192 PINDAREK WAR. 



assumed any formidable shape, and in the comprehensive 

 tables published by the medic;!! board at Madras, (he column 

 for cholera spasmodica in 1815 and the two following years 

 exhibits nearly a continued blank. 



This disorder first showed itself, in August, 1817, in the 

 zillah of Jessorc, about 60 miles north-east of Calcutta, in 

 the marchy districts which form the Delta of the Ganges. 

 The whole of the tract extending along the lower course 

 of that river is intersected by numberless branches of its 

 stream, whence are derived canals and tanks that diffuse 

 the benefit of irrigation almost to every field. These arti- 

 ficial channels, however, are often in bad repair and filled 

 with stagnant water, while even the river itself at certain 

 seasons has not eurrent sufficient to preserve its salubrious 

 qualities. Added to this, the extreme violence of the heat 

 in summer, and of the rains in winter, render the whole of 

 this part of Bengal liable to fevers and other climatic disor- 

 ders. When any of these atmospheric phenomena occur 

 in an extniordinary degree, and especially when, by injuring 

 the cultivated fields, they render the grain scarce and bad^ 

 epidemics of the most malignant description are frequently 

 generated. The years 1815 and 1816 were distinguished 

 by very striking peculiarities of season and weather. In 

 the May of the latter year, the heat became most intense, 

 the thermometer rose to 98 degrees in the shade, and various 

 persons, both European and native, fell down dead in the 

 streets. A deficiency in the periodical rains was also appre- 

 hended till the beginning of September, when there poured 

 down a complete deluge, causing a more extensive inunda- 

 tion than was recollected bv the oldest inhabitant. This 

 was followed by attacks ef lew typhus lover, and of a 

 malignant sore-throat, — a disorder formerly unknown in 

 that region, but believed on this occasion to be contagious. 



The year 1817 was from the first uncommonly moist, 

 and the regular rains began <>n the 26th May, about three 

 weeks before the usual period. Tiny fell to a depth greater 

 by one-third than in ordinary years ; so that before the 

 middle of August nearly the whole district composing the 

 Delta of the Ganges was one bluet of water. It was dur- 

 ing the distempered state of the air thus produced that the 

 malignant cholera broke forth on a scale hitherto quite un- 

 precedented. The disease, either in its common or violent 



