“The night of the 16th must have been one of great consternation on
board her. The epidemic went on with unchecked violence; the officers
were voluntarily attending on the sick; and the very few of the crew who
had not been attacked, or who were not assisting their unfortunate
messmates, were found quite insufficient to perform the duties of a ship
when under sail; and the admiral, therefore, determined to return to
Baljik, taking with him the _Trafalgar_ and _Albion_, also badly
affected.
“The crew of the _Britannia_ were at once sent away from the ship, in
small parties, into the numerous transports that remained idle; and it
appears that, by this procedure, the epidemic influences operating among
them have been greatly moderated, if not extirpated.”
[Sidenote: THE CHOLERA NEAR GOLDEN SQUARE.]
The most terrible outbreak of cholera which ever occurred in this
kingdom, is probably that which took place in Broad Street, Golden
Square, and the adjoining streets, a few weeks ago. Within two hundred
and fifty yards of the spot where Cambridge Street joins Broad Street,
there were upwards of five hundred fatal attacks of cholera in ten days.
The mortality in this limited area probably equals any that was ever
caused in this country, even by the plague; and it was much more sudden,
as the greater number of cases terminated in a few hours. The mortality
would undoubtedly have been much greater had it not been for the flight
of the population. Persons in furnished lodgings left first, then other
lodgers went away, leaving their furniture to be sent for when they
could meet with a place to put it in. Many houses were closed
altogether, owing to the death of the proprietors; and, in a great
number of instances, the tradesmen who remained had sent away their
families: so that in less than six days from the commencement of the
outbreak, the most afflicted streets were deserted by more than
three-quarters of their inhabitants.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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