ASIATIC CHOLERA. 243 



of a given quantity of air. On the 9th of 

 February, 1832, the weight of the quantity of 

 air suddenly rose above the usual amount to a 

 slight but still very appreciable extent. Again 

 and again was the experiment made, and the 

 same result obtained, so that there was no possi- 

 bility of an error. At the same time, the wind, 

 which had previously been blowing from the 

 west, veered round to the east. These appeared 

 a part of the preparation for the tremendous 

 drama shortly to be played out, for precisely at 

 that time the first case of epidemic cholera ap- 

 peared in London, and from that period the pesti- 

 lence expanded until it enveloped the whole of 

 the mighty city in its embrace. 



It is remarkable that the disease chiefly pre- 

 vails in damp situations, and in ill-ventilated 

 filthy neighbourhoods. The earliest cases, on 

 its recent visitation in the metropolis and its 

 vicinity, occurred on board the Justitia con- 

 vict-ship, at Woolwich, which was moored 

 opposite the mouth of a sewer. It raged most, 

 also, in the low damp districts of the metro- 

 polis. The returns of mortality exhibited a 

 striking aspect in the week ending Saturday, 

 July 21, 1849. In this week, on the south side 

 of the river Thames, the deaths from cholera 

 amounted to four hundred and forty- three. In 

 the same week, in the north districts Mary- 



