The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-14 00:00:00

that the whole house was over-crowded of wbich Au-
drews's room formed purl.
sir F. Tni':IGER r. torte,: that the establishment c
eisted of teveral detached buildittgs, e.hd asked the vi it-
ness if fl,at weie not 'o? The wi,ness ta'd it was.
Mr. Cu k)IBEns again contend td, that es the indictment
charged the defendant. with confining the deceased to
divers over-crowded and unlynilthy rooms—he had a
right to show that the whole of the buildings were un-
healthy and over-crowded. The counts charged gene-
rally that the asylum was ow 1-zrow ded.
Sir F. TIIESIGER—And one part of it is a quarter of a
mile from the other. Is that not so, Mr. Whitfield ?
; a few hundrid yarC.s.
Mr. Baron PLATT said the evidence should be confined
to the huildirg in which the little children eat, drank,
and slept.
By Mr. Chaarsens—l examined the children as to the
state of their health before they were removed. They
were not in good health—their abdomens were tumid—
they had se elled bellies. Many of them were covered
with itch. I think, judging from the state they were in,
they bad riot sufficient food. I think if they were seized
with cholera, that their constitutions were so enfeebled
that the disease would most likely prove fatal. The
wasting is very sudden in cholera. I did not pay par-
ticular attention to the case of Andrews. I Jo net think
he was what was called " a leap of bones."
Cross-examined by Sir F. TIIESIGER-Ilad i.ever been
to Tooting before January. There are always a few
cases of itch and scurvy among workhouse children.
They are not always the most healthy of children. James
Andrews died of Asiatic cholera. I believe cholera to
arise from atmospheric influence, and I think it decidedly
infectious. Persons in a room with a cholera patient I
believe are more likely to be seized with the disease, iu
consequence of the air being poisoned by the
breath of the patient. Cholera is very ca-
pricious in its attacks--sometimes attacking one
side of a ship and not the other—sometimes
one side of a street and not the other side. Per-
sons in well ventilated places are seized with it, while
those subject to a close and confined atmosphere some-
times escape. Cold is a great predisposing cause.
Re-examined—Transition from warm clothing to cold
clothing would also be a predisposing cause.
By the COURT—I think some of them were under the
influence of cholera when tbey were removed. I cannot
specify any particular child. I did not attend them at
the Free Hospital. I did not inquire whether medical
assistance would be rendered immediately, but it was my
opinion that it would. Removing them at ten o'clock
at night when snow was on the ground might no doubt
be a predisposing cause, but it was indispensable to the
safety of their lives to bring them to London at that.
hour.
Mr. Gibson, surgeon, said be examined the children
of the Holborn Union on the 28th October, before they
went to Tooting. He did not know whether Andrews
was among them, but if he was he must have examined
him. If a child was thin only, and not absolutely ill, he
would have passed him.
Mr. Baron PLATT—You must prove the identity of
the body.
Mr. Pearson, one of the visiting guardians, said be bad
examined a body in the vault of the church, but could
not say whether it was that of Andrews.
Cross-examined by Sir F. TuEsicea—l visited the
establishment at Tooting several times, and had oppor-
tunities of examining it and seeing how it was conducted.
In my judgment it was perfectly well conducted.
Mr. CHAMBERS objected to this line of cross-exami-
nation, as opening up new ground.
Sir F. THESIGER—Then I will put the question in
this form. What was Mr. Drouet's conduct for kind-
ness and humanity ? Witness—Exceedingly good.
Mr. CHAMBERS—Have you made inquiries since these
everts have tukcn place? Witness—No. That is the
result of my inquiries during the visits of inspection.
By the COURT—I have heard from persons both at
Tooting and in town, that Mr. Drouet bore a good
character.
Mr. CLARKSON intimated that as a difficulty had
arisen with respect to the identity of the body, he had
sent for the necessary evidence.
The Court at this point adjourned for a brief period.
William Filby, examined by Mr. CLARKSON—Said he
was a porter and a gravedigger, and knew the deceased
Andrews. Saw him before he went to Tooting in
October, and he was then in very good health. Was pre.
sent when he died at the Free Hospital. He buried him,
and afterwards, by the direction of the authorities, ex-
, burned the body, and was present at the post mortem
, examination.

Mr. Garrod was then re-called—Ho said he had
formed an opinion as to the death of the child, and he
considered that it bad arisen from malignant or Asiatic
cholera. The body was very slightly decomposed.
From the appearance be should say that it was greatly
emaciated before death. The teeth were not very for-
ward for his age, which betokened great weakness of the
system. The head was large, which indicated that he
had not arrived at maturity commensurate to his age.
The blood was of a dark colour. The intestines con-
tained a ricy or gravel-like matter. After giv-
ing some minute details, he said that the appearance
of the body altogether satiefied him that death had re-
sulted from Asiatic cholera. He considered that the
child must have been an unhealthy one. Its emaciated
state might have been caused by improper food, clothing,
and lodging, independent of the cholera, but would not
be positive on that point. A child confined in an over-
crowded and ill-ventilated dormitory was more liable to
be affect. d by ittflences such as the cholera than a strong,
healthy person.
Cross examined by Sir F. THESIGER—IIe believed
that cholera was in the atmosphere, and travelled from
one country to another. In some case: he considered
that it was infectious, but not contagious. It generally
visited prisons and workhouses, and other places of that
kind, where the diet was not very generous. It was very
capricious in its attacks.
By Mr. CLARKSON—Bad 'air, bad food, bad clothing,
and bad lodging, would predispose to cholera.
By the COURT—Those causes would not alone produce
cholera; there was some other influence required.
Mr. Kite, surgeon at Mr. Drouet's establishment, was
next called, and examined by Mr. CHAMBERS—He said
he had never been consulted as to the extent of accom-
modation afforded, as to the ventilation, or as to the food
or clothing of the children. There was an infirmary at-
tached to the place. Three or four weeks after he came,
which was in October last year, a sick ward was added.
There were about 1,100 or 1,200 children in the estate
lishment when he entered. At the end of December 200
more were adder'. When he went two children were
in the infirmarylaffected with ophthalmia; there were also
some affected with the itch. There was no separate ward
for those troubled with the itch. Mr. D: ouet did not re-
fuse to rt ceive children a ho had this disease.
Baron PLATT—Did you ever hear of itch predisposing
to cholera?—(Laughter.)
Witness—No. Thel first! case of cholera occurred on
Friday, 29th December; as many as 139 children died
beta een that time and. the 13th January. Previous to
the sth January many cases of cholera
existed. It was his duty to attend to the
cholera wards. There were rather too many in them.
The rooms were:not crowded; he was: convinced they
were not.
Sir F. THES7GER—You have no right to press the
witness in that way.
Baron PLATT—I think not.
Mr. CHAMBERS—But I have got his depositions
here, and lam examining from them. Your Lordship
has the depositions betore you.
Baron PLATT—YOU have no right to make that ob-
servation unless you intend to put iu the depositions. lie
is your witness, and no ene knows better than yourself
what is regular.
Mr. CHAMBERS—He is the witness of the Crown, my
Lord, and not mine. He is the witness of the Coroner.
Baron PLATT—You had better go on with your exa-
mination.
Mr. CHAMBERS—NOW, was the overcrowding of the
room the predisposing cause of the cholera? Wiiness—
I have not said that it was over-crowded.
Baron PLATT—YOU P.re assuming by your question
that the rooms were overcrowded?
Mr. CHAMBERS—I am assuming nothing, my Lord.
I am simply asking whether that would be a predis-
posing cause, such as bad food would be. Now, sir,
were there any predisposing causes?
Witness—Certainly.
Mr. CHAMBERS—WeII, now, as a medical man, can
you form any opinion as to what would be a predisposing
cause? Witness—The congregation together of these
children would be a predisposing cause.
Mr. CHAMBERS—NOW, I ask you whether there was
or was not an overcrowding of the rooms? Witness—
Yes, in the big boys' ward.
Mr. CHAMBERS—And that would be a predisposing
cause? Witness—Certainly it would.
Cress-examined by Sir FREDERICK THESIGER—It
was the big boys' room that was overcrowded. He
remembered, that while Andrews was there, he was in
the sick ward. He was always in the sick ward, but not
on the sick list. If he ordered it the boys in the sick
ward had meat and porter every day. They had every-
thing he chose to order for them. When he first want
there the establishment was generally healthy. There
were out of the large number be had mentioned about
eight or ten ill. After he went there several children
were sent there who had the itch. He made great efforts
to get rid of it, but he never could ascertain whether it
had been totally eradicated. The cholera broke out
suddenlyl; there were no premonitory symptoms.
There were always cases of diarrheas in the t stablish-
talent. The necessity of separating those who were struck
with the disease from those who were healthy created
considerable confusion, and great difficulty was expe-
rieeced in procuring nurses. He saw nothing in the
clothing of the children which could form a predisposing
cause of cholera, nor did he
heaver
hear
n e e r any
complaintsr y g
mode about their food
alDg
rer
ado
.0
nt atsheto
establishment;
There sTaiiiderbeewfoerreethsiisx
Oue of them, named
three of whom died of cho e
Warren, attended on Andrews
CHAMBERS`
adultsgain st
Me
nrg.
the sick list.
was about a fortnight on
fiArsntdrteimw
time
ne•examined by Mr.
ing the children was the 5t
o'n the house with him,
he had any other medical mhan
ftojaaesesiasrty.himTihnettrewaet;
before he had any one to
In November there were 42 cases.d
diarrhotia was a
but the Messrs. Chapman had Iprevoi(ftudsi
:n December, but he did not cons). er
• s ran through the whole
laYr assisted
oa i,an dhi4ms.
premonitory
By the COURT—The 42 cae
month many of them had
symptom of et olera
mouth, bur at the end of the
been cured, and the 45 of the
cases. About a dez- n only of theext
nsomoorn t6ho were
who
wareeerwe
attackedwith cholera had been previously suffering from
dwiearrorhemoal;rseointolinaittiwonitstetttheell.exception of tnat dozen there
y
Mr. Henry Whittall, the Rvgidstrbar o;iDr.eacthlifoKrsothNe.
parish of Streatham, examine
lie had the register from April, 18-18i,n it.
included aniuliaery, 1849,
and there were no cases of cholera
included Mr. Drouet's establishment. district
Cross-examined, by Sir F, TUESIGER—IIit district