The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-10 00:00:00

U
CHOLFEERRAciIIAuIrE------
PA-
The following official report of the state of the juve-
nileauper asylum at Tooting was last night forwarded
to the various boards of guardians who have children in
that institution:—
" Surrey Hall, Lower Tooting, Jam 9, 1849, 6 P.M.
"I have to report respecting the cholera cases here that
the number of fresh ones are on the decrease, and that
these do not present the very severe symptoms that the
first cases did. We had 14 new cases of children at-
tacked with cholera symptoms, 11 with diarrhoea only.
The number of deaths from cholera in the 24 hours have
amounted to 16. The rest have been removed to the
convalescent wards. From the numbers that have been
removed altogether, we hope that of the few remaining
a very small number will be attacked with the disorder.
Upwards of 100 have been removed from Tooting to-day
belonging to the Strand Union. The chloroform was
administered last night and to-day by inhalation with
very good effect in more than one case.
(Signed) " W. J. KITE, surgeon, tsc."
It is generally considered that this return from Mr.
Kite, so far from showing that there is any actual dimi-
' Tuition in the number of attacks and fatality of the
disease, the contrary is the case when the diminished
numbers now in the asylum are taken into consideration,
nearly 1,000 children having been removed.
The guardians of the Strand Union have hired for
three months the premises of the Society of the Refuge
for the Destitute in Ogle-street, Marylebone, and have
removed to that place their pauper children heretofore
resident at Tooting.
A meeting of the directors of the poor of St. Pancras
took place yesterday, when a report from a committee
appointed to visit the establishment at 'rooting was read.
The following report was also read from Mr. laird, a
medical gentleman, specially appointed by the board to
attend the St. Pancras children since their removal
" To the Directors of the Poor of St. Pancras.—Gentle-
men,—At your solicitation I have undertaken the medi-
cal superintendence of the children brought home from
Mr. Drouet's establishment at Tooting, where Asiatic
cholera had made its appearance, and received for sur-
veillance about 200 children on Saturday last. Two
were taken ill as soon as admitted. Acting upon the
principle that " prevention is better than cure," I care-
fully examined each of them, and administered appro-
priate medicine to all. I visited and watched every
child in their beds every half hour during the night ;
and although many of both sexes were relaxed, I had
no cases that exceeded the premonitory symptoms,
which counter-irritation with calomel and opium
checked, and every child arose on Sunday morning ap-
parently in good health, and made a most hearty break-
fast of bread and milk. I must say, in justice to Mr.
Drouet, as far as an observer could have judged, the
children generally looked well and in good condition.
Unfortunately this state of things did not continue.
They were evidently predisposed to the epidemic,
and ten were attacked. Boiled mutton and
bread was given to each child for dinner,
and they appeared cheerful, hearty, and thankful, for
the attention bestowed by all parties. In the afternoon
ten more cases occurred. Some of those that were in a
state of collapse seemed improving. Oa the night of
Sunday about thirty were more or less attacked, leaving
about 15 of each sex under treatment. During the whole
of Monday only one case occurred up to eleven o'clock
at night, and I was greatly in hopes that I should have
been able to report this day (Tuesday) most favourably,
but 17 were attacked during the night, and three have
reached the state of collapse, notwithstanding every at-
tention on the part of Mr. Wilkinson, his assistant, and
myself, leaving the statistical account at present as un-
der :—Number attacked, 67; deaths, 6; under treat-
ment, 27; state of collapse, 4. I caunot close this re-
port without bearing my humble testimony to the prompt,
ready, and efficient assistance rendered to me and be-
stowed upon the children by Mr. and Mrs. Eaton, and
all parties acting under my directions, as well as making
mention of the unlimited power you yourselves have
placed in my hands, to endeavour to allay this melan-
choly affair. (Signed) " HENRY BIRD, Surgeon."
At Chelsea, yesterday, an adjourned special meeting
of the guardians took place, when Mr. J. B. Ryder, the
chairman of the board, having taken the chair, said that
he, with the two vice-chairmen of the board, in pur-
suance of the resolution passed by the guardians, waited
upon the Poor-law Board and also the Board of Health,
with reference to the removal of the children belonging
to their parish. At the Poor-law Board they were
treated with anything but courtesy, and were referred to
Mr. Hall, the inspector. He (Mr. Ryder) told that
gentleman that they (the deputation) had just left the
board of guardians of Chelsea, who wished to take the
opinion of the Poor-law Board as to the way they should
act in the present emergency, They did not wish to in-
jure M. Drouet in the slighest degree, but it was the
opinion of those gentlemen that the place was not
fit to hold so many children, and that the
calamity had arisen from overcrowding. Several
parishes, however, having taken their children
away, the question of overcrowding did not now arise,
and it was the still further opinion of those gentlemen,
that the children had much better remain at Tooting, the
fact being that they bad no place to take them to. The
reply of Mr. Hall to that was, that if there was no place
to take the children, the question was settled. The de-
putation then called the attention of Mr. Hall to the fact
that there must have been something in connexion with
the treatment of the children in the establishment, for on
making strict inquiries in the village, they had not been
able to find a single case of cholera. After some further
remarks, Mr. Hall gave it as his opinion, that, under the
circumstances, as they had no actual place to put the
children in, they ought not to be removed.—(Hear, hear.)
The deputation then proceeded to the Board of Health,
and saw Mr. Chadwick, Mr. Grainger, and Dr. South-
wood Smith. On being told the object of the deputation,
Mr. Graieger said the questiou was one of life and death,
and that on their shoulders would rest the responsi-
bility. Mr. Chadwick inquired of them whether they
had taken any steps for the removal of the children, and
they replied they had not. Mr. Chadwick, upon that
reply, seemed to think that they had been guilty of a
dereliction of duty. And on his being told that it was
the opinion of the deputation that the overcrowding had
been the cause of the fatal outbreak, the Commissioners

turned round and said it was the fault of the guardian..
—(Hear, hear.) The guardians of the parish of Chelsea
ivere therefore in this fix, that whilst the Poor-law Board
said the children were not to be removed, the Board of
Health said the entire responsibility would rest upon
the guardians' shoulders if they were not. Mr.
Grainger spoke in the strongest tems. He said
that nothing so fearful had ever made its appearance in
this country ; that many of the healthier children re-
quired more nurses; and that half the children in the
establishment had already the poison within them.—
It was certain death to let them remain at that place.
1)r. Southword Smith appeared to coincide in this
view ; and on being told the opinion of the Poor-law
Board, said the children would be left there utterly to
perish.—(Hear.)
Mr. MURRAY said that although the Board of Health
had issued a peremptory order for them to remove the
children, they were bound in preference to attend. to the
,ishes of the Poor-law Board, and must consider the

Board of Health had no power.
Mr. JELF said he thought that the children ought not
to be removed, but at the same time lie thought it was
the duty of the guardians to send further medical assis-
tance down to Toottng. He therefore moved a resolu-
tion to the effect that it would not be expedient to removo
the children.

Mr. EIRE seconded the resolution, which was carried
unanimously.

It was then moved and carried that a communication
should be made to Mr. Drouet to know if he required
any further medical aid, or aid in the shape of nurses,
and if so that the board would supply them.
A. Coroner's inquest was held on Monday evening,
before Mr. Mills, at the Elephant and Castle, King's-
road, Camden-town, on the bodies of some of the children
brought from Tooting, who
,had died of cholera in St.
Pancras Workhouse.
Mr. Edward Pitt stated that be was accountant agent
to the directors of the poor of St. Pancras. Thedcbotult
(Iron belonging to that parish, who had been farmee...6,.
at Tooting, were removed from Mr. Drouet's eesmt bn n
under the
mcnt en Saturday last. They were removeddfr
Toot-
ing by the advice of the Poor-law Board, and under
d of Health.
express order of the General Boar
by the directors,
opinion of Dr. Darling had been taken
Toe t reception
who pronounced the building set apart The
directors of
_ Ti
our::: t
o consideration.
d. e
vot their
of the children to be most fitting. . ,
the poor had devoted the most uavr
sufferersea had received
unfortunate circumstance, and the
at their hands every possible and
daily
to receive
. reppg::
A committee of directors satnen attention totlley
visited Tooting.
Mr. Pitt added thatte had
medical officers had been
children,
from those directors
remaining and a medi-
cal attention f
do bteheen specially appointed to the care
cal gentleman had been
of those now in the frequently CO visit Mr. D '
rouet a establish-
had occasion
se of selecting
healthy boys for ap-
prenticeship for the purpose avraPr°ious trades. On those ' prenticeshiP , occasions the
'boys were generally
whole of Mc, goose.wh o
sent t o
brought before him,
and he had always considered the place qualified
for the purposes to which they were applied.
The nu:10(1Y
g-soay
CORONER expressed his opinion that too
much liquid food was given to the
rigidlyliu mo
intore as
sni it
investigation, theti
children; but on that
pointilr• N Vhaelklliwely:
matter of so much magnitude demanded. With that
view, and for the ga t
iionnt e, nwtihoi ne kof
a
purpose .of examining children who
had been in the establishment at Tooting, the inquiry
would now be adjourned.
The inquest was adjourned accordingly.
Another inquest was opened on Monday, by Mr.
Mills, in the board-room of the Royal Free Hospital,
on the bodies of four children who had been brought
from Tooting to the hospital, where they had died. The
bodies having been identified, and the cause of death
proved, the inquest was adjourned.

KING i 5 rumoured that the author of
this remarkable production intends to avow himself on
the publication of the concluding parts, which it appears
are to be published in a few days.
RAILWAY ASSESSMENTS.--The Recorder of Canter-
bury has respited the rating case of the South•liastern
Railway in the parish of Canterbury, on an understand-
ing that the company shall in the meantime pay half
the amount of future rates until a final decision of their
appeals; the parish to allow the company any sums that
may be paid in excess. The London and North-Western
have succeeded in reducing their rates in the Warwick-
shire district from 1,5001. to 500/. per mile, and in
another from 8001. to 400/. These reductions are sup-
posed to be the result of inquiry that has been lately
going on under the auspices of the Poor-law Commis-
sioners, and trem a conviction that these amercements
have hitherto been too much.
An Albany journal states, that splendid imitations
of California gold were being manufactured in that city -
out of brass filings and sand, for the purpose of cheating
the greenhorns from the States on their first Rah* .
is those diggings."