{1} By the census in 1841, the population was 2757 and it is computed,
at the present time, to be above 3000.
{2} This valley is at present little else than an extensive marsh, which
has been redeemed from the Lary, or Laira, an estuary into which the
river Plym empties itself. A dense fog, of a peculiar character,
frequently rises from this valley, after sun-set, at all seasons of the
year, and hangs about the adjacent hill, assuming the appearance of a
white cloud.
{14} This gentleman was the medical officer for the parish; and the
epidemic having been chiefly prevalent among the labouring class of
people, the frequent mention of his name will be accounted for.
When it pleased God to withdraw the disease from this neighbourhood, the
skilful manner in which Mr. Langworthy had treated it, and his
unremitting attention to the arduous duties of his office, were duly
acknowledged at a parish meeting, with an addition to his salary; and a
handsome piece of plate, purchased by subscription, was presented to him.
He died a few years afterwards.
{18} A supply of all those medicines, &c., which were considered to be
requisite, was provided out of the subscription fund, and kept at my
house; viz., castor oil, tincture of rhubarb, laudanum,—packets, of
different proportions, ready made up and marked, of powdered rhubarb,
carbonate of soda, powdered ginger, and calomel. Carageen moss,
arrow-root, patent groats, mustard, linseed, chloride of lime,
stimulating liniment, called “cholera lotion,” spirits of turpentine,
spirits of salvolatile, &c. From nine to ten every morning, poor people
were supplied with what they required,—some, with common remedies for
slight indisposition; others, according to prescriptions which they
received from their medical attendant,—all under the direction or
sanction of some medical practitioner.
{42} When Sergeant Higgins was suddenly carried off by the cholera, a
feeling of the deepest commiseration for his wife and children was
excited among the officers and privates of the regiment. They
immediately entered into a subscription, and when the sorrowing widow was
about to leave the Citadel with her four young children, on her journey
to Cork, they presented her with a purse containing twenty sovereigns.
The poor creature was so overpowered by the conflicting feelings of grief
for her loss, and gratitude for such an unexpected act of generosity,
that she was unable, without assistance, to get to the waggon in which
she was to travel. Some of her late husband’s comrades and their wives
accompanied her; and so affecting was the parting scene, that more than
one manly cheek was bedewed with tears when the sad farewell was
exchanged. How soon was it realized as a last farewell!
Immediately after the funeral, I wrote to her relations at Cork,
informing them of the mournful event, and requesting them to inform me
what arrangements they would suggest respecting the children. The
youngest, aged one year, died of the cholera in our hospital, in a
fortnight after the decease of its mother. At this time, a person
arrived, to take charge of the children. Before they left the workhouse,
where every care had been taken of them, their relation requested to know
what was due to the parish. In reply to which, he was informed, that
“the last tribute of respect and Christian sympathy to a broken-hearted
widow, was reserved for her helpless little orphans.” Nothing was
accepted. The purse which she had with her was returned, with the
contents untouched.
{45} This man and his wife had been very active and useful, as nurses,
and they occupied an upstair apartment, in the same cottage with
Parsons’s family.
{48} The town of Plympton, in the parish of Plympton St. Maurice, is
situate a few hundred yards eastward from Underwood, in the same valley
which lies below that village.
Some displeasure was expressed, at Plympton, on account of Susan Taylor
having gone to her brother-in-law’s house, as that place had hitherto
been free from the epidemic.
An influential gentleman there wrote to me on the subject, to the
following effect:—
I dare say you have heard that the cholera has unhappily appeared
among us, owing to the widow of Taylor and her child, having
emigrated last night from Underwood to Plympton, and slept at the
house of her brother, in consequence of her having no other abode . .
. It is requisite that you should be aided by the practical
co-operation of others, and particularly that you should be
empowered, by the vote of the parish, to enforce in your overseers
the full and immediate performance of their duty . . . If the poor
of Plympton St. Mary are driven from their houses by accident or
pestilence, they are equally entitled to be taken care of by the
parish officers, and it is their bounden duty instantly to provide
them with some other habitation. Had that been attended to
yesterday, we should (at least in the present case) have been exempt
from the pestilence to-day.
Dated August 11th, 1832.
{50} I received the following letter, in consequence of some difficulty
that had arisen respecting the power of our present Board of Health to
make any order for assistance from the parish; the parish officers having
hitherto taken no steps for that purpose:—
Rose Cottage, Ridgeway, August 11, 1832.
My dear Sir,
As the dread malady with which this neighbourhood is unhappily
afflicted does not appear to have yet run its course (neither
Ridgeway nor Colebrook having been much affected), and as it is
utterly impossible that one medical man, however active and zealous,
can attend on half the cases; nor is it possible that you should be
able to continue your exertions as you have done, unless the patients
are more concentrated: under these considerations, I beg to suggest
the propriety of calling a meeting to-morrow, to consider the
expediency of appointing some place to receive the poor people that
may be attacked, and also to depute some one to act as assistant
overseer; as the overseer resides so far off, a deputy is absolutely
necessary.