§ EARL FITZHARDINGEwished to ask a question, the answer to which would, he considered, be of some importance. He had seen in The Times newspaper of that morning an announcement, coming from the Lord Mayor of London, that the cholera had broken out in the metropolis. His Lordship had not used the exact word, but there could be no doubt he referred to the Asiatic cholera; and he begged to know if the noble Marquess had received any official or precise intimation on the subject?
§ The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNEMy noble Friend has put this question to me in consequence of a statement in the newspapers of this day, and in consequence of 225 that statement having emanated from so high an authority as that of the Lord Mayor of the city of London. At the same time my noble Friend has stated that the Lord Mayor, in making this communication, thought it necessary to make use of the expression "cholera" only, not mentioning what is called "Asiatic cholera," which is that particular species of cholera which caused such alarm throughout continental Europe some years ago, and also a considerable degree of alarm in this country. I do not think that the announcement of the Lord Mayor is calculated to create the idea that Asiatic cholera now exists; and the question having been put to me, I am glad, most glad, of the opportunity of giving an answer which cannot fail of being satisfactory to the noble Lord and to the House. A few days ago, an opinion seemed very generally to prevail in this city, that Asiatic cholera had broken out in London, and that it had appeared in a variety of cases. Immediately upon an intimation to that effect having been brought to the Council Office, some medical authorities were consulted, and, in a few hours after, a medical gentleman of great capacity and experience, conversant, too, with the practice in the different hospitals of this city, was sent into all the localities in which it had been asserted cholera had broken out. He visited all the houses in those localities, made every inquiry from which he might derive certain information, and on the following day he reported to me that he had not met with a single instance of disease which indicated the presence of Asiatic cholera. Not content with this, he visited also the hospitals in the immediate neighbourhood of those localities, and he did not find in any of those hospitals a case of the disease in question. He certainly did find instances of that disease which, as your Lordships may be aware, does exist in London, and which usually appears in large cities at this season of the year; it has some similarity to the Asiatic cholera; but it possesses none of the aggravated character of that dreadful plague. Your Lordships may rely, I think, upon this statement being correct. I have desired that the gentleman to whom I have referred, and another medical officer connected with the Council Office, should be on the look-out from day to day, in order that we might be early acquainted with the truth; and, up to this day, I am glad to say, no information that Asiatic cholera 226 has appeared has been received. I have now further to state, I have had a consultation with a noble Friend of mine in the other House of Parliament, and that it is intended to renew his Motion, authorizing parishes to take certain precautions, such as whitewashing houses and rooms, usual when in the presence of contagious disease, should the unfortunate necessity arise, without having recourse to any specific application to Government or Parliament. I think that Parliament will see the propriety of acceding to a Motion so unexceptionable as this.
LORD BROUGHAMI was at first rather sorry that my noble Friend (Earl Fitzhardinge) had mentioned the subject; but as it has been stated in the public papers, perhaps no evil can result from the distinct contradiction which we have heard of the rumour. It should, however, be most carefully borne in mind that to do or to say anything to spread alarm is prejudicial, and that it does more harm in extending the disease than any other circumstance. Your Lordships may be aware of a fact which illustrates this, and which presses in the same direction. In the year 1833, sixteen or eighteen months after the time when it was asserted the cholera had ceased to exist, and when I was in office, I was waited on on the 16th of August, the night before I left London, by a medical Friend, who stated to me, that the Asiatic cholera had prevailed during the last fortnight, and that there had been more cases during one of those weeks than in any similar week in the cholera year, sixteen months before. I consulted my noble Friend the then Secretary of State for the Home Department, and we earnestly urged my informant not to publish any notice of it, and soon afterwards it disappeared. The fact was, as the medical authorities assured me, that always at that season, at the beginning of August, a chill takes place, fruit begins to be consumed; and these are the circumstances which together render the English cholera so exceedingly rife. And, as in this year there has been great heat, the English cholera has assumed, as I myself know, in some parts of the town—in the neighbourhood of Bedford Square, in Whetstone Park, which is a very rural sounding name; but the rusticity goes no further; for it is there, behind Bedford Square, where the mews are—an excessively virulent and dangerous character. It is not, however, accompanied by those appearances and that spasmodic agency 227 marking the Asiatic or true cholera. In the year I mentioned, my opinion being asked what ought to be done, and whether the information which I had received should be made public, I said, "By no manner of means; but if there be no doubt on your mind about it, take all precautions, but do nothing but be ready if it should spread." In the very next week I heard there were ten cases only, and in the week after the disease had disappeared. That Asiatic cholera had been the disease, I had, at the time, no doubt whatever; but I think there is now no ground for alarm if the people will only be prepared — if they will not expose themselves to cold or chill, and not eat raw vegetables. Another disease, however, at this season of the year, might also engage, and engage beneficially, the attention of Parliament and of the Government—I mean the "Legislative cholera;" the disease and disorder of bringing forward measures of great importance when, in fact, there is no House of Parliament in existence, and when there are none of those Members present to discuss them and debate who desire to discuss them. I confess that I am alarmed, very greatly alarmed, at this disease. Several Bills of a most important character have been put off from week to week, and are now all to be brought forward together—I believe there is a Bill the effect of which will be to create a great many new offices, twenty or thirty places of great importance. I refer to the Bill for the Recovery of Small Debts—and that I should think is a Bill which should lie over until the next Session. I have heard that all my Law Bills in the other House are to be treated in that way, and are not to be passed this year—they are put off to next year. And then there is a temporary measure continuing the present Sugar Duties brought in for a month; and we are now to have to discuss another measure regulating the duties on sugar, and one which ought to be discussed most fully. What is the consequence of that? The temporary measure is for the period from the 5th of August to the 5th of September, and then we shall have the great Sugar Bill or the great Slave Bill, as I shall call it for shortness-sake, brought up here, when no person will be present to discuss it, and when the danger will be run that before a decision is come to, the temporary measure will have expired. I think we have all very great cause to be alarmed at that.
§ EARL FITZHARDINGEdid not regret having asked the question, for he felt now convinced that the answer which had been given would satify and calm the public.
The MARQUESS of SALISBURYagreed in the observations made by the noble and learned Lord, of the impropriety and impolicy of bringing forward at this late period of the Session, any measure of importance. He hoped that the noble Marquess would consent to suspend in that House the progress of that most important measure referring to the Law of Settlement.
LORD CAMPBELLwas sorry that his noble and learned Friend (Lord Brougham) had not been in the House when the Small Debts Bill had been introduced, and when it was shown that it had been under deliberation, in both Houses, for a number of years, and that it was universally approved of—even by the noble and learned Lord himself. The late President of the Council (the Duke of Buccleuch) had presented it, and had stated that it was the intention to pass it in the present Parliament; since then petitions in its favour had poured in from all parts of the country; and he (Lord Campbell) fully believed that it was a measure which the country would rejoice to see adopted.
LORD BROUGHAMsaid, that if the Bill were urged forward now it should be in that form in which it had been introduced. It had, he knew, undergone several alterations.
§ The EARL of ST. GERMANShoped that the Bill would not be postponed.
§ The MARQUESS of LANSDOWNEbegged to say, on the subject of this Bill, that not a day had passed since he had had the honour of being connected with the Government, in which he had not heard or read most urgent representations made to him from parishes and towns in its favour; and he believed that there was throughout the country a most earnest desire that it should pass this Session. He had also received an intimation to that effect from the noble Duke who recently occupied the office which he (the Marquess of Lansdowne) now held.