Page:Short account of the origin and progress of the cholera morbus.pdf/3



is a disease of modern origin. It was in the year 1818, that accounts were brought to this country of a new and dreadful disorder that had appeared in India, by which some died almost instantaneously, and others were carried off in a few hours. It is said to have broke out first in August 1817, at Jessore near Calcutta; and, in the course of a few weeks, 10,000 persons fell victims. The inhabitants, astonished and terrified, fled in crowds to the country, to escape impending death.

It next attacked the poor of Calcutta, and before the end of September, it spread throughout and beyond the province of Bengal. Pursuing the course of the Ganges, it reached the interior of the country, and, on November 6, infected the grand army then stationed at Bundeleund, under the command of the Marquis of Hastings. No less than 5000 men perished between the 15th and 20th November, and in all, 9000 persons died. In March following, 10,000 Indians were cut off in the town of Banda and its environs, and Hutta, Saugur, &c. were proportionately afflicted. In Kotah alone, 100 persons perished daily for so long a time, that the city was at length abandoned by the inhabitants.

In the month of March, 1818, it broke out at Allahabad, and removed in a few months 10,000 persons; and proceeding still in a north-westerly direction, visited Cawnpore, Delhi, &c. In April and May following it reached the middle provinces of Hindostan. Lucknow and Fyzabad suffered greatly, and in Goruckpore 30,000 persons perished! It is calculated that in India the amazing number of twenty-millions have been removed into an eternal world by this awfully destructive scourge.

The Cholera prevailed at Madras in October, 1818. It raged with great severity in December following at Candy, the capital of Ceylon. At the end of November, 1819, it visited the island of Mauritius, shortly after the arrival of the Topaze frigate.