{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_67063/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_67063","id":"gutenberg_67063","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67063","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Biographies","Category: Health & Medicine","Category: History - Modern (1750+)","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Cholera -- Great Britain","Coppard, William Isaac, -1865 -- Diaries"],"text":"Transcribed from the 1848 F. & J. Rivington edition by David Price.  Many\nthanks to the British Library for making their copy available.\n\n                   [Picture: Plympton St. Mary Church]\n\n\n\n\n\n                              COTTAGE SCENES\n                                  DURING\n                               THE CHOLERA.\n\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                  BEING EXTRACTS FROM A DIARY WRITTEN IN\n                          JULY AND AUGUST, 1832.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                  BY THE\n                        REV. W. I. COPPARD, M.A.,\n\n         INCUMBENT OF PLYMPTON ST. MARY, DEVONSHIRE; AND DOMESTIC\n                     CHAPLAIN TO THE EARL OF MORLEY.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                 LONDON:\n               F. & J. RIVINGTON; HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO.;\n                       HATCHARD & SON; AND MASTERS;\n              EXETER: H. J. WALLIS.  PLYMOUTH: R. LIDSTONE.\n\n                                  1848.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n    \u201cTAKE HEED UNTO THYSELF, AND KEEP THY SOUL DILIGENTLY, LEST THOU\n    FORGET THE THINGS WHICH THINE EYES HAVE SEEN, AND LEST THEY DEPART\n    FROM THY HEART ALL THE DAYS OF THY LIFE.\u201d\n\n                                                              DEUT. IV. 9.\n\n\n\n\nPREFACE.\n\n\nIN compliance with the repeated request of some highly valued friends,\nthese Extracts are offered to the Public.  They possess no recommendation\nbeyond that of being a plain statement of facts, for the authenticity of\nwhich, there are many living witnesses: and the writer of them humbly\nprays that, by the blessing of God, they may contain some hints which\nwill be beneficial to his fellow-creatures.\n\n\n\n\nINTRODUCTION.\n\n\nTHE Parish of Plympton St. Mary, at a distance of about four miles from\nPlymouth, is bounded on the west by the river Plym.  From Long-Bridge,\nwhich crosses the river, it extends eastward nearly six miles.  The\npopulation, {1} at the time of the census of 1831, consisted of 2152, and\nis scattered over an area of nearly thirty square miles.  Independently\nof gentlemen\u2019s seats, numerous farm houses, and small clusters of\ncottages in isolated spots, there are seven villages within the parish;\nviz., Ridgeway, Underwood, Colebrook, Hemerdon, Sparkwell, Venton, and a\npart of Lee-Mill-Bridge, containing, upon an average, in each, from 150\nto 300 inhabitants, chiefly agricultural labourers.\n\nNear the western extremity, stands the venerable Parish Church, in a\npicturesque valley, within a few hundred yards of the three first-named\nvillages.  Colebrook is on the lowest ground, adjacent to a small river;\nRidgeway is situated higher; and Underwood, the main scene of the\ndisastrous ravages of the cholera (having been nearly decimated out of a\npopulation of 300, and where, at one time, 200 individuals were affected,\nmore or less, with symptoms of the fearful epidemic), lies east and west\non the north slope of a hill which rises above a valley {2} terminating\nat the river Plym.  A small brook winds its way at the foot of the hill;\nand a little stream, issuing from a spring which rises at the western\nend, runs through a part of the village, in an open gutter on the side of\nthe road.\n\nThe poorer portion of the inhabitants are as well conducted and cleanly\nin their habits as the generality of labouring people; and their\ncottages, for the most part, are kept in a creditable condition.\n\nThe four last-named villages are at the eastern end of the parish, three\nor four miles distant from the Church, and are situated on elevated\nground, bordering on the Moors.  The air in the neighbourhood is\nconsidered to be very healthy.  No such density of population exists in\nany one locality which might be supposed to produce a prejudicial effect\non the salubrity of the atmosphere.  Therefore, as far as local\nadvantages could be depended upon, every thing tended to encourage the\nidea, that the parish was not so liable to be infected with the cholera\nas many other places.\n\nUp to the month of July, 1832, when that disease was making fearful havoc\nat Plymouth and the adjoining towns, a flattering hope was still\nentertained that, by the mercy of God, we should escape.  But it pleased\nHim \u201cwho ordereth all things with infinite wisdom,\u201d and \u201cwhose ways are\npast finding out,\u201d that it should be otherwise; and on the 13th of July,\nthe first instance of a case of the cholera in the parish, occurred at\nUnderwood.\n\nIt must not be supposed, however, that no precautionary steps had been\ntaken.  The great importance and necessity of sanatory measures had been\nfelt and acted upon in the neighbourhood, long before.  A public meeting,\nespecially convened for that purpose, was held at Ridgeway, on the 8th of\nNovember, 1831.  The principal gentlemen of the parish were present.  A\nBoard of Health was formed; and the immediate attention of the board was\ndirected to the following objects:\u2014\n\n\u201c1.  The state of the highways, dung pits, and gutters.\n\u201c2.  The state of the houses of the poor, as regards whitewashing,\nventilation, and bedding.\n\u201c3.  The providing common necessaries, and requisite medicines.\n\u201c4.  The engaging (provisionally, so as to be able to enter it at a\nmoment\u2019s warning) a proper house, to be used as a hospital; or,\notherwise, to arrange with adjoining parishes for a joint occupation of\nany such convenient building; so that the distance for the removal of the\nsick should be as small as possible.\n\u201c5.  That two members of the board (to be arranged among themselves) do\ndaily take the duty of superintending the due execution of the above\nregulations.\n\u201c6.  That a subscription be forthwith entered into for the above\npurposes.\n\u201c7.  That the Rev. W. I. COPPARD be requested to act as treasurer and\nsecretary.\u201d\n\nA subscription was immediately raised; and the measure, as far as it was\npracticable, was carried into effect under the superintendence of those\ngentlemen who were members of the committee, at the villages which were\ncontiguous to their respective residences.\n\nDuring the month of November, the poor who whitewashed their dwellings,\nin compliance with the recommendation of the committee, were paid for the\ntime they had lost.  Lime was conveyed to their houses, and delivered to\nthem free of expense.  If unable to use the whitewash themselves, masons\nwere employed for them.\n\nAll heaps of manure, &c., which had been accumulated near\ndwelling-houses, were removed; drains were cleansed, and some enlarged.\nIn several instances, blankets were supplied to those whose bedding was\nin a bad state, or too scanty.\n\nThus far, sanatory measures were adopted more than eight months before\nany symptoms of the disease appeared in the parish.\n\nFrom this time to the month of July, 1832, it pleased God, in mercy, to\nspare us.  The pestilence, however, was raging far and near.  The dark\nand threatening cloud still lowered around.  But months passed on; until,\nat last, it approached with awful warning.  Then \u201cfearfulness and\ntrembling came upon us.\u201d  And \u201cin the time of trouble we called upon the\nLord.\u201d  Then were acknowledged \u201cthe neglect of God\u2019s ordinances, the\nmisuse of his bounties, and the offences which had been multiplied in the\nland.\u201d\n\nAs, long before this, temporal precautions had been resorted to, with the\nhope that, under the blessing of God, they might be instrumental towards\nthe averting of the impending danger; so, trembling penitents also\nsought, in humble prayer, the only effectual remedy to assist in setting\ntheir spiritual house in order,\u2014the merciful aid of a pardoning God,\nthrough the merits and intercession of a crucified Saviour.  Humbled to\nthe dust, under a sense of sin and unworthiness, which now appeared in\nfearful reality, they pleaded for mercy before the Throne of Grace,\ncomforted by the promise of their Heavenly Advocate, \u201cWhosoever cometh\nunto me, I will in no wise cast out.\u201d  They fled in earnest to the \u201cRock\nof Ages,\u201d for shelter from the storm.  Having been thus prepared for the\napproaching trial, when it did fall on them, they experienced a merciful\nanswer to their cry for help, and were supported in their last hour; for\nthe nearer death approached, it was, in numerous instances, met with\nresignation, tranquillity, and peace.\n\nWhen we ponder these things, and reflect upon the uncertainty of life,\nwhether exhibited in the ordinary or the extraordinary course of nature,\nwe cannot but feel how important it is to cherish within us a spirit of\nwatchfulness and prayer.  This, by the blessing of God, and the merits of\nthe Saviour, will disarm death of its sting, and dispel, or at least\nmitigate, the fears which assail us in the time of danger.  Amidst the\nvarying scenes of life, this frame of mind carries a blessing with it;\nand, when we are about to quit them, it will bring us peace at the last.\n\n\u201cTake ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.\u201d\n\n\u201cBlessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find\nwatching.\u201d\n\nGod grant that the recollection of the fearful events which the following\nplain narrative recalls, may revive, and render permanent, not the\nterrors of the mere outward circumstances, but the pious vows and\nresolutions which accompanied them.\n\nIt may be necessary here to remark, in reference to the prominent\nallusion, in the following pages, to the writer himself, that in the\ndetails of a Diary it could not be avoided.  A panic had spread in the\nneighbourhood, from a conviction that the disease was not only epidemic,\nbut contagious.  The consequence was, that all intercourse between the\ninhabitants of other villages with Underwood, was either prohibited, or\navoided as much as possible.  As one proof of this, a servant in another\npart of the parish, who went to Underwood to see a relation, at a house\nwhere there was no sickness, was immediately discharged.\n\nThus the difficulty of obtaining assistance, and of providing nurses, was\nlamentably increased.  The sick and dying, who had no one to help them,\nsought their minister, as their only earthly friend: and in the closing\nscenes of their existence, they called aloud for his presence.  Such an\nappeal, both to the common feelings of humanity, as well as to one of the\nhighest obligations of a Christian minister, could not be otherwise than\nirresistible.  There is nothing remarkable, therefore, in the\ncircumstance of a clergyman, residing close to the village afflicted with\nsuch an awful visitation, having endeavoured to render all the assistance\nin his power, independently of attending to the important duties of his\nsacred office.  Who, among the clergy, would not have done the same, in a\nsimilar case of emergency?  Many names are on record, of those who\nexerted all their energies, in a manner far more valuable and important.\n\nWhen we recollect the scenes at Bilston, Sedgly, Plymouth, and other\npopulous districts, where the epidemic spread among thousands, it is\nevident that the labour and exertion of those whose duty called upon them\nto attend the sick, must have been past description.  Few, under such\ncircumstances, had an opportunity of remaining any great length of time\nto watch the progress of particular cases, or of taking minutes of them.\nBut where the disease was confined within narrower limits, and not more\nthan two or three hundred had been affected by it, the difficulty of\ntaking notes became proportionably less.  This has probably been done in\nmany instances, which, at present, have not been made known.  But it has\nbeen strongly urged that the publication of them might be highly useful;\nas an opportunity would be thus afforded for those who are the most\ncompetent for the undertaking, to compare the details of variation of\ncharacter, which this extraordinary disease may have exhibited under\ndifferent circumstances; and by these means to arrive at some additional\nconclusions as to how far it has resisted or yielded to the application\nof particular modes of treatment.\n\nThe _Christian Observer_ (No. 381, Sept. 1833, page 511) expresses this\nopinion in the following words:\u2014\n\n    \u201cIt might be well if clergymen, or other persons, would draw up a\n    record of any remarkable circumstances, in their respective\n    vicinities, connected with the visitation.  These local narratives\n    would form valuable notices towards a history of this mysterious\n    disease.\n\n    \u201cIt would not be uninteresting to compare the memoranda, moral and\n    physical, of an inland manufacturing town like Bilston, suffering\n    under the affliction, with those of a scattered rural district, or a\n    seaport population, such as that of Plymouth, which the disease\n    visited with almost unexampled rigour.\u201d\n\n\n\n\nEXTRACTS FROM A DIARY,\n&c.\n\n\n1832, _July_ 13.  Mellonia Thorn (who came from Plymouth, where the\ncholera was prevailing, on Wednesday, the 11th, in perfect health, to\nUnderwood, on a visit to her daughter, Mary Pepperall), after a few\nhours\u2019 illness, died this evening of that disease.  I called to see her,\nbut she was too near her end to derive benefit or consolation from any\none.\n\nSo sudden was the attack which seized this poor woman, that the greatest\ndismay and confusion prevailed among the inmates of the house.  She rose\nin the morning, apparently quite well, and was occupied during the day,\nuntil three o\u2019clock, p.m., in ironing her son\u2019s linen.  About this time,\nshe complained of sickness, and in less than half-an-hour, other symptoms\nof cholera followed with fearful rapidity.\n\nWhile she was in this state, a neighbour called to see her, and advised\nher to try the effect of _brandy_.  _Her friends followed this advice_,\n_and gave her half a glass of brandy every ten minutes or quarter of an\nhour_, _until she had taken half a pint_.\n\nBetween six and seven o\u2019clock, Mr. Langworthy {14} arrived.  But the\nsecond or cold stage had come on.  The poor woman was more tranquil than\nshe had been, but much exhausted, and harassed by continual thirst.  The\ndisease progressed so rapidly, that it baffled every effort to afford\nrelief.  Various remedies were tried, without the least effect.  A vein\nwas opened,\u2014no blood flowed,\u2014it was congealed,\u2014and, gradually, between\nnine and ten o\u2019clock, the poor sufferer ceased to breathe.\n\nThe news of this fearfully sudden death soon spread through the parish.\nMany a heart, with anxious throb, sickened under gloomy forebodings; and\nmany lips, hitherto unaccustomed to prayer, began to seek, through that\nneglected resource, the mercy of God.\n\n_July_ 14.  The funeral of Mellonia Thorn took place to-day.  The advice,\nthat as few persons as possible should be present, was strictly attended\nto.  Two only, besides the bearers, were there! and, in the stillness of\na lovely summer eve,\u2014no sound interrupting the sublime burial service of\nour Church, and with an increased solemnity, consequent upon such an\nawakening occasion,\u2014the mortal remains of this first victim of the\ncholera in our parish were consigned to the grave!\n\n_July_ 27.  John Gulley, of Underwood, aged fifty-three, died this\nafternoon.  He was unwell a few days; but thought that, as his\nindisposition was unaccompanied by pain, it was of no importance.\nMedical aid was not called in, until he had fallen into the second stage\nof cholera; and he was rapidly carried off.\n\n_July_ 28.  Having been informed that precautionary measures were much\nrequired at the house where John Gulley died, I went there, enquired for\nthe family, and gave directions for fumigating the rooms, the use of\nchloride of lime, &c.\n\nWhen I quitted this house, some poor people implored me to go to Edward\nTretheway\u2019s cottage (situate very near John Gulley\u2019s), to see his\ndaughter, a little girl, ten years of age, who was \u201cin a dying state.\u201d\nShe was much beloved by the neighbours; and several women were standing\nin groups about the house, anxiously enquiring about her.  She was also\nan object of more than ordinary interest to myself, as she was one of the\nbest-behaved children in our Sunday School.\n\nOn entering the cottage, the alarm of the family was manifested in the\nneglected state of every thing around,\u2014tea-things scattered about the\ntable\u2014the homely meal left half-finished\u2014by the fire-side, a poor man was\nendeavouring to pacify two or three frightened children\u2014some women who\nhad called to assist their neighbour, stood aghast, incapable of doing\nany thing.  The afflicted mother pointed to the stairs, and begged me\nhasten to see the child before it was too late.  In the room above, the\nscene was very affecting.  The poor little creature was on a bed, with\nher clothes on, supported on her weeping father\u2019s arm\u2014her countenance\ncollapsed, and her hands characterized by all the signs of the second\nstage of cholera,\u2014no indication of pulse\u2014scarcely a sign of life\u2014from all\nappearances, the disease had secured its prey.\n\nThat no time might be lost before the arrival of Mr. Langworthy, who had\nbeen sent for, I recommended that she should be immediately undressed,\nand placed between hot blankets; and I went home for some medicines, {18}\nblankets, &c.  Mr. Langworthy came, and the application of friction was\nadopted with apparent success, as indications of returning animation were\nshortly visible, but not of warmth about the body.  On recovering her\nrecollection, and being timid of strangers, she could not be prevailed\nupon to take any thing except from myself.  I left her for a short time,\nto attend the funeral of John Gulley.  When I returned, a hot-air bath\nhad been procured, and a fair trial given to it; but the only effect\nproduced was a profuse, but cold, perspiration.  The harassing symptoms\nof the disease were not subdued.  Every thing was tried which human aid\ncould suggest to relieve her, but she was rapidly sinking.\n\nMr. L. requested me to remain with her during his absence, which was\nunavoidably prolonged two hours.  When he returned, she was sensible, and\nfree from pain; but no warmth could be produced.  About twelve o\u2019clock,\nher countenance suddenly resumed its natural appearance\u2014her eyes, their\nintelligence.  I took her hand, which she held out to me.  The icy chill\nseemed to have yielded in a slight degree.  We thought the crisis was\nover, and that she was on the recovery; but, in an instant\u2014without a\nsigh\u2014without even a lengthened breath\u2014her eyes were glazed! and her\ngentle spirit winged its flight, I trust, to that blessed Lord, who said,\n\u201cSuffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such\nis the kingdom of heaven.\u201d\n\nI called the parents aside, before they were conscious of what had\nhappened, and remained conversing with them, until their minds were\nsufficiently tranquillized to offer up an evening prayer, in which all\nthe family devoutly joined; and at one in the morning, I concluded my\npastoral visit, sincerely sympathizing with that poor family.\n\n_July_ 29.  Ann Tretheway, aged ten years, was buried.\n\n_July_ 30.  Edward, the father of Ann Tretheway, taken ill.  Mr.\nLangworthy having been sent for to attend another patient, in compliance\nwith his wish, and under his directions, I watched the case, as it was of\na serious nature, attended with incessant sickness, diarrhea,\nconsiderable cramp, weakness, and slight discoloration of the fingers and\nnails.\n\nFive fresh cases reported.\n\n_July_ 31.  All the patients going on favourably.\n\n_August_ 1.  Edward Tretheway slightly salivated, but much better.  Very\nsensible of the mercy he has experienced, and devoutly thankful.  May the\nimpression, arising from the death of their child, and the man\u2019s own\nrecovery from the threatened danger, never be obliterated from the minds\nof this family.\n\n_August_ 2.  No new cases.\n\n_August_ 3.  Several people came in the morning for castor oil, rhubarb,\n&c.  Went to Venton and Lee-Mill-Bridge, to see some people who were ill.\n\n_August_ 4.  At ten, a.m., sent for to William Williams, aged\nthirty-nine, at Underwood.  His wife, in great distress, said he had been\nvery ill on the preceding day, and all the night.  _He had tried to stop\nthe pain in his bowels with hot brandy and water_, and peppermint; but he\nhad derived no relief.  After eighteen hours\u2019 sickness, the medical\ngentleman who always attended the family had been sent for.  When he\narrived, he did not consider the symptoms serious; but, being summoned to\na very bad case, he went away, merely ordering the patient to be kept\nwarm until his return.  He had been gone two hours; and during that\ninterval the poor man had fallen into the second stage of cholera.\n\nMuch valuable time having already elapsed, it was suggested that active\nmeasures should be immediately commenced, to restore warmth, if possible.\nMustard poultices and friction, as in other cases, were then adopted.  He\nwas quite sensible; and, appearing somewhat easier, on being asked how he\nfelt, he shook his head, saying, \u201cIt is a bad business: I shall never get\nover it.\u201d  He had become much weaker, and was perfectly aware of his\ndanger.  It was proposed that we should again address ourselves, in\nprayer, to the Throne of Grace.  This, he most earnestly desired; his\nwife and aged mother, at the same time, kneeling by the bed, seeking\nrefuge where alone it could be found.  It was a sad and solemn scene,\u2014no\nray of hope that he would recover.  These poor afflicted people, however,\nderived much comfort from having thus lifted up their sorrowing hearts in\nprayer to their God and Saviour; and they became more composed and\nresigned.\n\nAs medical advice had been procured, we did not feel justified in having\nrecourse to other remedies than those of the simplest kind, our object\nbeing merely to allay, or prevent, suffering.  When the medical attendant\nreturned, he was much surprised to find the disease had made such a rapid\nand fatal progress.  He ordered the patient to be immersed in cold water.\nThis could be borne only one minute.  The poor creature was sinking; and\nshortly afterwards he died.\n\nThe death of this man created great sympathy among the people of the\nvillage; many with tears lamenting the sudden loss of a quiet and\nrespected neighbour.  At the same time, increased alarm became very\napparent throughout the little community around.\n\nThe neighbourhood was now considered to be infected with the awful\ndisease.  After the sad scene at this house, every precaution, to prevent\nit from spreading, was promptly attended to.  Chloride of lime was\nabundantly used, and the rooms were whitewashed.\n\nOn the opposite side of the road, a woman, named Honey, was labouring\nunder a serious attack of the disease.  Several persons, from different\nhouses, came to me and entreated me to step in, if only for one minute,\nto see a husband, a wife, or a child, who were unwell.  This arose, not\nonly from an anxiety for spiritual comfort; but, in many instances, from\nan apprehension of danger, on the least indication of indisposition, and\na wish to know how to proceed, if medical advice could not be immediately\nobtained.\n\n_Sunday_, _August_ 5.  As I passed through Underwood before the morning\nservice, I visited Michael Mc. Kenny, who had been taken suddenly ill\nyesterday, whilst at work.  The disease was gaining ground\u2014Mr. Langworthy\naway from home, and his return uncertain; therefore, I adopted the same\ncourse which he had previously recommended me to pursue under similar\ncircumstances.\n\nA larger congregation than usual assembled at the Church, both parts of\nthe day; and, although our services are generally observed with strict\npropriety, upon this occasion, a death-like stillness, and a marked\nsolemnity of deportment prevailed.  About double the usual number also\navailed themselves of the opportunity of receiving the Holy Communion.\nIf the serious contemplation, that the fearful visitation, with which it\nhas pleased God in his infinite wisdom to afflict our land, has now\nentered within the borders of our parish, and approached the threshold of\nour own homes\u2014if the awful and sudden death of our near neighbours has\nawakened us to a sense of our mortality, and the uncertainty of our own\nlives\u2014if this has added to the number of sincere worshippers in the\nsanctuary, and touched the hearts of the careless with a sense, not only\nof the danger of the perishable body, but especially of their immortal\nsouls, thereby leading them to sincere repentance,\u2014then this very\ndispensation at the hand of God, though an affliction heavy to be borne\nby poor, weak, sinful mortals, will be acknowledged to have been a\nblessing in disguise; and, although a severe chastisement to hundreds, a\ndispensation of mercy to tens of thousands.\n\nMay God, in mercy, hear the devout prayers of his people, which have been\noffered up this day.\n\nAfter the services were ended, two fresh cases were reported, at\nUnderwood.  At Hurrell\u2019s cottage, which joins that where Williams died,\nJohn Hurrell and his wife Jane, both aged twenty-seven, were in bed, very\nill, with undoubted symptoms of cholera.  At first, they expressed the\ngreatest terror; but, having raised their thoughts to Him who is \u201cmighty\nto save,\u201d and being no strangers to religious habits, or the happiness\nwhich ever accompanies the true Christian in the exercise of religious\nduties, they soon became more tranquil, and could feel the truth of the\nwords, \u201cThou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee,\nbecause he trusted in thee.\u201d\n\nMedical assistance had been obtained.  I was obliged to leave them for a\ntime to attend the funeral of Wm. Williams.\n\n_August_ 6.  Called between five and six in the morning, to go to Hurl\u2019s,\nat Underwood.  The man and his wife were in great distress; their eldest\nchild, a fine boy, six years of age, being in a decided state of\ncollapse.  Before Mr. L.\u2019s arrival, every thing requisite for such a case\nof emergency was prepared; but the sickness, &c., was so incessant, and\nthe prostration of strength increased so rapidly, little hope could be\nentertained of his recovery.  I endeavoured, as far as I could, to\ncomfort the afflicted parents.\n\nAt ten o\u2019clock, went to John Andrews\u2019s to see his daughter, whose\nsymptoms could not be mistaken.  As she had medical aid, I returned to\nHurl\u2019s.  Mr. L. was there, and we both went to see West, who had been\nunwell a few hours, but was becoming seriously ill.  Mr. L. took a very\nsmall quantity of blood from him.  West then expressed a desire to avail\nhimself of the present opportunity to offer up a prayer to God.\n\nWe returned to Hurl\u2019s.  The little boy was much worse; but quite\nsensible, and very patient, though suffering much from cramp.  At twelve\no\u2019clock, I went again to Andrews\u2019s.  The little girl relieved as to\nsickness, and other symptoms much mitigated.  Went home for medicines,\nand was afterwards occupied at the houses of Hurl, Andrews, and West, all\nnear neighbours, until late in the afternoon.  At five o\u2019clock, Hurl\u2019s\nchild died.\n\nA messenger came in haste, begging me instantly to go to the western end\nof the village to see William Parsons, as he was in a fearful state of\nsuffering, and no one could be induced to go near the house to help the\nfamily.  On entering this cottage, the scene was truly appalling.  The\nroom inhabited by the family, consisting of the man, his wife, and five\nchildren, is sixteen feet by fourteen\u2014two beds in it, and on the ground\nfloor\u2014every thing indicating poverty and confusion.  The man, aged\nthirty-nine, lay on his bed, an object horrifying to the\nbeholder,\u2014writhing in torture from the cramp, and groaning dreadfully\u2014his\ncountenance much distorted\u2014his flesh ashy blue\u2014his fingers puckered and\ntwisted, and his nails purple\u2014his knees drawn up to his chin!\n\nMedicine had been left, with directions, by Mr. L., who had been called\naway to other patients.  Only one nurse could be found.  A child, three\nyears old, in a cradle in a corner of the room, discoloured and cold, put\naside, by the mother and nurse as in a hopeless state, as \u201cjust dead.\u201d  I\napplied a mustard poultice to the pit of the stomach of the poor man, who\nwas shrieking in agony; but he would not permit it to remain on five\nminutes.  We rubbed his arms with a stimulating liniment.  I gave him the\nmedicine which was ordered.  This frightful scene before me, and the\noffensive effluvia in this wretched place, overcame me.  I thought I must\nhave retreated from it; but if I had done so, the whole family must have\nperished, the case having been reported so malignant, that no one,\nexcepting the two medical attendants, together with Susan Taylor, and one\nneighbour, who called occasionally, would venture near them.\n\nAn effort was made to revive the child, as by holding a piece of a broken\nlooking glass to its mouth, it appeared that she still breathed.\n\nA faggot having been obtained from a neighbour, a large fire was made up.\nThe child was put between hot blankets, and brought near to the fire, and\nwell rubbed.  After a short time, some saline mixture trickled down her\nthroat.  In the course of three hours, she turned in her cradle, and the\ndiscoloured appearance of her body began to wear away.  At intervals I\nattended to the father, and whenever he became tranquil, we had resource\nto prayer.  He gave himself up; and it was extremely difficult to\npersuade him to take any medicine.\n\nI went away to see the Hurrells,\u2014both better,\u2014then returned to Parsons.\nSusan Taylor remained, by my request, to assist as a nurse.  The house\nwas in a state of utter destitution.  Not a morsel of food,\u2014no fire,\nbefore the faggot was procured.  Those necessaries which were immediately\nrequired, were provided from a neighbouring shop.  The poor man was\nevidently sinking, and his end fast approaching; but his sufferings had\nbeen considerably diminished during the last three or four hours.  The\nchild was better.  Upon observing a sudden change for the worse in her\nhusband, his wife fainted; and the scene altogether of distress and\nterror was appalling.  After awhile, the poor woman revived.\n\nAt twelve o\u2019clock, I went to a neighbouring cottage, wrote a letter to\nthe overseers, and sent it off.  I entreated them to do something to save\nthe lives of others, by adopting requisite measures for the speedy\nremoval of the dead, as well as of every other cause which might increase\nthe violence of the disease.  I stated the circumstances at Parsons\u2019s\nhouse, and that the man would most probably be a corpse before my letter\nwas concluded.  I returned home at one, a.m., very unwell, and so\nfatigued and excited, I could not sleep.\n\n_August_ 7.  At six o\u2019clock in the morning a messenger requested me to go\nto Underwood, several new cases having occurred.  I was informed, that as\nsoon as I left Parsons\u2019s, the two Messrs. Langworthy arrived, and that\nthe poor man lived about half-an-hour afterwards.  Mary Pepperall (the\ndaughter of M. Thorn, deceased) sent for me; she was in a state of\nextreme agitation, and was labouring under severe symptoms of cholera.\nShe had taken calomel and ginger, in small doses.  In accordance with the\nsuggestions of Mr. L., I gave her powdered rhubarb and ginger, and at\nintervals, to allay sickness, carbonate of soda, salvolatile, &c.  She\nappeared to be much relieved from pain, and expressed herself grateful in\nthe highest degree.\n\nSaw Richard Gullett, aged seventy-two.  This was an aggravated case: he\nwas much distressed with cramp, and had no interval of rest.  I merely\nassisted the medical attendant, Mr. Osmond, in administering such things\nas he ordered.  From thence I went to Hurrell\u2019s: his wife was worse,\nsuffering much from continual sickness and the cramp, and in a profuse\nperspiration, approaching to the cold damp of the second stage of\ncholera,\u2014the husband, also, harassed by sickness, &c. complained of\nviolent pain at the pit of the stomach, and was becoming very restless.\n\nWhen I contemplated this couple,\u2014both ill in bed, and, in the prime of\nlife, dreading a rapid dissolution, afflicted with the agonizing thought\nthat no friend dared to approach their dwelling to afford them\nconsolation, and appalled at the hasty manner in which the poor victims\nof the disease are necessarily consigned to the grave,\u2014a feeling of the\ndeepest commiseration for the wretched sufferers weighed heavily on my\nspirits.  And when I observed the wistful glance directed towards me, as\nif my countenance could be the index of their fate, the responsibility of\nmy situation pressed with redoubled force upon my mind; and though \u201cin\nthe midst of life I was in death,\u201d having cast myself upon the mercy of\nGod for \u201chelp in the time of need,\u201d I became strengthened in my\nresolution, that, in dependence upon Divine aid, I would devote myself,\nto the utmost of my power, to the service of my poor dying parishioners.\n\nI remained at Hurrell\u2019s, as they required constant attendance, and they\nhad no nurse at that time.  Towards the evening, both were better.  They\nhad applied for medical advice in the earliest period of their attack.\nIn their habits they are remarkably cleanly.  Besides this, the\nsatisfactory state of their minds upon religious subjects dispelled much\nof their alarm, particularly after they had received the Holy Communion.\n\nAndrews\u2019s little girl, much better.  Richard Gullett, in a dying state.\n\n_August_ 8.  Hurrell and his wife both convalescent, though slightly\nsalivated.  Six new cases, with alarming symptoms.  Many people applied\nfor \u201csomething to stop the sickness,\u201d &c.  The disease appeared to have\nspread all over the village.\n\nRichard Gullett, buried.  I visited Peggy Andrews\u2019s daughter, and several\ncholera patients, all anxious for spiritual as well as medical\nassistance.  Ann Parsons and her child very ill.  Mary Pepperall, much\nbetter.  Jane Hurrell, convalescent.\n\nHere, it may not be out of place to mention, that, during the last month,\nI had been preparing candidates for confirmation.\n\n_August_ 9.  The Bishop arrived, at the time appointed, for that purpose.\nEight hundred young persons entered into that sacred rite,\u2014a ceremony\nwhich, in too many instances, is lamentably abused, notwithstanding all\nthe precautions of the most vigilant ministerial care.  Upon the present\noccasion, a subdued tone in their deportment was manifest throughout the\ncongregation.  I was relieved from great anxiety when all was finished.\nMen were stationed at each approach to Underwood and Colebrook, to\nprevent the young people from going to the villages and loitering there;\nto avoid the possibility of any risk of spreading the prevalent disease.\nWhen all had left for their homes, I went to Parsons\u2019s, where I had been\nsummoned in haste, as there were three fresh cases of cholera.\n\nOn entering this ill-fated cottage, the scene was quite sickening.  On\nthe same bed where the husband had died, I now beheld his widow and her\nmother (Mary Pote, aged 77) in a state of collapse, and two children in\ncradles, apparently dying!  No medical aid was then at hand, though Mr.\nL. had been there, and left directions to guide my proceedings until he\ncould return.  The widow at first resisted taking any medicine.  After\nsome persuasion, however, she consented, if I would give it to her; but\nshe positively refused to take it from any one else.  The old woman, poor\ncreature! was in agony from cramp; and her appearance was quite\nappalling.  A more striking picture of despair than that which was\ndepicted in her discoloured, shrivelled, and distorted features, cannot\nbe imagined.  Recourse was immediately had to friction, with stimulating\nliniments; mustard and vinegar poultices, &c. were applied, which in some\nmeasure alleviated her sufferings; but after two hours\u2019 incessant but\nineffectual hard work by two nurses to restore warmth in the system, she\nrapidly sunk, and expired.  The bedding was changed, and the daughter\nJane, aged ten, who had suddenly become collapsed, occupied the vacant\nplace beside her mother, who was still labouring under the disease.  This\npoor girl clenched her teeth, and resolutely refused any medicine.  I\nleft this fearful scene for half-an-hour, to visit E. Honey and her\nchild.  The woman was better; but the child, aged nine, was dying.\nThrough ignorance of the danger of neglect, the parents had allowed the\nchild to fall into the second stage, without having previously applied\nfor medical assistance.  The poor little creature was lying quite cold,\nin its scanty night-dress, _on_ the bed, _uncovered_.  The woman herself\nwas salivated.  The room was in such a filthy state it could scarcely be\ntolerated.\n\nOn returning to Parsons\u2019s, Ann Parsons had suddenly become much\nworse\u2014cold\u2014quite collapsed.  Her daughter Jane, aged ten, in the same\nbed, sinking rapidly, the other two children, very bad, requiring\nconstant attention,\u2014all complaining of insatiable thirst.  The room\nshockingly offensive.  Chloride of lime\u2014burnt vinegar\u2014burnt tar were\nused.  This scene lasted till eleven at night,\u2014then Mr. Langworthy came.\n\n_The effluvia in this room was so especially offensive_, _that we thought\nthere must be some particular cause for it_.  _In the centre of the\nfloor_, _which is paved with slate_, _I perceived an opening between the\nslates_, _and upon asking the reason of the chasm_, _being apparently\ndeep_, _the mystery was solved_.  _A drain_, _which was choked with every\ndescription of filth_, _passed across the room_, _under the floor_!\n_Here was a reply to the wonder_, _why the disease was of a species so\nmuch more aggravated_, _and attended with circumstances so much more\nawfully terrific in this house than in others_.  _It is only wonderful\nhow any family could have taken their meals_, _and slept in such a\nvitiated atmosphere_, _without having been swept off before by some\nmalignant disease_.\n\n_August_ 10.  Scarcely slept during the night.  Sent a mason early to\ntake up the slates at Parsons\u2019s house, to clean the gutter, and fill it\nwith quick-lime.  Gave orders to masons for cleansing and whitewashing\nother rooms where it was required.  Some nuisances were removed at\nColebrook.\n\nParsons\u2019s daughter had died in the night.  Her mother not worse;\u2014so much\nremaining strength, we hoped she might weather the disease.  This would\nbe almost miraculous, as three individuals had already died in the same\nbed, where she herself lay in a state of collapse!\n\nAnother case of cholera in the room!  Old Mary Parsons, suddenly seized\nwith violent internal pain.  She came, in health, from the town of\nPlympton, to assist her dying relations.  In a very short time, her\nsufferings were excessive, the cramp was indomitable.  Some cases\nappeared to be of a much more aggravated character than others; and the\nreason why it has been particularly so at this devoted cottage was\nsolved, at least to us, last night.  The change of colour, in these cases\nwas appalling.\n\nJane Paddon, aged seventy-five, a near neighbour, had been seized with\nthe fearful malady about two hours\u2014quite sensible\u2014far advanced in\nconfirmed cholera\u2014gave herself up, and at her particular desire partook\nof the Holy Communion.\n\nRichard Woods very ill, much excited and alarmed\u2014his mother and wife in a\nstate of extreme agitation\u2014Mr. Langworthy present\u2014we all knelt around the\nbed\u2014a solemn scene it was; but it brought consolation with it\u2014the poor\nafflicted family became more tranquil.  The symptoms were serious, and\nrecourse was had to medicine as soon as possible.\n\nAs we were quitting this house, a messenger came, in great haste, for\nadvice as to what should be done, in a case which had occurred at\nRidgeway.  A poor woman had been taken suddenly ill in a waggon, which\nwas at the George Inn, and she was in the cold stage of the cholera.  Mr.\nLangworthy could not at that moment quit a patient who was in a truly\ndistressing state.\n\nI hastened immediately to the George Inn, and found the report to be too\ntrue.  The poor creature was lifted out of the waggon by the ostler,\nWilliam Webb, and carried to a building which had been fitted up as a\nHospital, near the Inn.\n\nThis forlorn and pitiable object was the widow of a sergeant in the 22nd\nregiment, who had died of cholera a few days before in the citadel at\nPlymouth.  Her name was Ellen Higgins, {42} thirty-five years of age.\nShe had a pass for herself and four children; and they were on their way\nto Cork.  Soon after leaving Plymouth, she was seized with pain in the\nbowels and sickness.  One of her fellow-travellers gave her some brandy,\nwhich was repeated on arriving at Ridgeway.\n\nMr. L. soon arrived, and every possible attention was paid to her.  Owing\nto continued cramp, it was difficult to obtain from her any satisfactory\ninformation as to her wishes.  The fatal symptoms rapidly increased, and\nher darkened features became wild; her eyes stared with an expression of\nfrenzy; her pulse had ceased to beat; and her flesh had assumed that\npeculiar livid hue, so characteristic of the disease.  As calmness,\nattended by a perfect clearness of intellect, often preceded the last\nmoments in these afflicting cases, I felt it to be my duty to remain with\nthis suffering and friendless stranger, as there might be a chance of\naffording her spiritual assistance.  That moment did arrive, and she\nfaintly expressed her desire to offer up a prayer to God.  She cared\nabout nothing, during that short interval, but the salvation of her soul.\nAnd to her Great Redeemer she appealed in accents so tremulous, so\npitiously imploring for mercy, and yet so full of a blessed assurance of\nHis willingness to save a repentant sinner, that I firmly believe \u201cHis\natoning blood has cleansed her from all sin;\u201d and that her soul now rests\nin peace!  Her children came into the room, but she heeded them not\u2014her\ncare about every thing earthly had passed away\u2014the poor little orphans\nwere removed, to be taken care of\u2014Ellen Higgins was no more!\n\nOn quitting the Hospital, and this heartrending scene, a note was\ndelivered to me from a medical gentleman, stating he had \u201cjust been at\nParsons\u2019s house, at Underwood, to see more particularly old Mary Parsons.\nWhat a melancholy scene to witness!  A place more likely to propagate the\ndisease will scarcely be found, and on the ground floor too!  The sight\nquite sickened me.  Charles Taylor, brought home at two o\u2019clock, is\nalready in a state of collapse.  I have sent to Mr. Langworthy to inform\nhim of this, as I think he ought to be very actively treated.\u201d\n\nI was requested to lose no time in going to Charles Taylor, {45} as \u201che\nwas dying,\u201d and the case was represented as being most urgent.  The\nsultry heat of the weather increased the great exhaustion and fatigue by\nwhich I was almost overpowered; and I despaired of being able to get to\nUnderwood in time.  A gig happened, at that moment, to be standing at the\nGeorge Inn.  To the owner, I was a stranger; but I briefly told him the\nsad tale, and he unhesitatingly lent it to me.  In a few minutes I was at\nthe cottage.  Mr. Langworthy arrived at the same time.  What were our\nfeelings upon entering the room!  At that instant the poor sufferer\nbreathed his last!  Such a combination of fearful calamity was quite\noverwhelming!  Poor Susan Taylor, now a widow, fell down on the window\nseat, in a paroxysm of grief.  At such a moment, talking to her would\nhave been in vain.  Sarah Taylor, her husband\u2019s sister, was there as an\nassistant.  We sat some little time without uttering a word.  The solemn\nsilence was interrupted only by the sobs of her who had just been bereft\nof the object upon whom she depended for comfort and support, or by a\nsigh from those around.\n\nMay the lessons which must have reached the heart at such a time, never\nbe erased.  The uncertainty of life\u2014the necessity of watchfulness\u2014the\nduty of Christian sympathy,\u2014our own utter helplessness, when it is the\nwill of God to afflict us\u2014our sole dependence upon His Almighty aid;\u2014all\nthese, and many more such reflections, pressed upon the mind; and well\nwill it be for those who receive them into their hearts, as seed sown by\nthe Holy Spirit, to bring forth fruit unto righteousness.  The poor widow\nendeavoured to rush to the bed where her husband lay; and would have\nthrown herself upon his cold and discoloured corpse.  She said she valued\nnot her life.  We talked to her\u2014we endeavoured to reason with her.  She\nwas absorbed in grief; and, in the bitterness of bereavement, said she\nhad no friend\u2014no earthly friend\u2014no where to lay her head\u2014no one would\ntake her into their house.  She again made an effort to throw herself\nupon the bed.  This could not be permitted.  Every argument was used to\ndirect her thoughts to a merciful God, who \u201cwill not suffer us to be\ntried above that we are able to bear,\u201d and who \u201ctempers the wind to the\nshorn lamb.\u201d  She was directed where to go, and where she might remain,\nat least for a time, until her relations could arrange some plan for her\nto earn a livelihood.  We were next called to the miserable apartment\nbelow, where Mary Parsons, aged sixty-nine, had just died.  We remained\nsome time with that family; the other patients exhibiting no indication\nof improvement.\n\nCalled to visit Jane Paddon, suddenly worse\u2014her end fast\napproaching\u2014quite sensible\u2014refused to take any medicine, and gave herself\nup.  She was quite happy in her mind, and lifted up her heart with the\ngreatest earnestness in prayer to God, not to prolong her life, but to\ntake her to himself.  After visiting Woods and other patients, Mr.\nLangworthy went home with me at eleven at night.\n\nSusan Taylor had been to the adjoining town of Plympton, {48} to her\nsister, Mary Taylor, where she was persuaded by her friends to remain the\nnight.  Mr. L. left me at twelve.  Both of us unwell.  My own\nindisposition, during the day, I had attributed to the effect of fatigue;\nbut sickness, cramp, &c. ensued so violently, that, at one in the\nmorning, I was obliged to send for him to return.  He was astonished at\nthe serious character of the attack and the progress it had made.  The\nusual remedies were at hand.  He immediately gave me twenty grains of\ncalomel; and, in an hour afterwards, an ounce of castor oil, with two\ndrachms of tincture of rhubarb.\n\n_August_ 11. {50}  By the mercy of God and the timely recourse to\nmedicine, the disease was repelled.  At noon I attended the funeral of\nEllen Higgins.  It was a sickening office.  Owing to the heat of the\nweather, the lid of the coffin had started.  Went to the poor afflicted\npeople at Underwood.  Parsons\u2019s boy, aged eight, who had held Mr. Richard\nLangworthy\u2019s horse at six a.m., was dying, at noon!  Visited the\nhospital, and returned home through Underwood.  Charles Taylor and Mary\nParsons, buried.  After a few hours\u2019 rest, at half-past eight in the\nevening, I was summoned in haste to visit William Gully\u2014much worse than\nyesterday\u2014great consternation among the inmates of the house.\n\nSo great had been the mortality, in defiance of the treatment which he\nhad hitherto pursued, that Mr. Langworthy at length determined in this\ncase to try a remedy which had been adopted by many eminent\npractitioners; viz.,\u2014the injecting some principal vein with saline fluid.\nHe accordingly arranged his instruments on a little table near the\nwindow.  The poor wife was crying near the fire-place.  The occupation\nassigned to me, of preparing hot water, adjusting pans, basins, &c. to be\nin readiness for injecting the vein, was immediately commenced.  Susan\nGully, the patient\u2019s sister, and his wife\u2019s two sisters were standing by,\nwatching Mr. L.\u2019s proceedings with peculiar interest, but they preserved\na strict silence.  A low and lengthened moan arrested our attention; and\nthen a frightfully convulsive shriek issued from above.  I had nearly\nprepared the saline fluid {52} for injection; and was requested to be\nready as quickly as possible.  Mr. L. was afraid to trust any one else,\nlest a mistake should occur.\n\nHurried footsteps were now heard on the winding stairs, which were\nbetween the fire-place and the window.  \u201cHe\u2019s gone! sir,\u2014he\u2019s gone!\u201d was\nexclaimed, with a trembling, hysterical voice.  Both the Messrs.\nLangworthy and myself were obliged to summon all our resolution.  The\nwife and children around us,\u2014one ill in its weeping mother\u2019s arms,\nfrightened, not knowing why\u2014the others staring at us, aware that\nsomething was being done which appeared to them to be fearful.  The\nsister, the friend\u2014all with their eyes intently rivetted upon us, as if\nlife and death depended upon our exertions!  This was natural.  How many\nhave watched the countenance of the physician when a much-loved life was\npending!  A piece of bread was given to one of the children, to pacify\nit,\u2014a part, perhaps, of the last loaf earned by its poor father\u2019s labour!\nRapidly as some such thoughts rushed upon the mind, we did not remit our\nwork, and every thing was ready.  We were quickly by the side of the\nsufferer.  From all appearances, the accounts were too well founded.  No\npulse,\u2014Is he quite gone?  The eye moved,\u2014he tried to raise himself\u2014looked\nat us\u2014and, recognizing me, gave me his hand, but could not speak.  He\nknew what was said, and held out his arm.  The vein was opened\u2014no blood\nflowed\u2014it was empty.  He uttered a low moan, looked at his arm, and shook\nhis head.  His wife, with breathless anxiety, appeared at the door: we\npersuaded her to retire.  The warm fluid was placed on the window-seat\nnear the bed.  It was again tried by the thermometer.  Eight quarts were\nready, and the process of injecting the vein was commenced.  The greater\nportion entered.  The breathing of the patient became laborious, and the\npulse returned.  Violent sickness ensued.  Some weak gruel, with a\nteaspoonful of brandy mixed in it, quieted the sickness.  The poor man\nbegan to speak.  In a low whisper, thanked God\u2014thanked us\u2014and said he\nfelt as if he should recover.  At eleven o\u2019clock, Mr. Langworthy returned\nhome with me, as both of us required rest.\n\n_August_ 12. {54}  Gully relapsed, and was as nearly in a dying state as\nbefore.  Saline fluid was again resorted to.  I prepared above a gallon;\nbut, upon this occasion, about three quarts only were injected.  Mr.\nLangworthy having expressed a wish that he could obtain a pint of blood\nfor the purpose of injecting it, Sarah Gully, the sister, offered to be\nblooded; but Mr. L. did not consider her sufficiently healthy.  Elizabeth\nVeale, a sister of Gully\u2019s wife, then came forward, and, having made a\nsimilar offer, some of her blood (about half-a-pint) was transferred into\nthe patient\u2019s vein, by a well-executed process, conducted by both the\nMessrs. Langworthy.  The patient recovered his recollection.  Sickness\ndid not come on as it had done after saline fluid only was injected.  A\nshort interval elapsed, during which he appeared to labour considerably\nunder the action of recovering his breath.  He then spoke; and, in the\ncourse of a short time, took gruel.  Weak wine and water, warm jelly, &c.\nwere also given to him in very small quantities.  His appearance bore a\nmore favourable aspect; though his weakness was excessive.  Gradually, he\nregained a little strength towards the evening.\n\nJane Paddon and Edward Parsons were buried.\n\nMy friend, the Rev. Joseph Rosdew, who was on a visit to his brother at\nBeechwood, kindly preached for me in the morning and afternoon; and the\nRev. E. B. St. John read the prayers.  This friendly assistance enabled\nme to visit the sick during the greater part of the day.  The\ncongregations were very small; owing to the absence of some of the\nprincipal families, the sickness of many, or the fear of assembling which\nprevailed among others.\n\n_August_ 13. {56}  Visited Mrs. Toope, at Underwood, and her son Stephen,\nboth very weak.  Mary Brown, aged fifty-six, an assistant at the\nHospital, died.  Jane Moon, of Colebrook, aged twenty-eight, recovered.\nShe was taken ill on the 8th.  William Gully, better.\n\n_August_ 14.  Several people applied for medicines.  After they had been\nattended to, I rode to the villages at the eastern end of the parish.\nSome poor people, who were invalids, particularly requested to see me.\nThey were fearful that their sickness was a prelude to the cholera; but\nthey had no symptoms of that disease.  Debility was the chief subject of\ntheir complaint.  Where this was the case, strengthening things were\nsupplied to the poor, out of the subscription fund.\n\nSusan Taylor\u2019s little girl, aged one year, died of cholera.  She was\ntaken ill on the 11th.  Her mother, also, very unwell, with symptoms of\nthe same disease.  Richard Parsons, aged one year and a half, died at the\nHospital.  Mary Brown, buried.\n\n_August_ 15.  Richard Parsons, buried.  Elizabeth Hill, aged ten, died at\nUnderwood.  Mr. H. attended her in the morning as soon as he was sent\nfor.  The progress of this case was fearfully rapid.  The poor child did\nnot suffer much from pain; she appeared to sink entirely from exhaustion.\nNo remedy for restoring warmth and circulation had the least effect.\n\nAfter visiting sick people at Underwood and at the Hospital, I went in\nthe evening to see Susan Taylor.  She was in the collapsed stage of\ncholera.  The Messrs. Langworthy were present.  It was proposed that the\nsaline injection should be resorted to, as her pulse had ceased to beat,\nand she appeared to be rapidly sinking.  I assisted in preparing the warm\nfluid.  Eight quarts were ready, and seven were injected into the vein.\nShe revived\u2014the pulse returned\u2014and she seemed to be relieved.  We were\noccupied a great part of the night with this case.\n\n_August_ 16.  Between nine and ten, a.m., more poor people than usual\napplied for medicines, and strengthening things; such as arrow-root,\ntapioca, carageen moss, &c.\n\nThe Board of Health met at my house.  One principal object of the meeting\nwas to consider the state of the poor as to diet, both of those who were\nslightly indisposed, as well as of those recovering from cholera.  It was\nresolved to call the especial attention of the parish officers to this\nimportant subject, and to remind them of the fact, that, from the\ncommencement of the disease in the parish to the present time, all extra\nexpenses caused by its ravages had been met by the subscription fund,\nwhich was now nearly exhausted.  The necessity of increasing the relief\nof the poor, especially by some allowance for extra diet under the\npresent distressing emergency, was strongly urged upon them, in a written\naddress; under the conviction that, even where the disease did not exist,\nan addition to their ordinary support was highly essential.\n\nAs soon as the Board of Health adjourned, I set off for the Hospital, and\non my way there I called to enquire for Susan Taylor.  Just as I arrived,\nMary Taylor, the sister, met me at the door, and was sobbing so bitterly,\nshe could scarcely tell me the cause of her distress.  At last she said,\nSusan was worse than ever\u2014she could not live ten minutes.  Oh! sir, where\nis Mr. Langworthy?  Well knowing that it was a case in which every moment\nwas of the utmost importance, I hastened to the Hospital, where we had\nappointed to meet.  He had not arrived.  Having heard that he was at\nUnderwood, I rode there; and, fortunately, I came up to him as he was in\nthe act of mounting his horse at Gully\u2019s cottage.  In as few words as\npossible, I told him my errand.  Poor Susan\u2019s life was an object of\npeculiar anxiety to us.  She had lost her husband and her only child\nwithin a few days; and she had been particularly active and serviceable\nas a nurse, in some of the most appalling cases.  A very few minutes\nelapsed before we were at the house at Plympton.  Our horses were sent to\nMr. L.\u2019s, as we knew that, if the patient did not die, we might be\ndetained some time.  Mary Taylor was so unwell, with strong symptoms of\nthe same disease, Mr. L. gave her medicine, and advised her to remain\nbelow.  We ascended the stairs, and at the first moment of entering the\nroom, we thought it was all over.  We found Susan quite cold\u2014as cold as\ndeath\u2014insensible\u2014discoloured,\u2014having no indication of pulse.  We had no\nperson to help us\u2014we had no time to procure assistance.  I knew my office\nin preparing for a repetition of the expedient of injection.  This Mr. L.\nat once decided to be the only chance.  Whilst he adjusted his\ninstruments, the syringe, &c., I went below to prepare the fluid.  I had\nabout six quarts ready, and rejoined Mr. L.  He was sitting on the bed,\nand prepared to open the vein of the patient\u2019s right arm.  I held the\nwrist, to keep it steady; and having endeavoured to ascertain whether\nthere was any pulse, the cold blue hand dropped when I let it go.  Mr. L.\nshook his head, and thought any attempt to restore animation would be\nuseless.  Notwithstanding this, as we could not tell what might be the\neffect under the hand of God, even in this most desperate case, I was\nready with the warm mixture.  The syringe was applied to the flaccid\nvein, which resembled a slight sinew.  No blood flowed.  To all\nappearance it contained nothing but a dark, glutinous, substance, about\nthe colour and consistency of treacle; not more than a drop of which\ncould be extracted, after pressing the vein in the usual manner to\nproduce a flow of blood.  Every heave of her labouring chest, seemed to\nbe the last\u2014weaker\u2014weaker\u2014at less frequent intervals.  Never surely was\nlife nearer extinct.  The eyes were set upwards with a fixed and\ninanimate expression.  We were now ready.  I had a thermometer in the\nbasin, and two jugs, one with the fluid hot, and the other cooler, so as\nto keep up the temperature as exactly as possible 110 degrees.  The\ngreatest nicety is also indispensible in using the syringe, which should\nbe an instrument of the best make, lest a single globule of air should be\ninjected with the fluid.  I have been informed that, if, owing to\nunforeseen circumstances this occurs, the consequences would be instantly\nfatal.  Mr. L. commenced the operation, and the fluid did not return, but\nwent upward through the vein.  Mr. L. whispered, \u201cthat is well.\u201d  A\nbreathless silence ensued\u2014one quart was injected\u2014a slight indication of\nmovement followed;\u2014another quart\u2014and another\u2014a trembling movement of the\neyelid was visible\u2014gradually the ashy hue of death began to recede from\nthe forehead\u2014then from the cheek\u2014the dawn of returning life appeared;\nsoon afterwards, the eye changed from its fixed character of\nunconsciousness to that of recognition.  I ventured to ask, whether, if\nblood could be procured, there might not be a better chance of saving the\npatient\u2019s life.  Mr. L. replied that no one could be found who would\nenter the room, much more to spare a pint of blood.  Without further loss\nof time, I went to a neighbour next door, who had been very attentive to\nSusan, and who did not shew indications of fear.  She was in the prime of\nlife, in strong health, and had no family.  I told her in as few words as\npossible the precarious state of Susan, and that the only apparent chance\nof saving her life, was to obtain a pint of blood, to be transferred into\nher vein.  \u201cWill you consent to spare that quantity?  If you have the\nleast fear about it, do not hesitate to say so.\u201d  She instantly replied,\n\u201cYou may take a quart if it is required.\u201d  She went with me into Susan\u2019s\nroom.  Two basins were instantly in readiness, one floating in the other,\nin hot water, to prevent the blood from congealing.  Mary Chapman\u2019s vein\nwas opened.  The purple stream gushed, and well performed its benevolent\ndesign.  This had scarcely been transfused to the amount of half-a-pint,\nwhen the throbbing index of life returned; and what a thrill did it give\nus when I was able to pronounce that \u201cthe pulse beats distinctly.\u201d  But,\nat this instant, it was evident by the appearance of the eye, that the\nutmost caution was necessary,\u2014to avoid another extreme\u2014apoplexy\u2014to watch\nthe eye as well as the pulse,\u2014scarcely a pint could be borne\u2014the process\nwas instantly stayed\u2014and the noble spirited woman was advised to return\nas quickly as possible to her own apartment.  Her conduct throughout was\nheroic and cool to admiration. {65}  Now on each side of the bed, Mr. L.\nand I took our station.  The poor sufferer seemed as one awaking from a\ndeep sleep.  She knew us both, and spoke.\n\nMary Taylor, in the room below, very sick and faint, and with other\nsymptoms of incipient cholera, which appeared to be increased by her fear\nabout her sister.  Every thing was said and done which could be thought\nof, to calm her spirits, and to dispel the peculiarly restless anxiety\nunder which she had laboured some hours.  She said she knew she should\nhave the disease, and it would be the death of her.\n\nSusan had become very drowsy.  Soon afterwards, a violent trembling came\non, this was followed by a profuse perspiration.  In about an hour, she\nbecame more tranquil; still requiring the greatest attention\u2014life hanging\nby a mere thread.  This lasted three hours.  Mr. L. then considered it\nsafe, at her request, to allow her to sleep.  Her sleep was as tranquil\nas that of an infant, with the exception of a start at intervals.  A\nnurse having been obtained, she was left under her care, with strict\norders from Mr. L. how to proceed.\n\nWe went to the Hospital, and found the poor people much the same as\nyesterday, excepting Sarah Parsons, aged three years, whose case was\nhopeless.  At seven, p.m., Elizabeth Hill and James Parsons were buried.\nSarah Parsons died during my absence.  This was the child already\nreferred to, as having been \u201cput aside\u201d for dead; but after active\ntreatment, she had revived, and appeared to be progressing towards\nperfect recovery.  At the end of a fortnight, a fever attacked her, which\nharassed her to such a degree, that she required the constant attendance\nof one person.  Her mother, slowly mending, exhibited a state of apathy,\nalmost amounting to stupor, and no wonder; in addition to the effects of\nher own severe attack, her mind had received a paralyzing shock, from the\ndeath of her husband and, now, four children!\n\nAfter prayers in the sick-ward, I again visited Susan Taylor.  She was\ngoing on favourably, but too weak to bear any thing to be said to her.\n\n_August_ 17.  A young person at Merafield, one mile from Underwood,\nlabouring under a rather severe attack of cholera, somewhat better than\nyesterday.  She spoke of her illness with great calmness; and the blessed\neffects of full trust in God\u2019s mercy, through the merits and intercession\nof the Saviour, were beautifully displayed in her whole deportment.  Into\nthe hands of God she implicitly and prayerfully cast herself.  She\nappears so free from that restless anxiety which frequently attends cases\nthat prove fatal, great hopes are entertained of her recovery.\n\n_August_ 18.  Mrs. Jenny Cocker, of Underwood, was seized this morning,\nat five o\u2019clock.  Dr. Cookworthy, of Plymouth, and Mr. Hook, the family\nsurgeon, were present.  The former had been sent for after the most\nalarming symptoms had come on; and when he arrived, she was cold,\ndiscoloured, and sinking under extreme prostration of strength.  Her\nhusband was absent, upon the farm, during the early part of the day, and\nwas struck with horror and alarm when, on his return, he found her in\nsuch a state of danger.  She was quite sensible, and prayed continually\nthat she might be supported \u201cin that hour when flesh and heart faileth.\u201d\nWhilst the medical gentlemen were consulting together in the adjoining\nroom, we all addressed ourselves to the Throne of Grace; and most\ndevoutly and heartily did the poor sufferer bear her part in that solemn\nduty, as well as her relations who were assembled in the room.  Fear and\ndismay were strongly depicted upon their countenances.  Mrs. Cocker, sen.\nwas in a state of extreme agitation, shewed symptoms of being ill, and\nfainted.  After the medical gentlemen returned into the room, active\nstimulants and friction were resorted to, with the hope of restoring\nwarmth in their patient.  She became weaker, the pulse had ceased, and so\nhad her power of speaking; and at two, p.m., her mortal career was\nclosed.  During the last three or four hours, she indicated no appearance\nof suffering; and perfect consciousness was maintained to the last.\nAfter this scene of affliction, I remained with the family some time, all\nof us having retired to an adjoining room.  The relations gradually\nbecame more tranquil, and when we separated, one sorrowing individual,\nraising her eyes to heaven, though streaming with tears, exclaimed, \u201cIt\nis the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.\u201d\n\nAttended the funeral of Mr. Josias Cork, and went to the Hospital.\nBlake\u2019s child, aged one year, died there to-day.\n\n_August_ 19. {70a}  My kind friend, the Rev. Joseph Rosdew, preached for\nme twice, as I was too unwell to undertake two full services.  In the\nevening, Mrs. Jenny Cocker and Elizabeth Blake were buried.  Several\nfresh cases of cholera reported.  Received a letter from the secretary of\nthe Central Board.  The Plympton St. Mary Board of Health regularly\nappointed. {70b}\n\n_August_ 20.  Amongst others, I visited Betty Heard, at Underwood, a poor\nindustrious woman, aged seventy-two.  She was quite alone\u2014no one had been\nnear her\u2014creeping about the cottage in great pain: she could hardly\nstand, but refused to go to bed.  She had taken some precautions to check\nthe premonitory attack.  She stood near her spinning-wheel, and when she\nperceived I was looking at it, she shook her head, and said, \u201cAh! sir,\nthat is of no use to me now.  When I can use it, I get but a very small\nmatter to live upon! and now\u201d\u2014She could not finish the sentence; but sat\ndown and cried like a child.  How gladly did I avail myself of the\nsubscription fund to relieve this helpless creature.  In a short time, a\nproper nurse was with her.  Page\u2019s children better; the cramp had\nsubsided.\n\nA messenger came to me, requesting my immediate attendance at old Mrs.\nCocker\u2019s.  She was in a room below, harassed with incessant sickness,\n&c., and in great pain.  Her agitation of mind at the time of her\ndaughter\u2019s death on Saturday, caused a shock from which she had by no\nmeans recovered.  Mr. Richard Langworthy {72} had seen her, and\nadministered a dose of calomel; but the progress of the disorder was\nastonishingly rapid.  She fainted: her son Elias was with her, and we\nsupported her as well as we could.  When she revived, her countenance\nassumed the common character of the collapsed stage of the disease.  With\nmuch difficulty, we carried the poor sufferer up stairs; two women were\nsent for, and they assisted in putting her in bed.  Having become a\nlittle easier, she requested me to pray with her.  From that moment, when\nnot in extreme pain, she was incessantly occupied in that sacred duty.\nOn the first indication of sickness, she said she had the cholera, and\nshe knew \u201cshe should not get over it.\u201d\n\nBeing confident that this was a desperate case, from its exhibiting those\nfatal symptoms which often terminate in death within twelve hours, I went\nfor Mr. L., who had, unfortunately, been detained at Shaugh, five miles\noff, and did not return for two hours.  On his arrival, he said he quite\napproved of all the measures which had been adopted; and he considered it\nan extreme case.  The rooms were fumigated, and chloride of lime was\nsprinkled all about the house.  The poor creature suffered much from\ncramp and spasms.  It was, indeed, distressing to see her.  Every limb\nseemed to be contracted\u2014her teeth grinding, and her blue shrivelled\nfingers clenched so tight, it was very difficult to open her hand; and\nher long grey locks, matted with perspiration, adhered to her cold damp\ncheek.  Mr. L. proposed, as a last resource to allay such misery, that a\nvein should be injected.  I prepared about six quarts of the fluid.  The\nvein was opened, one or two dark drops trickled out, like treacle; after\nthis, the vein appeared to be empty.  The process of injection was\nimmediately commenced, and the suffering almost instantly subsided.  We\nknew her age was against her; but feeling that though life might not be\nsaved by it, yet that this experiment would be valuable, inasmuch as we\nhad remarked that all suffering from cramp ceased when recourse was had\nto it; it was, therefore, adopted.  The pulse returned; but it fluttered\nand intermitted.  She said she knew her time was very short.  Her younger\nson was hanging over her, the tears flowing down his cheeks.  Throughout\nthis sad scene, his anxious and tender care for a dying mother was\nincessant.  She said, \u201cLet us pray\u2014it is my only comfort.\u201d  We all knelt\nround the bed.  Clasping her hands, she prayed aloud.  Nothing could be\nmore devout; and there was something so indescribably affecting in the\nplaintive tone of her voice and the aspirations she uttered at intervals,\nthat a common feeling of sympathy vibrated through the hearts of those\nwho witnessed the touching scene.  She expressed herself cheered and\nrefreshed by such an employment; then with her cold hand she grasped\nmine, and begged me not to leave her.  She became rapidly weaker, the\npulse again intermitted and sunk, sickness returned, but not the cramp.\nAlthough she had for a long time refused to take any nourishment, in\ntwenty minutes after the injection of the fluid, she vomited a great\nquantity of what appeared to be water, with a dark sediment, like\ndecomposed blood, which sunk immediately.  From this time, nothing would\nstop the incessant sickness.  Every animal function seemed to be\nexhausted; yet her senses were perfectly unimpaired to the last.  I did\nnot quit her\u2014it was her dying request.  \u201cThank you\u2014thank you for\nremaining,\u201d she, faltering, said to me.  I observed to her that although\n_we_ must part, there was one above, who has promised to his faithful\ndisciples, \u201cI will never leave thee nor forsake thee.\u201d  \u201cOh! yes\u2014yes,\u201d\nshe said, in a low whisper,\u2014\u201cit is true: I feel the comfort of it.\n\u2018Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have\nseen thy salvation.\u2019  I am so\u2014so weary,\u2014when will this be over.\u201d  She\nthen sunk into silence: for some time it was difficult to say whether\nlife was extinct or not; at last she sighed, and her spirit departed in\npeace.\n\nThis affecting scene lasted six hours after the violent symptoms of the\ndisease commenced.  Returned home and endeavoured to answer some kind\nnotes from enquiring friends.  I could not write, owing to the excited\nstate of my feelings; but, thankful to a merciful Providence for\npreservation, I retired early, hoping to be refreshed by rest.\n\nI was awakened from a sound sleep by a loud knocking at my door.  It was\nhalf past twelve at night, when my servant informed me that a person had\narrived from Plympton, entreating me to go instantly to Mary Taylor, a\nparishioner of Plympton St. Mary, who was in the last stage of cholera,\nand was particularly anxious to see me before she died.  I was a little\nrefreshed by sleep; but still so unwell, my servant intimated that it\nmight be in time, if I went in the morning.  The morning might be too\nlate!  The idea of her having expressed an earnest desire to see me\u2014in\nher dying moments too\u2014something, perhaps, required or to communicate,\nwhich might tend to relieve her mind, and soothe the pillow of death.  I\ncould not have rested, if I had delayed to go.  Before one o\u2019clock, I was\nat the house.  Mary Taylor had given up her own comfortable room to\nSusan, from the kindest and most considerate feeling; and, that she might\nbe kept as quiet as possible, had removed to the dwelling of her parents,\nwhich was, indeed, a miserable place for a sick person.  Below sat her\nfather, by a small remnant of a fire, his face between his hands, his\nelbows resting on his knees, not caring to speak.  He told me Elizabeth\nJob was with Mary, and that Mr. L. had been there in the evening, but not\nsince\u2014that he was very unwell when he went away.  I heard the poor\ncreature moaning\u2014went up to her.  The chamber where she lay was on the\nlanding-place, without a door or partition\u2014no ceiling\u2014open to the roof.\nA common bedstead, without hangings or curtains, an old-fashioned oak\nchest, and a broken chair, composed the whole of the furniture.  In a\ncorner of the same room, covered with various old clothes, lay her\nhusband, who was also ill.  A rushlight, flickering in a current of air\nfrom the roof, only added to the wretchedness of the scene.  The moment I\napproached the bedside, poor Mary held out her hand to me, and burst into\nan agony of tears.  \u201cI am going, sir,\u2014I know I shall die.  I wished so\nmuch to see you once more.  I feared it would be too much for you to\ncome; but I do not expect to see the morning.  I do not wish to live; but\nmy poor dear little helpless infant\u2014what will become of her when she has\nlost her mother!\u201d  After some conversation, she became more tranquil, and\nappeared greatly comforted by the presence of a Christian minister.\nSpoke much of the awfulness of being on the brink of eternity\u2014prayed\nfrequently that God would forgive her sins, and receive her to himself,\nthrough the merits of a crucified Saviour.  \u201cYes,\u201d she said, \u201che died for\nme.\u201d  Stayed by this anchor, she became resigned and calm.\n\nBefore I went upstairs, I ordered the fire to be made up, and plenty of\nhot water to be in readiness.  The poor old people very slow, and nothing\nin the house which such a case of emergency required.  The cramp was\ngaining ground, and spasms had returned.  Mr. L.\u2019s residence not being\nfar off, I hastened there, thinking it possible that he might be up; but\ncould make no one hear, therefore I went away without disturbing him.  I\nknocked up the people at a shop, and got some mustard and vinegar.  When\nI returned, the medicines which were left, with directions, by Mr. L.\nwere given.  I had brought the cholera lotion, or stimulating liniment,\nwith me, which was tried; but the poor sufferer was icy cold.  Hot water\nin a stone bottle was applied to the feet.  The pain at the pit of the\nstomach was very acute.  I tried to get hot salt or sand; but nothing of\nthe sort could be obtained, it being past two, a.m.  Having noticed that,\nin the fire-place below, there were some loose bricks, I heated one of\nthem, and wrapped it in a piece of old drugget.  This simple remedy\nafforded her much relief, as soon as it was applied.  She had been\nextremely patient, and said she felt better; but from the cold\nperspiration, and her discoloured appearance, I feared she would not\nrecover.  At three, a.m., I became so unwell, I desired that Mr. L.\nshould be called, at all events.  As he had been up the whole of the two\npreceding nights, and was very unwell, I had hitherto deferred calling\nhim as long as I could; but I was obliged to return home.\n\n_August_ 21.  Being anxious to know the fate of Mary Taylor, I went at\neight o\u2019clock to enquire for her.  I learnt that Mr. L. came to her\nalmost immediately after I left her, and injected saline fluid into a\nvein.  She rallied for a time; but now, at nine, the alarming symptoms\nhad returned.  I went to Mr. L. and reported the apparently hopeless\nstate of the patient.  He returned to the house with me, and proposed a\nrepetition of the experiment.  She said it was all in vain.  Her pulse\nhad entirely ceased to beat.  She enquired for Susan,\u2014then spoke of her\nchild with the tenderest feeling.  She \u201choped God would forgive her\nanxiety about the dear little soul.  She would rather it had been taken\nbefore her, or with her, that both might be buried together; but God\u2019s\nwill be done.  May we meet in a happier world.\u201d\n\nWe had all joined with her in prayer, at her own request; she then\nconsented to the operation.  After a small quantity of the saline fluid\nhad been injected, her husband\u2019s sister offered to be blooded, as soon as\nthe transfusion of blood was proposed.  The transfusion was commenced,\nbut no more than a teacupful could be borne, as a most startling effect\nwas produced; the eyes having in an instant become red and staring to a\nfrightful extent.  Mr. L. saw this, and stopped the process\ninstantaneously.  Her breathing was quick and laborious.  The pulse\nmerely fluttered, and then stopped.  It evidently was the will of God\nthat human means should not avail.  She was dying!  I left the room with\na sorrowing heart, sincerely lamenting her death.  Before the attack of\ncholera, she had been in a delicate state of health; therefore Mr. L.\nfeared that her constitution was not sufficiently strong to bear the\nshock.  Every thing tended to depress our spirits.  Such touching scenes,\nin such rapid succession\u2014so great an accumulation of misery, nearly\noverwhelmed us.  The appalling reality is almost incredible!  But we have\nworked together, heart and hand; and we must trust that the same merciful\nProvidence which has hitherto protected us, will, through the aid of the\nSpirit, grant us renewed strength for the conflict.\n\nI called to see Susan Taylor; she was better, but requiring the greatest\ncare.  Attended the funeral of Mrs. Cocker.  Richard Hurl, aged one year\nand half, died at Underwood.  Elizabeth Hicks, of Underwood, seriously\nill\u2014collapse had rapidly come on,\u2014Mr. Osmond in attendance.  Very active\ntreatment had been pursued.  Towards the evening, she was much relieved,\nbut extremely weak.  Richard Smaldridge taken ill.  Mr. Hook attending\nhim.\n\n_August_ 22. {83}  A vestry meeting was held, also a meeting of the Board\nof Health.  On this day, the first order was made for assistance from the\nparish, to be paid to the chairman of the Board of Health.  Hurl\u2019s child\nburied.  Elizabeth Hicks recovering.\n\n_August_ 23.  George Tarr, aged forty-four, received at the Hospital: a\nbad case.\n\n_August_ 24.  George Tarr died.  Ann Higgins, aged one year, died.\n\n_August_ 25.  I visited several people who laboured under great debility.\nNot so many fresh cases during these three days.\n\n_August_ 26.  At eight o\u2019clock, a message was brought to me from Mr.\nCrewes\u2019s family, at Plympton, {85a} requesting me, if I possibly could,\nto go to them immediately, as their servant was alarmingly ill.  Soon\nafter I arrived, Mr. Deeble Boger {85b} and the Messrs. Langworthy came.\nIt was one of those cases which exhibit great severity of\ncharacter\u2014discolouration of the skin\u2014incessant sickness and\nrestlessness\u2014coldness of the flesh, tongue, and breath.  There was very\nlittle hope of her recovery.  Perhaps this attack had been brought on and\naggravated by her own imprudence, in taking with her dinner, yesterday, a\nquantity of vinegar, which had been left in a plate with some cucumber.\nDebility and exhaustion rapidly increased.  She became calm after awhile,\nand was perfectly sensible.  I left her and went to Church.  The Rev. J.\nRosdew again kindly assisted me both parts of the day.  But one feeling\npervaded the whole congregation\u2014the ministers and the people\u2014the deepest\nsolemnity!  The plague is abroad.  Who is to stand between the living and\nthe dead?  The fervent prayer of faith availeth much.  \u201cLord, hear our\nprayer, and let our cry come unto thee!\u201d  How many appeared to pray in\nearnest on this day! doubtless not here only, but through the nation.\nMay the supplication of a suffering people be received at the Throne of\nGrace.\n\nMr. Crewes\u2019s servant died in the afternoon, and Maria E. Taylor, aged six\nmonths, of Underwood, died on this day.\n\n_August_ 27.  Whilst at breakfast, I was entreated to go as soon as\npossible to Wm. Arthurs, at Underwood, as he was extremely ill, and he\nwas thought to be dying.  After attending to a number of applications for\nmedicine, I went immediately to the sick man.  His wife, in tears, was\nstanding at the door, watching my arrival.  Her mother, Mary Martin, and\nanother woman, with dismay in their countenances, were near her.  One of\nthe children ill with cholera, in a cradle, two other little creatures,\nunconscious of what was passing, were playing about the room.  I first\nendeavoured to quiet the minds of the women, impressing upon them, that\nthere was not so much danger to be apprehended from the disease itself,\nas from giving way to such excessive alarm.  That all excitement and\nagitation of the mind, tended to increase, if not to cause, an attack of\nthe malady.  I found the poor man very ill.  Upon enquiry, it appeared\nthat he had been \u201cvery bad all the night, and they thought he could not\nhave held out till the morning.\u201d  But, \u201cwhy did you neglect to send for\nmedical advice at first?\u201d  \u201cO, sir, we hoped it would pass.\u201d  I told them\nthey must send immediately for Mr. L. or for some other medical\ngentleman; but they said it would be of no use, as Arthurs refused to\ntake any medicines; indeed, he had said the same to me: but, after much\npersuasion, he consented to take what I gave him.  At this time, he was\nin a state of partial collapse\u2014writhing with pain\u2014large drops standing on\nhis icy cold forehead\u2014his tongue cold\u2014harassed with incessant and violent\nsickness.  The wife standing by, concealing her face with her apron, not\nbeing able to look at him when the paroxysms came on.  At a glance, the\nappearance of every thing indicated the cleanliness of the family.  A\nwhite cloth was on a little table near the window\u2014a second bed in the\nroom\u2014a little store of potatoes in a basket, in a corner near the stairs.\nThe women were prompt and ready in preparing the stimulants\u2014mustard and\nhot vinegar, and hot water, in stone bottles, for the feet.  All linen\nwas removed from the bed.  The child below was, at this time, screaming\nso violently, that we were obliged to use for her similar remedies.\nRhubarb and ginger had been given to the child.  I gave a saline draught,\nwhich appeared to check the sickness.  The poor man required constant\nattendance, sickness and cramp being most distressing.  I had sent for\nmedical assistance, but at that moment it could not be obtained.  What\nwas to be done?  The poor man was in agony, and the sickness violent,\nwithout an intermission of ten minutes.  In this extremity, I gave him\nthe same medicine which I had taken myself.  In half-an-hour, the man was\nagain extremely harassed, and the sickness was not abated.  He complained\nof insatiable thirst.  I then prepared a saline mixture, composed of the\nsame ingredients which had in some instances been adopted by Mr. L.;\nviz., carbonate of soda, one drachm, common salt, one drachm, oxymuriate\n(chlorate) of potash, six grains, and a teaspoonful of salvolatile, to a\nquart of cold water, of which he drank freely.  After this, the vomiting\nsubsided for a time, but pain and nausea remained; friction with\nstimulants were continued, and hot salt applied to the stomach.  Being\nsomewhat relieved, he was desirous that I would pray with him.  The poor\nwomen knelt round the bed,\u2014tears streaming down, though they held their\nhands before their faces, to conceal their grief and apprehension.  At\nthis time, the appearance of the man\u2019s eyes began more decidedly to\nassume the character which we had remarked in the worst cases of cholera.\nOur prayer was shortened: but a sigh only, in faith, fails not to reach\nthe Throne of Grace.  I sent again, with the hope of obtaining medical\naid, but without success.  I began to tremble at the responsibility I had\ntaken upon myself; but I could not leave the patient at such a crisis,\nand to have remained inactive might have been fatal.  His pulse, when I\nfirst saw him, was scarcely perceptible, it now began to improve;\nsickness again came on, but not so violent as before.  He drank freely of\nthe saline mixture.  At two o\u2019clock, I left him for half-an-hour, to\nattend the funeral of Maria Taylor\u2019s infant.  Soon after my return (about\nthree o\u2019clock), Arthurs became easier and more tranquil; the pulse had\nimproved, general warmth succeeded, and at four o\u2019clock, profuse\nperspiration: more clothing was put on the bed, to keep that up.  He\nwished for some tea and biscuit, and took a small quantity.  In\nhalf-an-hour afterwards, the pulse became extremely full and quick.  At\nfive, p.m., I went to Mr. Langworthy\u2019s, and found him just returned.  I\ninformed him of Arthurs\u2019s case, and we went there together; but before we\narrived, a medical gentleman had called, bled him sparingly, and had gone\naway.  Mr. L. ordered him medicine, and gave directions how to proceed.\nThe poor man then expressed himself as being weary, and soon sunk into a\ncalm sleep.  The child was much better towards the evening.\n\nI went across the way to John Andrews\u2019s; their daughter, Mary Ann, aged\nsix, who was taken ill in the morning, having died at four p.m.  The\nother child who was ill on the 6th, recovered.  Peggy Andrews, the\nmother, though deeply afflicted, shewed much Christian resignation.  At\nher urgent request, I went upstairs to see the child as she lay a corpse.\nShe had been carried off so rapidly, they could scarcely believe she was\ndead.  Chloride of lime was used abundantly, and the poor people promised\nthat the rooms should be whitewashed on the following day.  Their cottage\nis kept particularly neat.  Having remained some time in conversation\nwith them, I went to Richard Dunn\u2019s.  Their little girl, aged two years,\nsinking from exhaustion in a low fever, like typhus, which immediately\nfollowed an attack of cholera.  Every possible attention was paid her,\nbut nothing would make her rally.  She lay perfectly quiet, her clear\nblue eye fixed on me, being a stranger; and just at that moment a parting\nray of the evening sun beamed through the casement upon her face, her\nlight silken locks shone upon her spotless brow, giving to her appearance\nan unearthly effect, which I shall never forget.  Very soon she was cold\nand lifeless; but a smile rested on her countenance, so serene and\nlovely, that the transition from life to death was not perceptible.  I\ncould not be surprised at the distress of the parents.  Difficult it was\nat such a moment to acknowledge the reality, that their loss was the\nchild\u2019s gain.  Under what a variety of circumstances does this fatal\nmalady strike its victims!  Equally varying, therefore, the occasions for\nChristian consolation.  May this be profitable to minister and people.\nWrote to the Central Board of Health.  Two new cases.\n\n_August_ 28.  Mary Ann Andrews, buried.  No death on this day: one new\ncase only reported\u2014Betty Wills, of Underwood.  The patients generally\nextremely weak.  Seven cases remaining.\n\n_August_ 29.  Attended Board of Health.  Received a letter from the\nCentral Board, requesting a daily report to be transmitted as long as the\ndisease exists at Plympton St. Mary, as well as a return of all cases and\ndeaths from the commencement of the disease.\n\nUpon referring to the several medical practitioners, it was found to be\nimpossible to obtain any thing like a regular return; because our Board\nof Health had not been legally constituted until the 22nd instant; and no\nauthority for such a requirement having previously existed, no regular\nnotes of cases and deaths had been kept.  Besides this, in consequence of\nthe scarcity of medical practitioners, those who were employed in cholera\ncases, were engaged with their patients from morning till night, and had\nlittle or no time for making regular memoranda.\n\nVisited Arthurs;\u2014better as to the original disease, but very severely\nsalivated.  Elizabeth Hicks and Mary Martin, recovering.  Buried Dunn\u2019s\nchild.  Visited Susan Taylor;\u2014gradually recovering, but labouring under\ngreat weakness.  We had some serious conversation upon the afflicting\ncircumstances which had occurred, and the mercy of God in her own\nparticular case;\u2014her preservation up to the present time, after all she\nhad gone through herself, and after what she had witnessed in others,\nhaving herself, not only passed much time as a nurse in the midst of the\nworst cases of the disease, but having also assisted in the last fearful\noffice for three of its victims.  She entered fully into all this in a\nright frame of mind.  Whilst alluding to the state in which she lay under\nthe influence of the collapsed stage, she said she knew what was passing,\nthough she appeared unconscious of every thing; that the sensation\nproduced by injecting the saline fluid into the vein, was that of having\ntaken an unusual quantity of liquid or broth, the stomach seemed to be\nvery full; and when the blood was transfused, she felt it in the jugular\nvein, on both sides, causing an oppressive fulness, as if it would burst;\nbut it subsided as soon as the process was stopped.  As an instance of\nconsciousness being retained in the last stage of cholera,\u2014while the\nblood was being transfused, though she could neither move nor speak, she\nheard me suggest that a handkerchief might be lightly thrown across her\neyes, lest she should be shocked if she revived and saw what was being\ndone; and Mr. L.\u2019s reply, that it was of no consequence, as she was too\nfar gone.\n\n_August_ 30.  One new case, Mary Martin, Underwood.  Five cases\nremaining.  Several people suffering from weakness and debility; all who\nrequired it, had nourishing things sent to them.  By Mr. L.\u2019s advice, I\nreturned home sooner than usual, as I had been very unwell during the\nlast few days.\n\n_August_ 31.  Susan Taylor {96} was sufficiently recovered to return to\nUnderwood.  No new cases reported to-day.  What a mercy!  The fearful\ndisease has nearly subsided in this parish, though as yet prevalent in\nthe adjoining parish of Plympton Maurice.\n\nFrom this time, no death by cholera occurred in the parish; but through\nthe month of September, those who had been attacked by the disease,\nlaboured under great debility.  Some new cases were reported; but of a\nmilder character, with the exception of two, which were taken to the\nHospital.  One was that of an aged woman, who, on the 10th of September,\nwas discovered lying on the floor, at her house at Colebrook, in a state\nof collapse.  A medical gentleman had seen her as he passed by, and\ncalled to inform me of the circumstance, at the same time recommending\nwhat medicine should be given to her.  I found her, as described, lying\non the stone floor, with all the symptoms of confirmed cholera, and in\ngreat agony.  After much persuasion, she took the medicine, and consented\nto be removed to the Hospital, only upon the condition that I would take\ncharge of her goods, and keep the key of her room.  Unhappily, she was\none of those whose thoughts are entirely engrossed by the objects of\ntime; therefore her mental agitation and alarm were proportionately\nincreased: and at such a moment, when life was ebbing on the brink of\neternity, there was no desire for religious exercise, although at the\neleventh hour; and all before her was worse than blank\u2014not a shadow of\ncomfort!\n\nAfter she arrived at the Hospital, her suffering was very considerable.\nMr. L. pursued the same treatment which had been previously adopted, with\nthe addition of active friction, and hot salt in bags applied to the\nstomach.  Warmth was restored in about four hours, and she became\ngradually better.  In three days afterwards, she walked home, recovered.\n\nAbout this time, a man was found, in a wretched state, cold and\ncollapsed, in an open shed near Ridgeway.  He was conveyed to the\nHospital immediately.  Drinking and dissipation had most probably tended\nto increase his sufferings, for they were excessive.  His habits were\nwell known, and there was every reason to suppose he was in a state of\nintoxication when seized with the disease.  A strong emetic of mustard\nand salt was first given to him, and active remedies were afterwards\nresorted to.  Some hours elapsed before warmth could be restored, and it\nwas thought the attack would terminate fatally; but God was merciful to\nhim, and he so far recovered as to be able to leave the Hospital in two\ndays.  How far he was impressed with the awfulness of his situation, or\nof thankfulness for his escape from impending danger, rested with his own\nconscience.  He gave no satisfactory proof of any salutary impression\nhaving been made upon his mind.  He was enveloped in utter darkness, and\nreligious duties were evidently irksome to him.\n\nWith the exception of these two cases, nothing occurred beyond the usual\nroutine of visiting convalescent patients, or those taken with slight\nattacks, from the end of August to the 3rd of October.  During that\nperiod, the attendance at meetings of the Board of Health, and constant\ncommunication with the Central Board, as well as ordinary parish duties,\nwere attended to.  On the 3rd of October, it was reported, and with\ndevout thankfulness acknowledged, that the disease was mercifully\nwithdrawn from the parish\u2014the plague was stayed\u2014and the Board of Health\nwas adjourned.  Thus terminated the progress of the fearful visitation in\nthis parish.  Thirty deaths, chiefly from the village of Underwood, had\noccurred between the 13th of July and the 27th of August.  In the\nadjacent town of Plympton, where the population by the census of 1831 was\n804, there were twenty-two deaths between the 12th of August and the 21st\nof September.\n\n\n\n\nCONCLUSION.\n\n\nHERE it may be useful to make a brief allusion to some of the\ncircumstances connected with the progress of the disease in this rural\ndistrict.  The first patient who died of the cholera at Underwood,\narrived there two days before she was taken ill, from Plymouth, where the\ndisease was making fearful havoc.  After her death, nearly a fortnight\nelapsed, when two other deaths occurred, of persons who were dwelling\nnear the centre of the village.  Then the disease visited the extreme\nwestern end, taking its course eastward, and at that end finished its\ncareer.  The time of its duration was between two and three months: its\nfatal effects were limited to about five weeks.\n\nNearly a month after the disease had visited Plympton St. Mary, it\nproceeded to Plympton St. Maurice, commencing on the 12th of August, in\nthe middle of the town; then, as it had done at Underwood, it went to the\nwestern extremity, afterwards taking its course eastward, and, on the\n20th of September, ceased at one of the last houses in that direction.\nAlthough in both parishes its fatal effects were limited to five weeks,\nit lingered in the neighbourhood some weeks afterwards.\n\nIt may be supposed that, because the malady, during the later period of\nits existence at Underwood, did not prove fatal, it was understood better\nthan at first, and that the medical treatment was on that account more\nsuccessful.  But if so, it would not have been so fatal afterwards at\nPlympton; as it was in the hands of the same medical practitioner.\n\nIt may be worthy of remark, that towards the end of August, the weather\nbecame cooler, and the vapour which rises in the valley below Underwood,\nconcentrated in a white frost, though in a slight degree, in the month of\nSeptember; to which the gradual disappearance of the disease was in some\nmeasure attributed.\n\nBy the entries in the Register of Burials, it appears that the deaths\nwere,\u2014males, 14, females, 16; total, 30.  One male only died between the\nages of 10 and 39.  One female only died between the ages of 10 and 45.\nTwo males died upwards of 50 years of age; viz., 53 and 72.  Five females\ndied upwards of 50 years of age; viz., 56, 67, 75, 76, and 77.\n\nBurials in Plympton St. Mary:\u2014\n\n1831          males, 26       females, 18      total 44\n1832               \u201e 31              \u201e 31          \u201e 62\n1833               \u201e 14              \u201e 18          \u201e 32\n\nFrom the 1st of June to the 1st of September:\u2014\n\n1831          males, 4        females, 3      total, 7\n1832              \u201e 20              \u201e 19          \u201e 39\n1833               \u201e 4               \u201e 5           \u201e 9\n\nThe fact that nine out of twelve inmates of the cottage {103} inhabited\nby Parsons\u2019s family were swept off, under circumstances of a peculiarly\naggravated and appalling character, may be attributed to the unfortunate\ninattention to sanitary precautions, which has already been mentioned.\n\n                   [Picture: The village of Underwood]\n\nIn consequence of the Board of Health not having been regularly\nconstituted until above a month after the commencement of the disease in\nthe parish, no returns from medical practitioners were received before\nthe 22nd of August; and even after that period, so constantly were those\ngentlemen occupied, and worn out with fatigue, the returns were very\nimperfectly supplied.  Therefore, a statistical account of cases, dates\nof seizure and recovery, cannot here be attempted.  It must, therefore,\nsuffice to state, that between 200 and 300 in this parish were more or\nless affected with the disease; and in Underwood alone, about 200.  The\nproportion of deaths, in cases which had advanced into the second or cold\nstage before medical assistance had been obtained, was about one out of\nthree.  In the foregoing Extracts, only a portion of the cases of\nconfirmed cholera are mentioned; omitting those which are termed\nincipient.\n\nIt cannot be too strongly impressed upon the attention of every one, that\nif the atmosphere surrounding houses is corrupted by the effluvia of\nstagnant water in pools and ditches, unwholesome sewers, choked drains,\nor any accumulation of filth\u2014if badly ventilated rooms are crowded with\nan excess of occupants\u2014if the diet is low and unwholesome, and the habits\nof the people are dirty, particularly if they are addicted to drunkenness\nand dissipation,\u2014diseases of various kinds are engendered as a natural\nconsequence; therefore, under such circumstances, what can be expected\nduring a visitation of an extraordinary epidemic like that of cholera,\nbut its baneful effects, and those of a most aggravated and appalling\ncharacter.\n\nIt is essential that due attention be paid to the very first indication\nof indisposition during the prevalence of the epidemic.  Vegetables and\nfruit should be avoided.  Strong affections of the mind, arising from\nanxiety, alarm, or excess of grief, are extremely injurious; therefore\nthe mind should be kept calm, and if any symptoms, however trivial,\nshould occur, medical advice should be obtained as speedily as possible.\n\nIf, through neglect, or any other particular cause, the second stage has\ncome on, with violent sickness, cramp, cold extremities, weakness, and\nsinking of the pulse, &c. the disease is extremely dangerous.  I have not\nheard of any specific having yet been discovered, which can be\nrecommended with assurance of success.  But even from this stage, and\nunder the most disheartening circumstances, several patients have\nrecovered.\n\nIt is hoped, that a plain statement of some of the remedies which were\nresorted to in this parish, may have a place here, without a risk of\nbeing objectionable; especially as it is unaccompanied by any attempt to\nencroach upon the prerogative of those whose professional education and\nexperience entitle them to be the sole arbiters and directors of such\nsubjects.\n\nMany instances occurred, when medical aid could not be immediately\nobtained; and some, when there was every probability of considerable loss\nof time.  Under such circumstances, to prevent, if possible, the early\nstage of the disease assuming a more serious character, much benefit was\nderived from the following recipes, supplied by Mr. Langworthy; due\nregard being observed to circumstances as they arose at the time, as well\nas to the proportions usually allowed for difference of age, sex, and\nconstitution:\u2014\n\nPowdered rhubarb                 8 grains.\nPowdered ginger                  6 grains.\nCarbonate of soda                20 grains.\nCalomel, occasionally added      3 or 4 grains.\n\nIt appeared to us, that in most cases which came under our observation,\nwhere the use of heating or spirituous liquors had been resorted to, for\nthe purpose of allaying pain in the bowels, it did more harm than good.\n\nIn cases which were attended with aggravated symptoms, five, ten,\nfifteen, or twenty grains of calomel, with nearly an equal quantity of\npowdered ginger, were given by Mr. L., according to circumstances, and in\nan hour or two afterwards, from half an ounce to an ounce of castor oil,\nwith one, two, or three drachms of tincture of rhubarb.\n\nWhen much irritation has been going on, soda water, in a state of\neffervescence, or a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, and the same\nquantity of salvolatile, have tended to allay sickness, &c.\n\nIn more advanced stages of the disease, the following mixture, drank\ncold, has given relief:\u2014\n\nCarbonate of soda                   1 drachm.\nCommon salt                         1 drachm.\nOxymuriate (chlorate) of potash     3 or 4 grains.\n\nTo be mixed in a quart of water, and drank when the patient complained of\nthirst.\n\nWhen internal cramp has caused great suffering, dry heat, by the\napplication of a bag of hot salt, to the pit of the stomach, has been\nbeneficial in relieving the pain; and, in the cold stage of the disease,\nthe use of friction with stimulating liniment, and mustard and vinegar\npoultices applied to the extremities, have been attended with good\neffects.  In extreme cases, on the verge of death, recourse was had to\ninjecting some principal vein with saline fluid.  This invariably stopped\nthe sufferings of the patient; but in the application of the experiment\nby Mr. L., it did not succeed in saving the life, unless a small quantity\nof blood was afterwards transfused into the vein.  This was done only in\nthe three cases here, of Wm. Gully, Susan Taylor, and Mary Taylor.  The\ntwo former recovered, and are living at the present time.  The latter was\nin a weak state of health before the attack of cholera, to which the\nfailure of the experiment was attributed.  The two former relapsed after\nthe injection of the saline fluid alone, and were rapidly sinking; but\nupon a repetition of the process of injection, with the addition\nafterwards of blood, they recovered.\n\nIt was remarked, that if calomel effected any degree of salivation, the\npatient recovered.\n\nIn the event of a recurrence of such a fearful pestilence, from which,\nmay it please God in mercy to protect us, it may be worth consideration,\nthat Boards of Health become legally constituted as soon as possible;\nthat they may be empowered to provide for cases of emergency, and engage\nmedical assistance, in proportion to the requirements of the district,\nwith a remuneration to the medical gentlemen commensurate with their\narduous duties.  Also to provide an adequate attendance of efficient\nnurses.  In the case of our Board of Health, there was no legal authority\nfor making orders for assistance, until the 22nd of August, nearly six\nweeks after the disease had commenced in the parish.  One medical\ngentleman only, with the aid of his relation, had to attend nearly all\nthe poor people who were ill, in addition to his own private patients;\nand the other medical practitioners were fully occupied.  The consequence\nwas, that, in some instances, much valuable time was lost.  The\ndifficulty of procuring nurses at the time, has already been adverted to.\n\nUnder these circumstances, the consequences would have been still more\nlamentable, if a subscription had not been raised to meet the emergency;\nas extra expenses, to a large amount, which had been incurred by a series\nof such fearful sickness and distress, during a period of six weeks, were\nmet by that resource.\n\nIn justice to those parishioners who had the means, it should be\nmentioned here, that, in addition to their benevolent and liberal\nsubscriptions, all aided in relieving the necessities of their poorer\nbrethren, and mitigated much of their distress, by providing, from their\nown houses, many things which could not be obtained in the poor man\u2019s\nhome.  Some of the principal families were absent at the time; but they\ntook a lively interest in the progress of events, and repeatedly gave\ndirections that the poor sufferers should be supplied with whatever they\nrequired, from their houses.\n\nIn concluding this plain record of some fearful occurrences among his\nparishioners during the visitation with which God, for wise purposes,\nafflicted them, the writer, in adverting to the many acts of Christian\nbeneficence, cannot refrain from expressing his grateful remembrance of\nthe affectionate kindness which he himself experienced, from the highest\nto the lowest of his parishioners, to which was added, an unexpected but\ngratifying testimonial of regard from the parishioners in general, and\nanother from the village of Underwood in particular.\n\nIn these Extracts from a Diary relating to one particular subject, many\nminor details have been omitted, as superfluous; and the mention of some\ncircumstances of a painful nature, as to the state of mind or conduct of\nparticular individuals, has been avoided, from consideration for the\nfeelings of others.  If, however, it should be asked, what effects this\nawful warning produced upon those who witnessed its solemn call, it must\nbe confessed, in general terms, that, with the exception of a few\nindividuals, no permanent change of character was perceptible.  There\nwere then, as unhappily there are now, persons upon whom no passing\nevents, however striking, make any salutary impression\u2014who make light of\nthe most solemn calls to repentance and amendment\u2014run through life\nutterly heedless of the one thing needful; and when they \u201cpass through\nthe valley of the shadow of death,\u201d they have no staff to rest upon for\ncomfort and support.  The state of such people calls for the deepest\ncommiseration.  Much do they require the Christian\u2019s prayer, that they\nmay be converted and live.  Well will it be for all of us, if, in viewing\nthe judgments of God in the world, we acknowledge them as such; and in\nthe endeavour to theorize upon second causes, we do not overlook the\nGreat First Cause.  The hand of God must be acknowledged, when, by either\nof His sore judgments, whether of pestilence, famine, or the sword, He\nafflicts a people for their iniquity.  His divine blessing must be\nsought, with the earnest prayer of a contrite heart through faith in the\nSaviour; for without His blessing, without His Almighty aid, all our\nendeavours to escape the rod of His displeasure will assuredly fail.\n\nWhether as a nation or as individuals, let us not be regardless of the\nwarnings and mercies which we have from time to time experienced at the\nhand of God.  Let us remember the word of the Lord addressed to his\nrebellious people of old, \u201cSon of man, when the land sinneth against me\nby trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and\nwill break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it,\nand will cut off man and beast,\u201d &c.  And again, \u201cIf ye will not be\nreformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; then will\nI also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for\nyour sins.  And when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will\nsend the pestilence among you.\u201d\n\nDuring a succession of many generations, the judgments of the Lord,\neither of pestilence, famine, or the sword, have visited our land at\ndifferent periods.  On these occasions, days for public humiliation have\nbeen resorted to, with confession of sin, and vows of repentance and\namendment.  The prayer of the nation has been invariably heard, and the\nscourge withdrawn.  The mercies thus experienced have been acknowledged\nby national thanksgiving.  But notwithstanding these things, we have been\na rebellious people.  It was only within the last year that another of\nGod\u2019s judgments called forth our humiliation, and public prayers for\ndeliverance.  Again a supplicating nation was heard\u2014the calamity was\nwithdrawn; and this was acknowledged by a general thanksgiving.  The Lord\nhas hitherto been merciful to us; and still, as a nation, we are\nwonderfully blessed.  But fearful signs and warnings have been hovering\naround, to awaken us from spiritual lethargy, and forgetfulness of the\npast.  In addition to this, the storm which has recently burst forth upon\nour continental neighbours, and shaken the foundations of thrones and\nempires, whilst it bids us to be thankful for the privileges we enjoy,\ncalls upon us to put our whole trust in Him who hath hitherto succoured\nus.  Therefore, amidst all the foreboding signs of the times, and the\ninternal convulsions that threaten other nations, may we have grace so to\nacquit ourselves consistently with our Christian profession, that God may\nyet be merciful to our land, and continue to us His blessing.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nAT a Vestry meeting, held this 13th day of January, 1833, in pursuance of\na notice duly given,\u2014\n\n    Resolved, \u201cThat a small stone, in the shape of a cross, with the\n    date, 1832, engraved upon it, be placed as a memorial at the head of\n    all the graves of persons who had died of the awful disease of\n    cholera.\u201d\n\n                 [Picture: Cross with 1832 written on it]\n\n\n\n\nSUBSCRIBERS.\n\n\nAdams, Mr. Peter, Plymouth.\nAllen, Rev. John, North Huish.\nAllport, D. H. Esq., London.\nAndrews, Mr. H., Modbury.\nAndrews, Peggy, Underwood.\nAndrew, Mr. John, Ridgeway.\nAsh, Mr., Topsham.\nAylwin, Robert, Esq., Blackland, Plympton (four copies).\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nBedford, the Duke of\nBedford, the Duchess of\nBeauford, Miss, Tavistock.\nBennett, W. Esq., Plymouth (two copies).\nBevan, John, Esq., London (four copies).\nBewes, Rev. Thomas, Beaumont (two copies).\nBewes, Captain, ditto (two copies).\nBewes, Charles, Esq. (four copies).\nBickford, Jane, Underwood.\nBickley, Mrs., Ridgeway.\nBiggs, Mrs. Arnold (two copies).\nBiggs, Miss Juliet (two copies).\nBody, Mr., Plymouth.\nBoger, Deeble, Esq., Plympton (two copies).\nBoger, Mrs., ditto (two copies).\nBogue, Rev. Richard, Denbury (eight copies).\nBone, J. Esq., Devonport.\nBoolds, Mr. C., Plymouth.\nBray, Rev. E. A., Tavistock (two copies).\nBray, Mrs., ditto (two copies).\nBulteel, Miss\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nClarendon, the Earl of (four copies).\nClarendon, the Countess of (four copies).\nCaledon, the Dowager Countess of (four copies).\nCall, Sir William, Bart.\nCall, Miss\nCalmady, Mrs., Langdon Hall.\nCann, Mr., Ridgeway.\nCatchpole, Mr., Plympton St. Mary.\nCarew, Norman, Esq., Stoke (two copies).\nCharrington, Spencer, Esq., London.\nClark, Mrs., Buckland-Tout-Saints (two copies).\nClark, Mrs. Erving, Efford Manor.\nCleverton, J. Esq., Boon\u2019s Place.\nCobb, Rev. Robert, Ellingham, Norfolk.\nColes, J. B. Esq., Parrock\u2019s Lodge, Chard.\nColes, Mrs., ditto.\nColes, Rev. James, Shepton Beauchamp (four copies).\nColes, J. S. Esq., Plymouth (two copies).\nCole, Mrs., Underwood.\nCollier, John, Esq., Plymouth.\nConway, Rev. W., Rochester.\nConway, Miss, ditto.\nCork, Rev. Duncan, M.A., Ivy Bridge (four copies).\nCork, Mrs., Plympton St. Mary.\nCoryton, A. Esq., Pentillie.\nCoryton, Miss, ditto.\nCottle, Mr. John, Ridgeway.\nCotton, W. Esq., Highland House, Ivy Bridge (two copies).\nCotton, Mrs., Highland House, Ivy Bridge (two copies).\nCrews, Mr. H., Plympton.\nCummings, Rev. Charles, M.A., Cheadle (four copies).\nCurteis, Rev. Thomas, Sevenoaks (four copies).\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nDe Dunstanville, Lady\nDavis, Rev. C. G., Tewkesbury.\nDawson, J. Esq., London.\nDennis, Rev. Samuel, Stoke.\nDennis, Lardner, Esq.\nDewdney, Mrs., Plympton St. Mary.\nDuff, Admiral, Braemoriston, Elgin (four copies).\nDuff, Mrs., ditto (four copies).\nDyer, Mr. Robert, Norfolk Hotel, London (two copies).\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nEastlake, George, Esq., Plymouth.\nEastlake, Charles Locke, Esq., London.\nEdmonds, Miss, Ridgeway.\nEdwards, Captain, Ludbrook House.\nElphinstone, Miss (four copies).\nElliot, Mr., Underwood (two copies).\nEvans, William, Esq., Ridgeway.\nEvans, W. H. Esq., Stoke Villa.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nFanshawe, Captain H., R.N., Tilbuster Lodge, Surrey (two copies).\nFanshawe, Capt. A., Stonehouse.\nFlint, Rev. C. W. Raffles, Morden, Surrey (eight copies).\nForster, Mrs., Ditchingham Cottage, Suffolk (two copies).\nForster, Miss Emily, ditto (twenty copies).\nFry, Mr. E., Plymouth.\nFurneaux, James, Esq., Swilly.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nGardner, Mr. John, Plympton St. Mary.\nGiles, Mr. John, Plympton St. Mary.\nGordon, Mrs., Inverness.\nGordon, Mrs. Hugh, ditto\nGoss, Mr. Robert, Plympton.\nGrills, Mr. John, Plympton St. Mary.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nHaddock, Mrs., London.\nHales, Mrs., Richmond (two copies).\nHallett, Mrs., Plymouth.\nHall, Mrs., Plympton St. Mary.\nHall, Mr. Sparkes, 308, Regent Street, London.\nHatchard, Rev. John, M.A., Plymouth.\nHawker, W. H. Esq., ditto.\nHicks, Mr. F., ditto.\nHingston, A. Esq., ditto.\nHitchins, Mr. Martin, ditto (two copies).\nHolden, Mrs., Plympton St. Mary.\nHolmes, Rev. Peter, Plymouth.\nHolmes, Mr. Walter, ditto.\nHolman, Mr. (and Coombes).\nHook, Mrs., Gascoyne Place, Plymouth.\nHowse, Mrs., Plympton St. Mary.\nHullah, Charles, Esq., London (four copies).\nHullah, Rev. Thomas, M.A., Ridgeway (four copies).\nHunt, Major, Penquit Lodge.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nJago, Robert, Esq., Plymouth (two copies).\nJames, W. T. Esq. R.N., Plympton.\nJames, Mr., Exeter.\nJauncey, Francis, Esq. (four copies).\nJones, Miss Braemoriston, Elgin (four copies).\nJulian, Mr. George, Plympton.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nKington, Thomas, Esq., Charlton House (four copies).\nKing, Mrs. James, Burrington (two copies).\nKingdon, Mr. John, Ridgeway (two copies).\nKirby, Mrs., Plympton St. Mary.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nLewis, Lady Theresa (four copies).\nLewis, G. Cornwall, Esq. (four copies).\nLane, Rev. Richard, Coffleet.\nLane, Mr. Richard, Ridgeway.\nLangmead, Rev. G. W., M.A., Plymouth (two copies).\nLangworthy, Richard, Esq., Plympton (eight copies).\nLaskey, Mrs. Underwood.\nLavers, Joanna, ditto.\nLavers, Mr. James, Ridgeway.\nLey, George, Esq., Cockington.\nLey, Miss, ditto.\nLidstone, Mr. Roger, Plymouth.\nLuttrell, Miss, Tilbuster Lodge, Surrey (two copies).\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nMorley, the Earl of (eight copies).\nMorley, the Countess of (eight copies).\nMorley, the Dowager Countess of (four copies).\nMacfarlane, Mrs., Inverness (five copies).\nMagrath, Sir George, M.D., Plymouth.\nMangles, Captain C. E.\nMartin, the Rev. Chancellor, Exeter.\nMarsh, Rev. W. M.A., Ashburton (four copies).\nMayhew, C. H. Esq., London.\nMay, Rev. John, M.A., Ugborough.\nMears, Rev. H., Snow Hill, Hartish (two copies).\nMellish, Miss (eight copies).\nMilner, Colonel, Plymouth.\nMolesworth, Rev. William, M.A., St. Brooke.\nMolesworth, Rev. Hugh.\nMolesworth, Rev. Paul.\nMolesworth, Walter Hele, Esq., Goodamoor.\nMorrice, Rev. W. D., M.A. Plymouth.\nMudge, Col. R. E., Beechwood (eight copies).\nMudge, Zach. Esq. M.A. (two copies).\nMurray, Captain, Gosport.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nOsmond, Mrs., Ridgeway.\nOverton, Mr. S., London.\nOxenham, Mrs., Southernhay, Exeter.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nPage, J. Esq., London.\nPage, Mr., Plymouth.\nPalk, Lawrence, Esq.\nPalk, Mrs.\nParker, Montague, Esq., Whiteway (four copies).\nParker, Mrs., ditto (four copies).\nParker, Mr. I., Ridgeway.\nParkhouse, Mr. S., Plymouth.\nParsons, Mr., ditto.\nPasmore, Mrs. E., Plympton St. Mary.\nPepperall, Mary, Underwood.\nPinwill, Rev. W. James, Plymouth (two copies).\nPearse, Mr. J., Plympton.\nPhillipps, C. J. Esq., 1st Royals, Landue, Cornwall.\nPhillipps, Miss Caroline, ditto.\nPhillipps, Miss Barbara, ditto.\nPlimsaul Brothers, Messrs., Plymouth (two copies).\nPitcher, W. H. Esq., London.\nPitts, Mrs. Jane, ditto.\nPitts, Mrs., Hay, Plympton St. Mary.\nPraed, W. Mackworth, Esq., Delamore.\nPraed, Mrs. W. Mackworth, ditto.\nPrance, W. Esq., Plymouth.\nPridham, George, Esq., ditto.\nPirdham, W. Esq., Plymouth.\nPym, Rev. F., Bickleigh.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nRack, W. M. Esq., London.\nReep, Richard T. Esq., London.\nRobertson, Major, Lyncolm, Bath.\nRoberts, Ann, Ridgeway.\nRoe, H. Esq., Gnaton.\nRogers, Captain, R.N., Plymouth.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nSt. Germans, the Earl of\nSt. Germans, the Countess of\nSeymour, Rev. Sir J. Culme, Bart. (two copies).\nSeymour, Lady\nSarah, Mr., Merafield.\nSaunders, Mrs., Kitley.\nSaunders, George R. Esq., Wadebridge.\nScudamore, Rev. W. E., M.A., Ditchingham.\nSealy, Miss, Bristol (two copies).\nSelerne, Mrs., Plympton St. Mary.\nShepherd, John, Esq. Townsend Hill (two copies).\nShortland, Mrs. George, Lipson.\nSmale, Mr. G., Plympton St. Mary.\nSmeaton, Rev. S. B., Sheepstor.\nSmith, Rev. Hinton, Plymouth.\nSmythe, Rev. John, Ridgeway (eight copies).\nSmythe, Mrs., ditto.\nSmythe, Miss, ditto.\nSmythe, Miss Agnes, ditto.\nSmythe, Miss Mary, ditto.\nSmythe, Miss Altha, ditto.\nSoltau, George W. Esq., Efford (four copies).\nSoltau, Mrs., ditto (four copies).\nSoltau, Mrs. William, Plymouth (two copies).\nSouthwood, Mr. Thomas, Underwood.\nSpear, Miss, Halton Barton.\nSpence, Charles, Esq., Stoke.\nSquire, Mr. S., Plymouth.\nSquire, Mr., ditto.\nStuart, Douglas, Esq., Handley House, Dor. (four copies).\nStanbury, Mr. H., Ridgeway.\nStanbury, Mr. B.\nStapleton, Augustus Granville, Esq.\nStone, Rev. D. S., Walkhampton.\nStephens, Robert, Esq., Plymouth.\nStockman, Mr. H., Underwood.\nStrangways, Mrs., Plymouth.\nStreet, Fanny, Colebrook.\nStrode, George, Esq., Newnham Park (four copies).\nStrode, Mrs., ditto (four copies).\nStrode, George Sidney, Esq., ditto.\nStrode, Miss, ditto.\nStrode, Miss Florence, ditto.\nSymons, Mrs., Chaddlewood (three copies).\nSymons, Major, Stonehouse.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nTallock, R. T. Esq., London.\nTaylor, Rev. Henry, Southpoole (two copies).\nTaylour, Mrs. C.\nThomas, D. Esq., London.\nTolcher, Edward, Esq., Ridgeway (four copies).\nToope, Mr. Stephen, Underwood.\nTreby, Paul O. Esq., Goodamoor (two copies).\nTreby, Henry Hele, Esq., ditto.\nTreby, Miss, ditto.\nTreby, Miss Blanche J., ditto.\nTremayne, J. H. Esq., Helygan.\nTrench, Rev. Francis, M.A. Reading (three copies).\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nVerulam, the Dowager Countess (four copies).\nVilliers, the Honourable Mrs. (eight copies).\nVawdon, Mr., Baccamore, Plympton St. Mary.\nVawdon, Mrs., ditto.\nVicary, Mr. T., Plymouth.\nVosper, Mrs., Merafield.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nWalke, Mrs., Ridgeway (two copies).\nWalke, Mr. Andrew, ditto.\nWatts, Rev. Prebendary, Gunville Rectory, Dorset.\nWeekes, Mr., Professor of Music, Plymouth.\nWhetham, Mrs., Kirklington Hall, Notts. (two copies).\nWhite, Miss, Seven Trees, Plymouth (two copies).\nWhite, Miss, Sarah, ditto (two copies).\nWhite, Miss, Smithaleigh, Plympton St. Mary.\nWiddicombe, Mr. J., Ludbrook Cottage.\nWilliams, Rev. C. K., D.D., Plympton.\nWilliams, John Esq., Ham Street (two copies).\nWills, Mr., Plymouth.\nWills, Mr. J., ditto.\nWilmot, Captain.\nWilmot, Mrs.\nWollacott, Mrs., Ridgeway.\nWoollcombe, Captain, R.N., Hemerdon (four copies).\nWoollcombe, Rev. E. C., M.A., Oxford.\nWoodman, C. B. Esq., York House, Hampstead.\nWoodman, Mrs., ditto.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\nYabsley, Jane, Saltram Lodge\nYonge, Rev. J., Puslinch.\n\n                                * * * * *\n\n                                 PLYMOUTH\n                         ROGER LIDSTONE, PRINTER,\n                              GEORGE STREET.\n\n\n\n\nFOOTNOTES.\n\n\n{1}  By the census in 1841, the population was 2757 and it is computed,\nat the present time, to be above 3000.\n\n{2}  This valley is at present little else than an extensive marsh, which\nhas been redeemed from the Lary, or Laira, an estuary into which the\nriver Plym empties itself.  A dense fog, of a peculiar character,\nfrequently rises from this valley, after sun-set, at all seasons of the\nyear, and hangs about the adjacent hill, assuming the appearance of a\nwhite cloud.\n\n{14}  This gentleman was the medical officer for the parish; and the\nepidemic having been chiefly prevalent among the labouring class of\npeople, the frequent mention of his name will be accounted for.\n\nWhen it pleased God to withdraw the disease from this neighbourhood, the\nskilful manner in which Mr. Langworthy had treated it, and his\nunremitting attention to the arduous duties of his office, were duly\nacknowledged at a parish meeting, with an addition to his salary; and a\nhandsome piece of plate, purchased by subscription, was presented to him.\nHe died a few years afterwards.\n\n{18}  A supply of all those medicines, &c., which were considered to be\nrequisite, was provided out of the subscription fund, and kept at my\nhouse; viz., castor oil, tincture of rhubarb, laudanum,\u2014packets, of\ndifferent proportions, ready made up and marked, of powdered rhubarb,\ncarbonate of soda, powdered ginger, and calomel.  Carageen moss,\narrow-root, patent groats, mustard, linseed, chloride of lime,\nstimulating liniment, called \u201ccholera lotion,\u201d spirits of turpentine,\nspirits of salvolatile, &c.  From nine to ten every morning, poor people\nwere supplied with what they required,\u2014some, with common remedies for\nslight indisposition; others, according to prescriptions which they\nreceived from their medical attendant,\u2014all under the direction or\nsanction of some medical practitioner.\n\n{42}  When Sergeant Higgins was suddenly carried off by the cholera, a\nfeeling of the deepest commiseration for his wife and children was\nexcited among the officers and privates of the regiment.  They\nimmediately entered into a subscription, and when the sorrowing widow was\nabout to leave the Citadel with her four young children, on her journey\nto Cork, they presented her with a purse containing twenty sovereigns.\nThe poor creature was so overpowered by the conflicting feelings of grief\nfor her loss, and gratitude for such an unexpected act of generosity,\nthat she was unable, without assistance, to get to the waggon in which\nshe was to travel.  Some of her late husband\u2019s comrades and their wives\naccompanied her; and so affecting was the parting scene, that more than\none manly cheek was bedewed with tears when the sad farewell was\nexchanged.  How soon was it realized as a last farewell!\n\nImmediately after the funeral, I wrote to her relations at Cork,\ninforming them of the mournful event, and requesting them to inform me\nwhat arrangements they would suggest respecting the children.  The\nyoungest, aged one year, died of the cholera in our hospital, in a\nfortnight after the decease of its mother.  At this time, a person\narrived, to take charge of the children.  Before they left the workhouse,\nwhere every care had been taken of them, their relation requested to know\nwhat was due to the parish.  In reply to which, he was informed, that\n\u201cthe last tribute of respect and Christian sympathy to a broken-hearted\nwidow, was reserved for her helpless little orphans.\u201d  Nothing was\naccepted.  The purse which she had with her was returned, with the\ncontents untouched.\n\n{45}  This man and his wife had been very active and useful, as nurses,\nand they occupied an upstair apartment, in the same cottage with\nParsons\u2019s family.\n\n{48}  The town of Plympton, in the parish of Plympton St. Maurice, is\nsituate a few hundred yards eastward from Underwood, in the same valley\nwhich lies below that village.\n\nSome displeasure was expressed, at Plympton, on account of Susan Taylor\nhaving gone to her brother-in-law\u2019s house, as that place had hitherto\nbeen free from the epidemic.\n\nAn influential gentleman there wrote to me on the subject, to the\nfollowing effect:\u2014\n\n    I dare say you have heard that the cholera has unhappily appeared\n    among us, owing to the widow of Taylor and her child, having\n    emigrated last night from Underwood to Plympton, and slept at the\n    house of her brother, in consequence of her having no other abode . .\n    .  It is requisite that you should be aided by the practical\n    co-operation of others, and particularly that you should be\n    empowered, by the vote of the parish, to enforce in your overseers\n    the full and immediate performance of their duty . . .  If the poor\n    of Plympton St. Mary are driven from their houses by accident or\n    pestilence, they are equally entitled to be taken care of by the\n    parish officers, and it is their bounden duty instantly to provide\n    them with some other habitation.  Had that been attended to\n    yesterday, we should (at least in the present case) have been exempt\n    from the pestilence to-day.\n\n    Dated August 11th, 1832.\n\n{50}  I received the following letter, in consequence of some difficulty\nthat had arisen respecting the power of our present Board of Health to\nmake any order for assistance from the parish; the parish officers having\nhitherto taken no steps for that purpose:\u2014\n\n                                  Rose Cottage, Ridgeway, August 11, 1832.\n\n    My dear Sir,\n\n    As the dread malady with which this neighbourhood is unhappily\n    afflicted does not appear to have yet run its course (neither\n    Ridgeway nor Colebrook having been much affected), and as it is\n    utterly impossible that one medical man, however active and zealous,\n    can attend on half the cases; nor is it possible that you should be\n    able to continue your exertions as you have done, unless the patients\n    are more concentrated: under these considerations, I beg to suggest\n    the propriety of calling a meeting to-morrow, to consider the\n    expediency of appointing some place to receive the poor people that\n    may be attacked, and also to depute some one to act as assistant\n    overseer; as the overseer resides so far off, a deputy is absolutely\n    necessary.\n\n                            I remain, my dear Sir,\n\n                                                                Yours, &c.\n                                                               B. CROCKER.\n\n{52}  Carbonate of soda, one drachm; muriate of soda (or common salt, now\nchloride of sodium), one drachm; oxymuriate of potash (now chlorate of\npotash), six grains; mixed in a quart of water, heated exactly 110\ndegrees by a thermometer.  In cases where this remedy was resorted to,\nfrom four to seven quarts were injected.\n\n{54}  Some parishioners met in the Vestry-room, after the morning\nservice, and it was resolved, that, as the present Board of Health, being\nonly self-appointed, has not the power of making an order upon the parish\nfor any assistance, under the present distressing emergency, the chairman\nbe requested to write to the secretary of the Central Board, expressing\nthe earnest wish of the members of the Plympton St. Mary Board to be\nlegally constituted.\n\n{56}  I wrote to the secretary of the Central Board of Health, Whitehall,\ninforming him that a Board of Health had been appointed in the parish,\nand requesting, on the part of the Board, that the Board might\nimmediately receive the sanction of the Privy Council, in order to their\nbeing enabled to exercise the requisite authority for endeavouring to\nprevent the spreading of the cholera; at the same time, requesting to be\nfurnished with copies of the \u201cOrders in Council.\u201d\n\n{65}  Providentially that person sustained no injury or inconvenience\nfrom such a beautiful trait of a feeling heart; and it was not passed\nover unrequited.\n\n{70a}  A letter from the secretary of the Central Board was received,\nenclosing an order of the Lords of the Privy Council, appointing a Board\nof Health at Plympton St. Mary.  Notice was given for a meeting of the\nparishioners, on the 22nd.\n\n{70b}  Board of Health, Plympton St. Mary, legally constituted August\n18th, 1832:\u2014George Strode, Esq., Newnham Park; Richard Rosdew, Esq.,\nBeechwood; Capt. Woollcombe, R.N., Hemerdon; Henry Hele Treby, Esq.,\nGoodamoor; George William Soltau, Esq., Efford; Augustus Granville\nStapleton, Esq., St. Mary\u2019s Hill, Ridgeway; Rev. Edward Beauchamp St.\nJohn, Underwood; Robert Langworthy, Esq.; Benjamin Crocker, Esq., Rose\nCottage, Ridgeway; Mr. Delville, Underwood; Mr. Pearse, Mr. Cork, Mr.\nDay, Mr. Worth, Mr. Pollard, Mr. Hilson, Mr. Yolland, Mr. Willing, Mr.\nOlver, Mr. Brewer; William I. Coppard, Chairman.\n\n{72}  Mr. Richard Langworthy was at the time a student in medicine, and\ncame to assist his relation soon after the cholera began to spread at\nUnderwood.\n\n{83}  According to notice, duly given, a meeting of the parishioners was\nheld on this day, in the Vestry-room, at the Church; present, Mr. Richard\nWorth, Mr. Wm. Delville.  \u201cResolved, That this meeting be adjourned from\nthe Vestry-room in the Church, to the Plymouth Inn, Ridgeway; some of the\nParishioners having objected to meet in the Vestry-room in the Church, or\nin the room at the Workhouse, where vestry meetings have hitherto been\nheld, on account of apprehension of danger of infection from the\ncholera.\u201d  The meeting was adjourned accordingly.\n\n                                             WILLIAM I. COPPARD, Chairman.\n\n    \u201cAn adjourned meeting of the parishioners was held on this day, at\n    the Plymouth Inn, Ridgeway; present, George Strode, Esq., William\n    Langmead, Esq., George William Soltau, Esq., B. Crocker, Esq., Mr. J.\n    Yolland, Mr. William Delville, Mr. Worth, Mr. Willing, Mr. Joseph\n    Pearse, Mr. Brewer.  Resolved, That a Board of Health having been\n    regularly appointed in the parish, under the authority of the Lords\n    of H.M. most honourable Privy Council, in compliance with the\n    proposition of the Board, the sum of twenty pounds be paid to the\n    order of the chairman of the said Board, for the purpose of meeting\n    the present expenses of the Board.\u201d\n\n                                             WILLIAM I. COPPARD, Chairman.\n\n{85a}  The clergyman of Plympton St. Maurice, having sickness in his\nfamily, requested me to visit some of his parishioners whenever I had an\nopportunity.\n\n{85b}  Mr. Deeble Boger was present in several of the worst cases of\ncholera, in the town of Plympton; and his benevolent and active exertions\ncontributed materially to mitigate the sufferings of the afflicted\npeople.\n\n{96}  Susan Taylor subsequently married an honest and industrious\nlabourer.  They have five young children, and are living at Underwood at\nthe present time.\n\n{103}  Represented on the left hand of the foreground, in the woodcut.","title":"Cottage scenes during the cholera : $b being extracts from a diary written in July and August, 1832","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":21462}