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5. That the primary canse of the Cholera was atmospheric, originating
in the East, and after the lapse of months having traversed the Continent,
true to the westerly direction, it found its way to England, when the east end
of London terribly felt its shock, resulting in an extraordinary mortality,
mainly attributable to masses of filth in various forms, traceable to Docks,
Canals, Sewers, &c., and to such a degree as not to be equalled by all the
rest of the metropolis.
6. That after the evolution of deadly vapours and gases from this accumulated
filth in the hot season, during an almost perfect calm for several
days, then a continuous wind with slight variations, chiefly N.E., conveyed
this prisonous air direct through the heart of the Cholera field, being tolerably
co-extensive with that of the East London Water Company's sphere of supply
from their Works at Old Ford.
Since threse opinions were made public, various theories have been propounded
to solve the difficulty of the enquiry, and certain Commissioners
under authority in various departments of science bearing on Epidemeology,
have given in their reports. Notwithstanding the amount of talent involved
in the investigation, which it would be in vain for me to attempt wholly to
compass, I am not, I still venture to say, satisfied with the result. I cannot
divest myself of an impression—nor am I alone in this—that the enquiry
has not been pursued with that freedom from bias, which, with a facile spirit,
would have been given to the consideration of a question in abstract science.
I seek not to be singular in putting in this demurrer, but to be useful in my
vocation; and if any in the higher latitudes of hygiene should look upon the objections
of a Medical Otlicer, to what he conscientiously regards as a fallacy,
simply as a superfluous act, then the Office is an unwarrantable tax
upon the ratepayers, a fraud upon the public, and the sooner it is swept away
the better.
There arc two theories still in antagonism. It is right that this matter
should be cleared up. We are told "of 5,915 who died from Cholera and
Diarrhoea, not less than 4,276 occurred in the Eastern districts." There
must, therefore, be something to account for this discrepancy, a line of demarcation
so striking as at once to be obvious, and a cause at hand that cannot
be questioned. It will not do at this time of day to build up Reports on a