The Express.
London, England, 1849-08-17 00:00:00

SOUTH LONDON MEDICAL SOCIETY.

Yesterday evening a meeting of the members of
the above society, and of the medical profession generally
was held at the Southwark Literary Ins itution, Borough-
road, for the purpose of dieeus-ing the origin, nature,
and treatment of the prevailing epidemic—Dr. HILTON in
the chair.
The CHAIRMAN having briefly stated the object of the
meeting, a consioerable nuo.ber of medical gentlemen who
ate in practice in earful* parts of the miitropolie stated the
results of their t xperiente in the treatment of cholera, their
°Oaten of its causes and character, and of its contagious or
non contagious !property. Upon all these points very great
discrepancy of opinion was elicited.
-1../r. WRIGHT °petted the discussion b! tlgessing his be-
lief that cholera was contagious, founding his spinion on two
or three cases which have lately WOW within the 'cope of
his experience, where pers na were successively attacked
and carried off in ens house, while the houses in the same
row were entirely exempt from the disease.
Dr. WATERWORTH thought that in order to sustain his
theory of contagion Dr. Wright should show that no
cholera, or causes pre :imposing to it, existed within a con-
siderable distaone of the house containing the persons
attacked.
Dr. Mere was of opinion that one class of cases, in which
complete collapse took place, was utterly intractable,while the
dames of cases smiles:able tone elected diarrbce c, and where
the state of collapse was not complete, might be attacked by
medical men wit h a prospect of battling the di sue.
Dr. HAWKINS stated his belief that the disease wet
non-contagious, and founded his opinion on extensive pese-
tas' la a district abounding with low and crowded lodging
WHIM In a ease which hal come under his observation, in
whisk severed persons were attacked in the same house, he
found that it was so situated as to he exposed to the coin
mind effluvia sue, g from a tanner's yard in the rear, and a
foul drain in front. Every person in that house was attacked,
while in the houses t of so unfavourably situated the disease
made scarcely any progress.
Dr. H. LANE was ale, of opinion that cholera was not
ecentagious, but expressed a doubt as to whether what were
commonly believed to be the cater s of cholera were any-
thing more than peed spelling agents.
Dr. MURPHY th eight that the cholera, in common with
all otht r epidemics., was contagious, and in support of his
opinion reminded the meeting that its first appearance in
these countries had been invariably in seaports.
Dr. BARLOW (of Guy's Hospital) hence.d that in bad
ease', the lees that was done to the patient the better chance
he had of recovering.
Dr. Ries, of Guy's Hospital, had tried many different
plass of treatment, and Ind sot found one to succeed better
than another; but, in his opinion, the MoSt advisable to
adopt consisted in the application of cold water to the sur-
face, and the eahibitinn of saline fluids by the mouth. He
agreed with the previous speaker in thinking that the poison
was got rid of by the evacuation of the serum and expressed
his belief that in true cholera no one recovered who had not
strength of constitution to enable him to bear up against the
effects of that process. lie also believed the disease to be
contagious.
Dr. Cats" held that it was noncontagious, and bore testi-
mony to the value of Dr. Ayr's mode of treatm,nt, according
to which two grains of calomel with one or two drops of
tincture of opium are administered every ten minutes.
Mr. MINDY wet 01 opinion that calomel was the only an-
tidote for the disease, and 041itsed that when pthialism was
once produced the recovery of the patient generally fol-
lowed.
Dr. lironea was understood to deny that diarekcea or
foulness of drains was the cause of cholera.
Dr. Dices, of Newington, enured the meeting that, in
Ibis experience, he loner that 19 persons out of 20 who were
attacked had neglec ed diarrhoea.
Dr. Gessnaa believed, if a patient had strength enough
to live under an attack of cholera until pthialism was in-
duced, it was very likely he would hove recovered under
thee modes of treatment as well. In his opinion collapse
was the consequence of an affection of the nervous system,
and not of the blood. .

Some other gentlemen having delivered their opinions.=
edj .urnment of the discussion to yesterday fortnight was car-
ried ; and the meeting separated, after giving the usual vote
of thanks to the chairman.

CHARGE OF NEGLECT AGAINST THE BOARD OP BIPAIt
DIANE or BT. Lria's.—Before Mr. Balm, at the Crown,
Whitseross-street. St. Luke's, on the body of Sarah Parker,
aged 63, who died from Asiatic cholera. George Parker
said d--eased was his mother, and resided In North-place.
The deceased enjoye I good health up to the time she went
to live in North-place, and ever sines she had complained of
sickness, which was attributed to bad smells Iron the privy.
It adjoined their room, and it frequently overflowed, and
the *oil ran through &cupboard into the room. The effluvium
was most dreadful, and witness's brother died a short time
since in the house from eh dera, and an iiquest was held on
his body. At the inquest the parish authorities were re-
quieted to see that the nuisance complained of should be re-
m .ved, but nothing had bP en done, although the deceased and
some of the inhabitants had complained to the landlord,
who had frequently promised to remedy the evil, but had
failed in doing se. The deceased followed her son to the
burial-ground on Sunday lest, and on Tuesday she was
attacked with cholera, and died the same day.—The Coroner
said he wrote to'the hoard of guardians, informing them of
the whole of the circumstances, and directed them to take
the necessary steps to cleanse the place, and he was very
much surprised v. find that up to the present time nothing
had been done.—Satchwell, the inspector of nuisances, said
that the sanitary committee, formed by the board of
guardians, had written to Mr. Newton, the landlord,
requesting him to whitewash the house and empty the
cess-pools, which were overflowing, and he was not
aware that nothing bad been done until that morning,
when he found the place as bad as ever.—The Coroner and
jury expressed their astonishment at the great negli-
gence exhibited by the parochial authorities. Mr. Kay, sur-
geon, said that he was called to &net d the deceased about 11
o'clock on Tuesday morning, and found her in a state of
collapse following an attack of malignant cholera, of which
she died the same afternoon. There had been three deaths
from cholera in the c tart, and he attributed the disease en-
tirely to the pestilential state of the place, cesspools, and bad
drains. The jury returned a verdict of " Death from Asiatic
cholera," and added that they could not separate without ex-
pressing their opinion that there was great neglect on the
part of the guardian. of the parish, their agent, and officers,
is not having enforced their order on the landlord of the
house in which the deceased died, and in not attending to the
sanitary state of the place.

LlLEDl.—Within the last few days there have been cases
of cholera in almost every district er municipal ward of the
borough, but no official returns have been published, and hence
it is extremely difficult to ascertain at what rate the disease
appears to be increasing, or what is the number of deaths
resulting from it. Up to last Saturday night it was esti-
mated that there had been about 116 eases in the borough of
Leeds. 65 of which have proved fatal. Since then (up to
Tuesday at noon), there had been about 20 =eremite, nearly
half of which have terminated fatally.
Haurax (Yon=ettt•E).—There have been two cases of
Asiatic choler► in this town, both of which terminated
OLOCCUITEL—Is this union the total number of cases
which has occurred is 214, and one in the workhouse.
BEISTOL.—The ravages of this disease are fearfully o• the
increase, both in Bedminster and the ancient city, where
both the cases and deaths yesterday were .cost numerous.
At Bayntun'a-bu,ldings there have been several other cases.
In the out parish of St. Philip and Jacob the ?aural are
rather more favourable.
Poartuouvit.—lt is to he regretted that this malignant
disease has appeared in the Marlborough, Bast Indiam an, on
the eve of sailing for India. Two soldiers who embarked in
her died and were taken on shore and buried by • party 01
the 4tn, or Queen's Own. 0100 t oases exist on board.

DITONPOILT.—The deaths by cholera have greatly be-
me wed here since our last. The mortality has been princi-
pally confined to the close and ill-drained parts of the town,
though there have been several deaths in the more resNct-
able puts of the pleat. Major Mtore, of the 82cd
meat, has died dote our last. In the Military Ho pital at
Stoke the deaths have been—Two of the 28th Regiment on
the Bth ; two of the Royal Artillery on the 10th and 11th ;
one of the 23th Regiment on the 13th; and one of the
82nd Regiment on the same day.
STONEHOUSI —1) iwn to Wedneseley evening there had
been 76 eases brought into the Royal Hospital, half cholera
and about half diatrbcca, and there had been 18 deaths.
TORPOINT.—Then have been down to Tuesday, 18 GM,
16 In the workhouse sad throe in the town; 14 deaths bad
occurred in the workhouse and two in the town. At New
Passage the diem, prevails to a considerable extent, and it
is said that seven or eight of the men at the works at Keyless'
have died.

PLIYOUTIL.—The mortality is mainly confined to the
molt unclean and badly sewered parts of the town. In one
house in St. Anliiw's.streer, there have been in the cause
of seven days, no fewer than eight deaths. Yesterday there
were 32 eases in the hospital, 10 men, 7 boys, 12 women, and
3 girls.
Truck/ma —But one rime of cholera has occurred in this
union, and that was of a man in June last, the captain of a
vessel from Cardiff, where the disease has been prevalent.
Buititwauues.—Notwithstanding the precautions which
have been taken to guard off the cholera from making its
a pearance in the town, they have not proved sufficient.
The pestilence is extending its ravages—slow, c. rtainly,
and in some of the most filly and b idly ventilated portions
of the town. Thirteen deaths havu occurred during the
past weak.
NANTYOLO.—The cholera is making sad ravages at Nan-
tyglo, and four cases have terminated fatally at Brynmawr,
in the palish of Clydsch. At the works there two cases only
have occurred, but each terminated fatally: In the district
of Cwm, Pontypool, the disease is also raging.
11EUTIITR.—The cholera stiil continues its ravages here,
although not to the same extent as it has previously d me.
At Dlwlais, however, the number of deaths suffers no dimi-
nution.

SHAM FIGHT AT PORTSMOUTH. -NIGHT

ATTACK ON THE GARRISON.

Soon after 7 o'clock on Wednesday evening the 77th
Regiment took up a position in rear of the fire barn, &nth-
sea, facing towards the town, having the Royal Marine
Artillery on their right, and en their left a battery of guns
furnished and served by men from the Race'lent. Midway
between the fire barn and the town were posted two strong
picquets, who threw out a line of sentries towards the enemy
(77th). and the head quarters of the picquets hiving piled
their arms, lighted large fires of wood, which had a pretty
effect, showing the bright red coats of the militants quietly
enjoying their pipes in confidencs under their careful son-
, tinels. Anon the alarnm bugles of the picquets were heard—
and a few shots from the advance sentries told the reserve
to be up and doing.
In a few minutes a blue of musketry burst from the ad-
vancing line of the 77th, su,ported by a rapid 8-e from
the guns on either flank. The picquets were gradually
driven across the common, and safely retreated into the
tswn through King William's-gate. The attacking party
having brought their guns up to the vicinity of the gate,
performing the movement under a heavy cannonade from
the Royal Clarence-yard brigade of buts on their left
flank, commenced an attack on the works surrounding the
gate, and in a moment the works were lighted up at each
angle with blue liglits, and the ramparts and outworks
opened a fire of cannon and musketry that shook the place.
At 'length the enemy, finding their efforts to enter were
rain, the trumpet call, "cease firing," was heard, and
Ispeedily the roar of arms ceased, and the troops retired to
quarters. Twelve thousand persona were present to view
Uns grand display.