The Anglo-Celt

Transcription

Gentlemen, since the date of our last report, another of our townsmen, Mr JJ Babington, has been carried off by fever, and in his case we have to add a name to the list of medical men who have already throughout Ireland fallen victim to the pestilence. It is not to be doubted that he contracted the disease in the assiduous discharge of his official duties in the fever wards of the Union workhouse, to which institution he was apothecary. The cases of fever coming under our observation from all parts of the county, even the most remote, are so numerous, that we have ceased to keep a record of them; in fact they daily meet us wherever we turn through the streets. Of the new cases taken into our care since we last met-the number is eighteen. The culpable practice of bringing fever patients from distant parts of the county to this town, and there abandoning them, has become so common, that we have become compelled to admit some few of the most friendless and helpless of these into the temporary hospital, although they have no direct claim on the accommodation it affords, as they have not resided within the district marked out for our superintendence by your board. One of these, a young female from Crossdoney, having been turned out of doors by her employer, because she was in fever, and who had lain in a ditch for two or three nights, would inevitably have perished had we not given her immediate shelter. Our last report contained a similar record of cruelty: in that case the wretched girl perished within forty-eight hours after her reception into the huts. Mudwall-row still holds its bad pre-eminence as other part of the town in sending patients to our hospital. We are thankful to be enabled to say that during the past week no death has occurred from fever amongst those over whom we have medical charge. There is a progressive improvement also as regards diarrhoea and dysentery. Signed: Charles Halpin MD, Andrew Mease MD. Cavan, May 28, 1847.