34
THE ASIATIC EPIDEMIC OF 1817-21.
as far north as Astraclian. In June, 1823, cholera showed itself in the neighbourhood of Laodicea and Antioch, and then spread along the borders of the Mediterranean, but entirely disappeared again, both there and on the shores of the Caspian, towards the close of the year ; nor do we hear of its reproduction, or, in fact, of its existence in these localities from this time up ta the autumn of 1829.
It is without doubt most remarkable that cholera should have been hanging about the territories bor- dering on the Levant for three years, with only a nominal quarantine to stop it, and ample means of communication open, through which it might have spread into Turkey and Europe, supposing human intercourse to be the ordinary means by which the disease is propagated.
Special incidents of the epidemic. — Cholera on slii])- hoard. — Before proceeding with the history of cholera from 1821 to 1830, it is advisable to examine any records of interest we may possess bearing upon the circumstances under which the disease appeared among the crews cf English vessels, either at sea or in port, prior to 1820. One of the first cases to attract our attention is to be found in Dr. Girdlestone's work.f He observes that the troops under the command of Sir J. Burgoyne, three days after landing in Madras (October, 1782), in perfect health, were seized with cholera. Dr. Corbyn describes a very jemarkable outbreak of disease on board the ship "Mangles." The vessel had experienced very bad weather in the Bay of Biscay and at the Madeira Islands. He says
- Graves' ' Clinical Medicine,' p. 299.
t Essays ' On tlie Hepatic and Spasmodic Affections in India.' By J, Girdlestone. London, 1787.
