APPENDIX A.
The following report by Dr. J. MacRae from Chittagong, dated November 1st, 1818, cannot fail to be of interest in a work on cholera. It is one of the very few remaining records of the period under review, and is the earliest original MS. I have had the opportunity of consulting on the subject. Dr. MacRae writes—
"The disease in question has been long familiar to me, but before I proceed to make any observations upon it, I consider it proper first to reply to the several questions of the Board in as satisfactory a manner as I can, and accordingly, in answer to the first question,—
"I beg to state, that the Cholera Morbus first came under my observation as a prevalent disease, early in 1790, when, as Assistant-Surgeon of the British Bengal Battalion, I marched to the coast with the Detachment sent to Madras, under the command of Lieut. Col. Cockwell, by Lord Cornwallis, upon the breaking out of the war with Tippoo; and since my arrival, in Chittagong in 1794, I have had constant opportunities of observing it, as it prevails in this district, more or less, every hot season.
"In the camp of Col. Cockwell's Detachment in 1790, it prevailed from the end of March until about the middle of June, or during the march through Cuttack and the more northern parts of the Circars. In the district of Chittagong it always prevails in the hot weather.
"For some time before the appearance of the disease in Col. Cockwell's Detachment, the first division of which left Barrackpore on the 13th of February 1790, the weather was such as usually prevails throughout Bengal in the cold season, and, therefore.
