We have seen rather a curious document, drawn up by some of the chief
growers of fruit and vegetables in the villages round London. It is
stated on the authority of twenty-one such persons, whose names are
appended, that up to July the 24th (when it is dated,) of 1,010
labourers of either sex employed in their gardens, one only was
indisposed, and not one had had cholera. Their inference is that fruit
and vegetables are not favourable to the production of that disease; but
it does not appear to us that the premises warrant the conclusion. Is it
the fact that those labourers eat a larger portion of fruit and
vegetables than others? It is notorious, with regard to pastrycooks,
confectioners, and such persons, that they do not consume more--if so
much--of their commodities as others; and certainly persons so situated
as the thousand and ten abovementioned are much less likely than others
to commit any excess in regard to the articles in question. It is not
against the use, but the abuse of "the kindly fruits of the earth," that
we protest; and we are quite sure that many cases of cholera have been
produced by unripe fruit and raw vegetables (as cucumbers,) taken even
in moderate quantity; and that great caution is necessary in this
respect, notwithstanding the declaration of the growers.--_Medical
Gazette._
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