HC Deb 05 March 1832 vol 10 cc1115-7
Mr. Hume

was desirous of asking a question of the right hon. the Vice President of the Board of Trade, on the subject of the Cholera Morbus. He had seen, in the last report from the Central Board of Health, a statement, to the effect that sixteen cases had occurred in the parish where he resided—Marylebone. Of course such a statement had attracted his attention, and he had instituted inquiries to ascertain its correctness. The result of this inquiry he felt bound to state to the House. He found that in none of the reported cases was there one single symptom characteristic of Asiatic Cholera. He, therefore, begged to ask on whose authority it was, that the report of the Central Board of Health was drawn up? He need not, he was sure, impress upon the Government the absolute necessity of satisfying the public, that no case was admitted into the report which had not occurred, and it was with this view that he asked the question.

Mr. Poulett Thomson

said, he would inform the House how the reports issued by the Board of Health were made up. Inspectors, who were medical men, and in general attached to the army, were appointed in each district by the Central Board of Health. These inspectors examined cases, and reported those which they conceived to be cases of Cholera. The reports of the inspectors were considered sufficient authority for the insertion of the cases in the report issued by the Central Board of Health. The cases stated to have occurred in Marylebone workhouse were reported to the Board of Health by the inspector of that district. It appeared, from a statement made in a newspaper, that the inspector for Marylebone had, subsequently to his making his report, expressed to other medical gentlemen some doubt as to the cases being really Cholera cases. This statement immediately attracted the attention of the Board of Health, and they had that morning sent for the medical inspector, in order to ascertain whether he had made any such admission. He had not yet heard the result of the inquiry.

Mr. Hume

said, that it was necessary that the subject should be strictly investigated, in order to satisfy the public.

Mr. Poulett Thomson

begged to direct the attention of the House to a return for which the hon. member for Middlesex had moved, and which was now upon the Table of the House. Hon. Members must have observed that recently the most abominable reports had been in circulation with respect to the remuneration made to the medical gentlemen acting under the Board of Health. Even within the last few days he had observed in some of the newspapers a repetition of a statement, which was perfectly false, namely, that these gentlemen were in the receipt of twenty guineas a-day, or some such sum. He only trusted, that hon. Members and the public would be good enough to inspect the return which was laid upon the Table of the House on last Friday. It appeared from that return, that these gentlemen received what could scarcely be called a competent remuneration, for 7s. 6d. per day was the largest sum they could receive for all their labour and anxiety.

Mr. Hunt

said, that it was not his wish to create unnecessary alarm upon this painful subject, but he could not avoid stating, that he was led to believe—that many cases of Cholera were never reported at all. He could state a fact which had taken place within 200 yards of where he lived—in Stamford-street. A woman was taken ill on the Sunday before last, and died early on the following Monday. Her husband was taken ill on the Monday, and died on the Tuesday. The son of these unfortunate people, and two ether persons, who followed the husband to the grave, were taken ill on the Wednesday, and the son and one of the persons died. Thus, in a short space of time, the wife, the husband, the child, and a person who followed the husband to the grave, were swept off by disease. Several medical gentlemen, and, amongst others, Dr. M'Cann, declared that the disease by which these persons were destroyed was the Asiatic Cholera; but whether it were the Asiatic Cholera or the English Cholera, as it was a disease by which persons were so suddenly seized, and so soon destroyed, he hoped that Ministers would use every exertion to make the truth be known respecting it. The more widely the truth should be disseminated, the less would be the alarm in the public mind. Yesterday, no less than seven dead bodies was carried past his door, and buried in a church-yard separated from the public road only by an open iron railing. He hoped that Ministers would direct their attention to this subject. If these were cases of Cholera, was it proper to bury the bodies in the very middle of the metropolis, close to a public road? In conclusion, he trusted that Ministers would not be deterred, by the calumnies which were cast upon them and the medical Board, from acquainting the public with the true state of this frightful disorder.