The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-06 00:00:00

of three hundred deaths per annum, and as much re-
mains to be done in sewering, draining, water supply,
cleansing, and regulating, the value of life will still
further be added to.

The laws governing epidemic pestilences may be be-
yond the ken of man. Epidemics are not all of one
kind, as their history sufficiently proves, and there may
be pestilences against which no previous care shall be
a protection. Our system threads a mysterious way
through space ; and, as the slightest alteration in the
composition of the atmosphere will cause disease and
death, the whole race may suffer beyond human remedy.
The law governing cholera seems, in one respect, to be
simple—namely, that its first outbreak in any place is
amidst over-crowding, and defective ventilation, filth,
squalor, and vice. There has been no exception to this
rule in England. From such points the disease has
spread (radiated) as the raging of a fire ; or, as the
ripple on water after the plunging in of a stone. During
the epidemic in 1848-49, Dr. Sutherland noticed this
fact in the large towns be visited. The Registrar-Gene-
ml has published maps of the metropolis, and of the
country, showing that on a grand scale the disease
obeyed the same law. Cholera does not attack indis-
criminately, as influenza for instance, and may, there-
fore, be more readily warded off. That the virus
or cholera poison is something positive—something
which must have a fitting soil to grow in,—or
fitting materials to act upon, seems pretty cer-
tain. The atmosphere must, at all times, have in-
numerable seeds of the mould fungus floating harm-
lessly in it, waiting the presence of decaying animal
or vegetable matter to develope them into active and
visible life. Where there is rigid cleanliness these seeds
remain harmlessly dormant, and so of cholera. This last
dread visitation in the north of Europe and at Newcastle-
upon-Tyne, has clearly proved that neglected filth in-
vites the disease. The fact has also been verified that,
where local boards of health have been established, and
have done their duty, there cholera, though imported,
could not spread.

SPORTING NOTES.

R. R.

THE RUNNING AND DEFEAT OF NANCY.

Nancy actually put in an appearance at Chester. She
started for the principal Handicap, and was ingloriously
defeated. This was the only interesting and important
incident connected with the meeting—an incident that
created a "sensation," and occasioned not a little per-
plexity and suspicion. Notwithstanding the boasting of
her partisans, and the rumours of her regenerated racing
power, I was prepared to witness her defeat ; and my
opinion on her chance, and the movement that again
brought her prominently into notice, was expressed in
The Sun on Monday. Her performance gave no indica-
tion of racing ability, and was so utterly bad as to
destroy all confidence in her for the future. Although
she obtained a good start, she never once figured in com-
pany with the leading competitors. At the commence-
ment of the encounter she was last but four, and she
gradually dropped into the rear until she became abso-
lutely last. On passing the stand, however, the firet-
time, she slipped, and was thrown out of her stride,
but this occurrence was not sufficient to jeopardise
her chance, if, indeed, she ever had a chance. She
was the first beaten in the race, and she walked in, her
jockey. bespattered with mud, amidst the jeers and
shouts of the spectators. Her condition was anything
but satisfactory. She had apparently undergone no
preparation, and she gallopped short and stilty. Nancy
will, I believe, run for the Cesarewitch ; but it seems
reasonable to suppose that her party would scarcely
have allowed her to start for a comparatively insignifi-
cant race at Chester, where she was liable to an acci-
dent, and where her victory would have increased her
weight, had they entertained a belief in her ability to
win that event. Her party have either made a gross
mistake, or have systematically practised upon the gul-
libility of the public. On a future occasion I shall again
refer to this and other proceedings connected with
Nancy.

On Saturday I shall institute some odious compari-
sons between the chances of the probable competitors
for the Cesarewitcb. A FRESH MAN.
October 6.