ntry at
large; but let nothing which has occurred disturb the harmony so
essential to the general welfare of that place, should their combined
efforts be hereafter required on any occasion of public calamity. In
truth both parties may be said to be right--the one in stating that
the disease in question _is Indian cholera_, because the symptoms are
precisely similar--the other that it _is not Indian cholera_, because
it exists in Sunderland, and without having been imported--IN NEITHER
COUNTRY IS IT COMMUNICABLE FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER, as is now plainly
shown upon evidence of a nature which will bear any investigation; and
if blame, on account of injury to commerce, be fairly attributable to
any, it is to those who, all the world over, pronounced this disease, on
grounds the most untenable, a disease of a contagious or communicable
nature. Let the Sunderland Board of Health not imagine that their
situation is new, for similar odium has fallen _on the first_ who told
the plain truth, in other instances--at Tortosa, a few years ago, the
first physician who announced the appearance of the yellow fever, was,
according to different writers, _stoned to death_; and at Barcelona, in
1821, a similar fate had well nigh occurred to Dr. Bahi, one of the
most eminent men there--we need not, I presume, fear that a scene of
this kind will take place in this country,--though the cries of "no
cholera!" and "down with Ogden!" have been heard.

One word as to observations regarding the needlessness of discussing the
contagion question: the truth is, that the cleanliness and comfort of
the people excepted, you can no more make _other arrangements_ with
propriety, till this point be settled, than a General can near the enemy
by whom he is threatened, till it be ascertained whether that enemy be
cavalry or infantry.

My object in these letters is not to obtrude opinions upon the public,
being well aware that they cannot be so well entitled as those of many
others, to attention; but I wish to place before the public, for their
consideration, a collection of facts which I think are likely to be of
no small importance at a moment like the present. In addition to the
many authorities referred to in the foregoing pages, I would beg to
call the public attention to a paper in the _Windsor Express_ of the
12th November, by Dr. Fergusson, Inspector General of Hospitals, a
gentleman of great experience, and who has given the _coup de grace_
to th