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spinal meningitis, which was also investigated in the locality
of its prevalence by order of the Privy Council, I must
speak guardedly; the disease seems to have been known in
the valley of the Vistula off and on for some time, but
as an epidemic or endemic disease has never appeared in
this country; and there appeared then, and appears still,
but little danger of its introduction among us. We had
much more reason to fear an invasion of cholera, although
from the unusual route the disease took throughout Europe,
or perhaps rather from its uncertain course, there seemed
some ground for hoping we might escape it. The
appearance, however, of the disease in an unquestionable
form, during the autumn, both in Southampton and at
Epping, proved that the poison of the disease had found
its way into this country, and made it exceedingly probable
that there would be an epidemic outbreak in the autumn of
the present year. I may mention that, during the autumn
of last year, there was in the Metropolis, and also in our
own parish, an unusual prevalence of diarrhoea. There is,
however, little doubt that this was due to the exceptional
heat of weather alone, and in no degree to the presence of
the true choleraic poison. Of the cattle-plague, I need
perhaps scarcely speak. The disease, which has a considerable
resemblance to human small-pox, but which is
by no means identical with it, is one of the most virulently
contagious diseases with which we are acquainted, and one
of the most fatal. No precautions were taken to arrest its
course, notwithstanding the earnest remonstrances of those
Englishmen who were best acquainted with it, such as Prof
essors Simonds and Gamgee. The public was unwilling