View report page

6
appear capable of commanding its stay. But, I use
the term cholera, rather as the type of epidemic and
preventible disease—disease that if it appears at all in
places which are thoroughly wholesome, and are well
prepared beforehand for its repulsion, its effects are
comparatively feeble and its visit transient; thus, as it
were, inviting a recognition, as I hope it will be found
to do, that the sanitary attention to our district and
London generally has been such, that at any time the
conditions which foster the existence and spread of
epidemic disease will be found to have belonged to a
by-gone period. It is rather to the sanitary improvements
which have been made, that I look to as a means
to foil and turn aside the bitter scourge of so terrible a
malady, than to extraordinary exertions proposed to be
undertaken should occasion arise to require them. All
that the circular of the Privy Council advises and
recommends has been before advised and recommended,
and, better still, acted on by the local officers of the
various districts. From so powerful a source as the Privy
Council it is devoutly to be wished that, something
beyond advice and persuasion had been allowed to
emanate, something which would have added to the
force already freely exercised. If it were necessary to
publish a document of any kind, it is to be regretted
that it had not assumed the form of direction and command.
Still, it is my firm opinion, that we are in a
better condition to receive, and we may hope avert, the
threatened attack, than we have been, when, on other
other occasions the alarm has been sounded. It is
beyond doubt that, for the last three years we have
been under the influence of certain conditions which
would, with circumstances more favorable to the development
of fever, have been attended by a serious amount