^& NOTES ON THE CHOLERA SEASONS OF 1832-4. 



tion which so strongly marked its former visit. People had become 

 familiarized with its most shocking features, the character of the dis- 

 ease was better understood, many precautionary measures, before neg- 

 lected, were adopted, but it may well be questioned whether it abated 

 any thing of its former malignity. It was remarked at the time, ami 

 indeed it is a familiar truth as regards all similar visitations, that 

 nothing does so effectually predispose the system to the attacks of 

 disease as that fear and anxiety which naturally attended the first ap- 

 pearance of a malady marked by such terrible characteristics. Ward, 

 in his travels in Mexico, speaking of the yellow fever, observes, that 

 "a, predestinarian would have a much better chance of escaping than 

 one over anxious," and this was specially verified as regards the cholera. 

 "We observe that physicians, clergymen, nurses, and others, who were 

 constantly in communication with the dying and the dead, almost 

 invariably escaped, while many no doubt fell victims solely from the 

 influence of panic. In the former, familiarity with scenes of horror, 

 divested them of that morbid sensitiveness which as much as any 

 other cause invited the attacks of the destroyer. Consequently the 

 alarm which accompanied the former visitation having in a great mea- 

 sure subsided, the cholera of 1834 was thought to be of less malignant 

 quality. And yet the facts of the case would scarcely seem to warrant 

 the conclusion. The first case of cholera in 1834, at Quebec, occurred 

 on July 11th, and in Toronto July 28th, and in less than one month, 

 viz., by August 22nd, the number of deaths in Toronto amounted to 

 423 ; an extraordinary mortality, when it is considered how many of 

 the inhabitants had left the City. We now revert to the consideration 

 of the two months in which the cholera prevailed, July and August. 



July was a month of high temperature, abounding in sultry days, 

 heavy showers, great consequent evaporation, and remarkable for the 

 number of thunderstorms, many of great severity. From 21st to 

 26th was a continued series of these storms, accompanied by 3.25 in. 

 of rain ; and so far from the pestilence being mitigated, as some have 

 argued, by these agents, it seemed to burst forth with fresh fury. The 

 heavy showers and burning sun roused into active operation many a 

 deleterious influence, which under other circumstances might ha,v© 

 remained dormant. 



August resembled July, though somewhat lower in temperature. 

 On September 12th was a white frost. 



Comparing then the seasons of 1832 and 1834, commencing witk 



