Thoughts on the best means of lessening the destructive progress of cholera : in a letter addressed to the Right Honourable Viscount Melbourne / by Joshua Brookes.

  • Brookes, Joshua, 1761-1833.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Thoughts on the best means of lessening the destructive progress of cholera : in a letter addressed to the Right Honourable Viscount Melbourne / by Joshua Brookes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    All waste bread might be soaked in milk, and with pieces of suet or fat cut small, some coarse sugar or treacle, with a little powdered pimento or ginger, may be con¬ verted into puddings (which probably on these occasions would be baked gratuitously), thus forming a nutritious food for children. A lady, a relation of mine, having a numerous family of her own, nevertheless supports many paupers daily by these means. Purveyors of provisions of every description whatsoever, it is to be hoped, will perceive the benefit of contributing a multitude of unsaleable articles of food,—I mean at the same time such as are perfectly wholesome, otherwise the remedy might promote the disease. Every housekeeper, doubtless will furnish bread accord¬ ing to his or her circumstances; and by these charitable donations, the half famished, consequently the most likely to be affected by Cholera, will be less liable to its effects, and the higher grades of society more likely to continue in good health. g< Sanitary Measures. (Lancet, p. 280. Nov. 19th, 1831.) —Under this important head it is our intention to take a cursory glance at the great principles which should guide the various branches of society in their contemplation of an approaching pestilence. On a moment’s consideration, it will be manifest, that almost every rank has its co-ordinate and peculiar duties. The great principles, to be remem¬ bered by all in the present instance, are, that the disease is communicable from man to man; that under particular circumstances it can impart an infectious power to currents of air; that its diffusion by inanimate things is not proved, though this may be inferred; and that the progress of the disease, in individual cases, is marked by the utmost velo¬ city.” “ The executive having thus discharged its part of the common duty,—what remains for the other grades in the social family to perform ?