Twenty Years' Recollections of an Irish Police MagistratePorter, Frank Thorpe
History
Twenty Years' Recollections of an Irish Police Magistrate
Porter, Frank Thorpe
Crime -- Ireland; Criminals -- Ireland; Ireland -- Social life and customs; Porter, Frank Thorpe, 1801-1882
Leaving to my readers, without any comment from myself, the
consideration of the statements and sentiments contained in the extracts
from the French author, I pass to the year 1849, which certainly
afforded a most agreeable contrast to its immediate predecessor in the
almost total cessation of political agitations and asperities. The only
regrettable circumstance to which my recollections of the latter year
can revert being the appearance of cholera in Dublin, early in April,
and its continuance, with intermitting violence, until October. It was
far less prevalent than it had been in 1832, and, in almost every
instance, the disease was ascribed to the use of fish, fruit, acid
drinks, or habitual intemperance. In the great majority of cases ardent
spirits were administered; and the police were frequently complained to
by officers of health and other sanitary officials who had been called
on to relieve pretended sufferings, in the expectation of brandy or
whisky being promptly afforded. Occasionally, on being refused the
coveted dram, the mock sufferer became at once invigorated, and
addressed abusive language and threats of personal violence to "the
cholera fellow." Some instances of opprobrious and menacing expressions
were brought by summons under my cognizance, and for such I prescribed a
month's sojourn in the Richmond Bridewell, unless the delinquent found
two good and substantial sureties for his good behaviour. One of these
summonses was reported, I believe by Mr. Dunphy, in the _Freeman's
Journal_. It was described as "an affair in which a patient became
impatient, because he was not _stimulated_ when he _simulated_."
My residence at Roundtown was not far from a range of small cottages
occupied by the laboring class. One of our female servants alarmed my
family by stating that the cholera was very nigh, for that she had seen
five poor people taken off to hospital from the cottages near the
quarry. I mentioned her statement to a police sergeant, and requested
him to enquire if it was correct. In about half an hour, he returned and
said, "Your worship, I have good news for you. The cholera has not come
near you: it is only the typhus fever."
ROYAL VISITS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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