have been 1200 cases of diarrhoea at Hexham ; but so admirable and so prompt were the exertions of the authorities, municipal and medi. cal, that only 23 have died in twenty-two days. It is admitted that a rigid system of house-to-house visitation has been most effective in pre- venting the spread of the disease. Open ditches, cesspools, pigsties, and slaughterhouses, have been here as elsewhere the conditions of cholera. Tynemouth, South Shields, Howden Pane, Accrington, and the adjoin- ing districts, continue to manifest a tendency to cholera. Diarrhoea is prevalent ; but, met by prompt treatment, it is not allowed to become cholera; and the deaths have been comparatively few. Up to the 28th September, there had been only 28 deaths throughout the Tynemouth Union, and 42 in South Shields Union.

At Stockton-on-Tees, four fatal cases are noted: three of them occurred in the same house. Dr. Waller Lewis, from the Board of Health, has visited the district, and, by his advice, systematic house-to-house visita- tion has been resolved on.

One death has occurred at Darlington ; but the town is so well prepared that no alarm exists on the subject. There has been another death from cholera at Manchester ; but the health of the neighbourhood generally is reported to be remarkably good. Liverpool has been again alarmed by the death of three emigrants, two Germans and one Englishman, on board the Silas Greenwood, a ship bound for America. This took place at the end of last week. The au- thorities met, and the whole of the emigrants were removed from the ship, and provided with lodgings ashore. Two other persons, not connected with the Silas Greenwood, have since died.

An American emigrant-ship, the Isaac Wright, which struck on a rock near Cape Clear, returned to Liverpool on Tuesday, with cholera patients on board. Before she entered the Mersey, 47 corpses had been buried in the sea. The survivors were carried in carts to the workhouse. Three dying in the transit. Several have died since, and there were 38 sick on Thurs- day. It is stated that the emigrants were infamously treated, and half- starved, at sea. Hot water was charged for at the rate of sixpence a quart, and only six days' provisions were served out in the first eleven daya Surely some inquiry is needed. The Board of Trade has issued a circular of instructions with the view of preventing cholera in merchant-ships. They warn mariners against over-crowding, dampness, filth, unwholesome food, excess in eating and drinking. There are also directions for meeting an attack of cholera.

In Scotland, deaths are reported at Edinburgh, Leith, Dunse, An- nandale, and other places : the cholera is described as sporadic.